Top 10 Tips for Visiting Ghana

This was a big adjustment traveling from California where prices in stores and for taxis are set or metered. In Ghana, many goods and all taxi rides are negotiated, heavily.  This can be quite a stressful experience if you are unprepared. Just know that it is a normal part of the culture and the economy. And know that since you probably stick out as a foreign traveler, people may well start very high on their initial price, especially for taxis.

Research ahead of time and definitely ask other travelers and any friendly locals you meet what some normal prices are for general taxi rides. While in more rural areas normal everyday goods and food at the markets and shops are usually pretty fairly priced and don’t need to be negotiated, while trinkets, tourist souvenirs and special more expensive items will all be priced for negotiations.

Also don’t worry too much about if you are slightly overpaying for some items, especially if you are not the kind of person that thrives on negotiations. Just know you will overpay sometimes and chalk it up to being part of the experience. Most things are pretty cheap in Ghana for the normal western traveler, so worrying about a dollar here-and-there is not worth the stress related to negotiating an extra few Cedis off a certain good or service.

 Tip #2 – Bring enough sunscreen. 

What to pack for Ghana? Bring as little as you can, but definitely bring sunscreen! Locals don’t use sunscreen, so no small stores or markets carry it. I asked all over the place and got many blank stares or slight giggles at my inquiries. You can only find sunscreen in a few specialty stores in the largest cities and it is very expensive. So bring a hat and a bottle or two of your own!

Also make sure to bring clothes that are cool during the heat of the day but also cover up your arms and legs, protecting you from the sun and bugs without all the chemicals!

Tip #3 – Know the Ghana visa rules and apply ahead of your trip, but not too ahead of time! 

I thought I was being proactive and on top of my stuff by sending away for my Visa early. But I found out that the Visa for Ghana is only good for 3 months from when it is approved, which is date they approve it in your country of origin, not 3 months from the date you arrive in Ghana. I applied for it just over 3 months before our trip so I had to reapply and REPAY for a second visa that was good for the correct entry period.

This was not stated clearly on their website and the people I talked to at the Embassy agreed and apologized, but still made me reapply. Now they have updated their website with better language around this point.  Don’t make this mistake and cost yourself an extra $60 fee plus all the pricey shipping costs. Apply within 3 months of the date you expect to arrive in Ghana.

Here is a link to the Ghana Visa processing website if you are traveling from the USA.

Tip #4 – Pack light and compact if possible.

Traveling within Ghana is not the easiest of experiences. If you are visiting multiple cities or regions of the country (which you should do, see tip #5) you will make the whole experience a lot easier by having less luggage and more compact luggage.

There are 4 modes of travel you will be likely to use while in Ghana: Taxis, Tro Tros, buses or small regional flights. Lugging around multiple or large bags on any of these would be miserable. Taxis in the country are usually quite small so if you are traveling in a couple or small group, each with large or multiple bags, you won’t fit easily in many taxis.

Tro Tros are private vans that operate like shared taxis. They are usually crammed so full with people and goods that they have to tie the back doors shut to keep the bulging luggage from falling out, so if your baggage is small it makes the whole experience a lot easier. They also usually charge per bag that needs to be loaded in the back or on top of the car, making multiple bags more expensive. The experience of loading a Tro Tro can also be quite chaotic so having fewer items to keep track of is a big plus.

(We did a 3 month trip to Ghana and multiple other countries and fit all our stuff into one carry-on bag)

Tip #5 – Set aside time and money during your trip to see the natural beauty of the country you are visiting. 

Ghana is a beautiful country with so many diverse natural environments that are spectacularly different than North America or Europe. If you visit Ghana definitely set aside time and money to go see this beauty which is outside the main tourist area of Accra. Mole National Park is a true highlight of the country, and due to the difficulty of getting there most people don’t go.

We spent two unplanned days there we loved it so much: the sunsets, animals and relaxation were amazing. Make sure to go during the Dry Season (October till April) so that the animals are around and are congregated at the watering holes. If you have enough time, an extra 4ish days, and are there during the right season, go to Mole. It’s really just a short flight then a couple hour taxi or Tro Tro ride from Accra and is totally worth it!

The coastal areas are also really pretty while being full of history and fascinating culture. Kakum National Park, a preservation in the Rain Forest, was an amazing site with its awesome tree top bridges and platforms. We did not get to see the Volta region, but that is also supposed to be very beautiful. Don’t get sucked into the city for your whole stay in Ghana, go see the diverse and amazing sites in the more rural areas as well!

Tip #6 – Be friendly and chat with locals.

Is Ghana safe? Everyone asks me that! The answer is yes (as safe as anywhere else). The people we met in Ghana were usually super friendly and were generally happy to help us out if we asked. You learn so much from talking with locals about their community and if you ask for advice on where to eat, how to get around or tips on the area you will get honest and helpful pointers.

