12 Day Burkina Faso and Ghana Tour

DAY 1                          AKWAABA - WELCOME

Arrive in Accra, Ghana. Transfer from airport to your hotel.  Depending on time of arrival, you will be welcomed with traditional cultural drumming and dancing.  Welcome drink and orientation. Overnight at hotel in Accra.

DAY 2                          ACCRA CITY TOUR

Breakfast at hotel. Depart for a sightseeing city tour of Accra. You will drive through the administrative and economic districts of Accra, the capital of Ghana. This 132-year-old city which has a blend of colonial and modern architecture that summarize her history.  You will visit the W. E. B. Dubois Center for Pan African Culture, Independence/ Black Star Square and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.
After lunch (on your own) in a local Ghanaian restaurant, you will end your tour at the Arts Centre where you will have an opportunity to use your bargaining skills to shop from an open-air market for artifacts from Ghana and West Africa

Day 3                         CAPE COAST CASTLE / ELMINA CASTLE
Depart for a drive to the Central Region to tour the infamous Forts, Castles and Slave Dungeons of Ghana. History will unfold the story of the slave trade, the impact of which is still felt beyond the shores of Africa today. Visit the Cape Coast Castle built by the Swedes in 1653 and later taken over by the British. This castle also houses the West African Historical Museum established by the Smithsonian Institute in collaboration with the Ghanaian Government in 1994.  Later, visit the Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482 and is also known as St. George's Castle.  This castle was the first European structure built in Sub – Saharan Africa.  The colorful harbor nestled below the Elmina Castle, full of pirogues preparing to go to sea offers one of West Africa’s greatest photo opportunities.  Overnight at hotel in Elmina

DAY 5                            KUMASI CITY TOUR

Check out and depart for a drive through the forest zone to Kumasi, the seat of the Ashanti Empire to explore the legends of the famous Ashantis, whose legacies are still evident today. Upon arrival, visit Manhyia Palace Museum, to obtain firsthand information on the legacies of the Ashanti kingdom. A regal history that dates back to 1700 is told with relics and artifacts. Enjoy a drive through the city with monuments dedicated to the memory of the great Ashanti people.  End the day’s tour at the National Cultural Center which features the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum and various studios of the brass makers, potters and batik makers.  Overnight at hotel in Kumasi.

Day 6             ASHANTI CRAFT VILLAGES
This day is devoted to visiting the three famous craft villages in Ashanti -  Ahwiaa, the wood carvers’ village, Ntonso, the home of Adinkra and Bonwire, the Kente weaving village.  You will have the opportunity to see how African crafts are made and to buy directly from the artisans who make them.  Overnight at hotel in Kumasi.

Day 7                                                         KUMASI - TAMALE
After breakfast depart Kumasi for a drive to Tamale the capital of the Dagomba State.  Visit the Centre for National Culture to see how the Northern Culture evolved.  Here you will find the well known northern traditional attire known as the “smock or (fugu)” being designed, dyed and sewed by hand. Later, visit the main handicraft market where you can shop for straw products, leather goods, and carvings from the Mossi people.  Overnight stay at hotel in Tamale.

Day 8             SIRIGU– OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO
Early morning departure for Sirigu, the Village of painted houses. Visit the Chief’s Palace and walk through maze like passages to view painted Talensi houses.        
Have refreshments at the visitor’s center; afterwards participate in a house painting workshop where you will learn the techniques of wall design. After the workshop,
depart for Tongo Hills. Upon arrival, take a short hike through the hills to visit Tengzug Shrine. Here you will learn the history and details of the Tenzug and Tonna’ab Shrine. Depart for the drive to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Overnight in Ouagadougou.

Day 9                         OUAGADOUGOU CITY TOUR
After Breakfast depart for a sightseeing tour of Ouagadougou, the traditional capital of the Mossi Empire. Visit the Centre Artisan to shop for bronze castings, carvings, masks, jewelry which consists of desert crosses and terracotta beads as well as Tuareg leather boxes. End the day by visiting the Musee National. The museum consists primarily of ethnographic collections such as clay pots, basket making and weaving exhibits, regional costumes including the Mossi chiefs regalia, ancestral statutes of the Bobo, Mossi, Lobi and the Gourounsi people. Overnight at a hotel in Ouagadougou.

Day 10                       OUAGADOUGOU – BOBO DIOULASOO
If you are there on a Friday, leave early morning (6:30 am) to see the Nabayius Gou. This is a ceremonial re-enactment of an event that took place in the eighteenth century at the Mogho Naba’s palace. This event commemorates the commitment of their king to his subjects. After lunch, depart for a scenic drive to Bobo Dioulasso. Dinner and overnight in Bobo Dioulasso.

DAY 11                              BOBO DIOULASSO - OUAGADOUGOU

If you are there on a Friday, leave early morning (6:30 am) to see the Nabayius Gou.  This is a ceremonial re-enactment of an event that took place in the eighteenth century at the Mogho Naba’s palace. This event commemorates the commitment of their king to his subjects. Later, depart for a scenic drive to Bobo Dioulasso.  Overnight at hotel in Bobo Dioulasso.

DAY 12                                             DAY AT LEISURE / DEPARTURE

Spend the morning exploring Bobo Dioulasso, the second largest city in Burkina Faso.  Visit Bobo’s old town in the Kibidoue district, the Marche de Poterie and the Musee de la Culture. Depart for Ouagadougou for overnight.