Waterfall, Aburi Gardens & Cocoa Farm Day Tour from Accra

Aburi Botanical Gardens

The Aburi Botanical Gardens sit on the Akuapem ridge about forty kilometres north of Accra, where the air is noticeably cooler than on the coast. The site began as a hill sanatorium for colonial officials and was laid out as a botanical garden in 1890, becoming a centre for testing crops such as rubber, coffee and cocoa. Today it is one of Ghana's best-loved green spaces, with an avenue of royal palms, ancient silk-cotton trees and a collection of tropical and medicinal plants.

Your guided walk here takes about an hour, along shady paths where you see trees planted more than a century ago, colourful flowering shrubs and birds in the canopy. It is the classic Aburi Gardens day trip from Accra and a gentle start to the day. The best time to visit Aburi Gardens is the morning, when the light is soft and the hills are often wrapped in a light mist.

Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm

In the hill town of Mampong in Akuapem, the Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm marks the spot where Ghana's cocoa industry began. A local blacksmith of that name returned in 1879 from the island of Fernando Po, today Bioko, with cocoa beans and planted them here; from this small farm cocoa spread across the forest belt, and Ghana grew into one of the largest cocoa producers in the world.

On this cocoa farm tour in Ghana you walk among the trees with a guide who explains how the pods grow straight from the trunk, how they are harvested, fermented and sun-dried, and why the crop is still so important to rural families. The highlight is tasting the sweet, tangy white pulp of a freshly opened pod. Please respect the plants and avoid picking anything yourself. Expect to spend around forty-five minutes on the farm.

Boti, Akaa or Asenema Falls

Deep in the forests of the Eastern Region, the tour visits one of three waterfalls, chosen by your guide according to the season and the state of the paths. Boti Falls is the best known, a pair of cascades on the Pawmpawm River that local tradition calls the male and female falls, reached by a long flight of steps down into a green gorge. Akaa Falls, nearby, tumbles over rock shelves into a pool, while Asenema Falls drops down a high cliff surrounded by rainforest.

Many travellers ask when is the best time to visit Boti Falls: the flow is strongest during and just after the rainy seasons, roughly May to October, while in the dry months the guide may choose the waterfall with the best water. Wherever you go, you have time to listen to the falls, feel the spray and take photos. Wear shoes with good grip, as steps and rocks can be wet.

Umbrella Rock and the three-headed palm tree

Close to the Boti area, Umbrella Rock is a striking natural landmark: a huge flat slab of rock balanced on a narrower base, so that it looks like an open umbrella standing in the forest. A short guided hike, with some uneven ground and steps, brings you to the top, where the view opens over the forested hills and farmland of the Eastern Region. It is one of the best photo spots of the day.

On the way you also stop at the three-headed palm tree, a rare oil palm whose trunk splits into three crowns, which local people regard with curiosity and respect. These short stops add character to the day and are a good chance to talk with your guide about village life and farming in the region. Afterwards you relax on the drive back to Accra, arriving in the late afternoon or early evening.