Normally in most tourist situations when a shopkeeper or a random local is overly friendly you should be highly aware of them trying to rip you off or take advantage of you. While general awareness should not be ignored in Ghana, you should know that most of the people we met were genuinely super friendly so you shouldn’t necessarily assume the worse of intentions while there. Most people are just trying to be really nice and helpful!

Tip #7 – Try as many local foods and drinks as possible.

Part of traveling to any foreign country is getting to try all the local foods and drinks. It is exciting to try food that you have never heard of or seen before, foods with new ingredients and spices that are very different than what you are used to back home.

The food of Ghana perfectly fits this experience with so many tasty dishes, some pretty familiar (fried chicken with Jollof rice) and others that are very different (fufu and chicken light soup or groundnut stew or okra stew). Make sure to try all the fruits that are in season while you are there as they are all so fresh and tasty. You likely came very far to visit Ghana and likely won’t have the chance to try these types of dishes again any time soon, so try all the major local dishes (Kenke or Banku or the countless ways plantains are prepared or all the delicious fresh fish dishes [ew to the dried fish!]).

-Me eating some Fufu and Chicken Light Soup in Accra, Ghana…Delicious!

Tip #8 – Be careful what you eat.

Yes, try as large of a variety of food as you can, but also be aware of what you are eating and how it is prepared. The water in Ghana is generally undrinkable – except from bottled and filtered sources. So any food that is washed in untreated water is likely to get you sick as a foreigner.

The best bet is to eat foods that are fried, baked or boiled. If the food source is unknown or comes from a stand that does not look particularly sanitary then don’t eat there or you run a great risk of getting sick. Fried and boiled foods are the best bet. Stick with those. Also make sure to carefully wash all your non-peeled fruits and veggies with purified water before you eat them!

If you do want to try some of the delicious non-fried or unboiled foods, make sure to get them from busy and clean looking restaurants. Don’t be afraid to ask if they use filtered water to make their Fufu, which is the most common non-cooked food item that you might want to try.

Tip #9 – Make sure you have adequate cash and access to cash

Ghana is a cash based society. Very, very few places take credit or debit cards for payment. Given this economic characteristic of the country you would think there would be plenty of ATMs in all the towns and neighborhoods. This is not the case.

As such, you need to make sure you have adequate cash with you at all times. When you are traveling outside of a large city and you see an ATM, get some cash as you might not see another one for many miles. I never worried about carrying around a bunch of money with me in Ghana. Everyone else is doing it too and Ghana is a very safe country, so it was never really a big deal.

Also make sure you have an international ATM card that does not charge foreign fees and refunds all ATM fees like the Charles Schwab card that comes with the Charles Schwab free checking account (It is the best checking account and the best ATM card for travelers!). Cash is king in Ghana, don’t find yourself in a tough situation and short on Cedis.

Tip #10 – Don’t skimp on the vaccines and travel medications.

Traveling to West Africa is usually a special and rare trip for most people. With most people’s limited time and the high expense of traveling that far, no one wants to waste part of your trip unnecessarily sick. Also some of the diseases you can pick up while in that region are very serious and can have lifelong effects. As such, it is vital that you get all the required and the recommended vaccines prior to your trip.

The worst thing is getting all the way over there then getting malaria or tetanus when a simple vaccine would have likely prevented it. Find out what medicines YOU need. Set up a travel visit with your doctor and get all the recommended vaccinations ahead of your travels. This is what the CDC recommends if traveling to Ghana. I received all, but the Rabies vaccine before I left for Ghana. Alena opted to get the rabies vaccine and why not get all that your doctor recommends? Better safe than sorry with a trip like this. Also definitely bring medicine for dealing with treating illnesses that may arise once on your trip.

When traveling to any place with poor sanitation or where the water is questionable it is helpful to bring an antibiotic for traveler’s diarrhea and Pepto-Bismol chews (these things are golden for when you are sick and traveling) for the inevitable upset stomach you will get. Women should also highly consider bringing medicines for yeast infections as that can be a common side effect from malaria or traveler’s diarrhea pills.

Anything you can do to prevent or reduce the time that you are sick while traveling can reap huge rewards in improving the enjoyment of your trip. Let the pictures, trinkets and amazing stories be the only things you bring back from your trip.

Bonus Tip – Drink lots of water! Ghana is super hot and humid. 

While these tips are geared toward a visit to Ghana, many may apply to visiting other West African Countries as well.

Ghana is an amazing country to visit. It is beautiful, safe and full of wonderful cultural experiences, foods and people! Make your trip easier and more enjoyable by referencing these 10 basic tips for visiting Ghana.

-Safe Travels – Alan Evans