GO GHANA 2023
May 1, 2023 – May 13, 2023 Reclaim Your Identity
Departing US on May 1, 2023/Arrive back in the US May 14, 2023
AFRICA RECONNECT
GO GHANA2023
Prepared by Torch light tours
WHY GHANA
If you are looking for a cultural adventure in Africa, stable democracy or a safe English-speaking country in West Africa, it is difficult to argue for a different destination than Ghana. Ghana is certainly the most welcoming country in the region, and according to Forbes magazine, was ranked the 11th friendliest country on earth. From the ancient kingdoms and trade routes to the arrival of Europeans, there are thousands of years of history and a Diaspora of millions from over 300 years of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
Beautiful beaches, lakes, rivers, lagoons, waterfalls, highlands, virgin forests, sacred rock formations, and sahelian bush and desert. Many cultural experiences where you will directly interact with the people.
Ghana is also one of the safest countries in Africa. Guns are illegal in Ghana, so gun violence is almost nonexistent.
We believe your journey to Africa (Ghana) should include a sample of all there is to offer. Therefore, we offer EXCLUSIVES that are not available on other tours to Ghana, Africa
Day 01 – Tuesday, May 2, 2023
- Airport Welcome @ Kotoka International Airport
- w/ traditional dancers and drummers
- Airport pickup & transfer to hotel
- Check into hotel
- Welcome Dinner & Orientation @ Pool Side (Exclusive)
- Hosted by local Ambassador
- Orientation by Stephen Kyerematen (Exclusive)
Day 03 - Thursday, May 4, 2023
- Breakfast @ Hotel
- Dressmakers on site or hair braiding
- Lunch @ BRASA
- Made in Ghana Brand Showcase
- Dinner & Live JAZZ +233 Jazz BAR and Grill
Day 04 -Friday, May 5, 2023
- Free Day in Accra (meals on your own)
- Self Exploration in Accra (Cultural Center)
- Relax in Hotel
- Visit Spa
- Enjoy the pool side
Day 06 - Sunday, May 7, 2023
- Breakfast @ Hotel
- Naming Ceremony
- Traditional Cooking Lesson
- Lunch on the Ocean @ Mable’s Table
- Dinner @ Hotel w/ Cultural Entertainment
Day 08 - Tuesday, May 9, 2023
- Breakfast @ Hotel
- Half Day of Service @ Wesley Kumasi Senior High School (Exclusive)
- Tour of Cultural Center w/ Cultural Center Executive (Exclusive)
- Lunch @ Cultural Center (Taste of Ghana)
- Manhyia Palace Visit (Ashanti History Museum)
- Exclusive tour by members of the Royal court if available (Exclusive)
Day 10 - Thursday, May 11, 2023
- Breakfast @ Hotel & Check out
- Fly back to Accra (45 min. flight)
Day 12 – Saturday, May 13th
- Breakfast @ hotel
- Final shopping
- Check-in @ Kotoka International Airport
- Departure for U.S.
Itinerary
May 1 – 14, 2023 Departing US on May 1st/Arrive back in the US May 14th.
Day 02 - Wednesday, May 3, 2023
- Breakfast @ Hotel
- Accra City Tour
- Black Star Square
- JamesTown
- Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum & Arts Centre (Shopping)
- Lunch @ Buka Restaurant
- W.E.B. Du Bois Centre & Africa Diaspora Forum Embassy Visit (Exclusive)
- Ancestor Wall Commemoration at Diaspora African Forum (Exclusive)
- Dinner @ Bôndai (Exclusive)
Day 05 - Saturday, May 6, 2023
- Breakfast @ Hotel & Check Out
- Depart to Central Region (4-hour drive) (Cape Coast)
- Welcome and Lunch with Elmina Paramount Chief (Exclusive)
- Cape Coast Slave Castle Dungeon Visit & Tour
- Historical Museum
- Check into Hotel
- Dinner @ Hotel (on your own)
- LODGING: LEMON BEACH RESORT
- LOCATION: ELMINA
Day 07 - Monday, May 8, 2023
- Breakfast @ Hotel
- Visit Assin Manso Last Bath Slave River Site
- Depart to Kumasi (4 hour drive)
- Check in & Lunch at Hotel (on your own)
- LODGING: GOLDEN TULIP – LOCATION: KUMASI
Day 09 - Wednesday, May 10, 2023
- Breakfast @ Hotel
- Visit Bonwire Kente Village
- Visit Ntonso Adinkra Stamp Village
- Lunch @ Kumasi Mall
- Okomfo Anokye Sword Site Visit
- Private Dinner & Live music (Exclusive)
Day 11 – Friday, May 12, 2023
- Nkyinkyim museum
- Lunch at Aqua Safari
- Cruise Volta River
- Farewell Dinner
Package includes
Add on Options:
We offer a few add on optional add-ons that increase the level of your experience:
African Ancestry Test & Reveal
Take your African Ancestry test to find out where you're from. We'll hold the results for you and reveal them during the journey. You must order your test, send us the Kit ID and return your swabs at least 8 weeks before travel.
Extended Stay
10 days might not be long enough. If you decide you want to stay longer, we can add another 4 or 7 days and curate your extended stay experience. Even if you want to extend and visit another African Country.
Private Driver:
For tours, shopping, or whatever you choose.
Hair braiding and Seamstress for Men and Women clothing
The technicians and seamstress can come to you or you can travel to them. Your choice.
DAY (may 1) depart usa for ghana DAY/(may 2) ARRIVAL in accra
Torch Light Tours will meet with you on your arrival at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra. Make yourself known to your guide as you leave the customs and arrival hall. We check into hotel after and proceed with welcome drinks, orientation with buffet dinner. The reminder of the day will be spending at leisure and relaxation; optionally we can have a service of a Tailor to take our measurement to make us some handmade traditional outfits.
Day 2- (may 3)) “accra city tour”
Having enjoyed your first night in Accra, today is dedicated to an Accra city tour, first visit is W. E. B. DuBois and Pan African Center is a memorial place and a research center “Africa Diaspora Forum Embassy” dedicated into a great Pan Africanist who lived and died as a Ghanaian, he came to Ghana at the Age of 93 with 1,000 books to work on African Encyclopedia on invitation of Ghana’s first president. At the center we will also visit African American Association of Ghana and Diaspora African Forum office. We continue to visit National Museum, which is ethnographic in nature and gives us an excellent overview of West African history and cultural and also there is adjoining Gardens which houses sculptures which tells about our customs and history. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant serving a selection of West African and continental dishes. Next on our city tour is a visit to James Town which is a fishing community with a lot of vibrant tourist activities notably is the recent Street Art Festival “Chale Wote” with a lot of fascinating street art works, we will also visit a Brazilian lane, which inhabit Stone Houses which was built by formal enslave Africans from Brazil who seal their way back to the Guinea Coast after Slave Trade was abolished and some of them ended up in Accra Ghana, some continue to Nigeria others stay in Ghana and integrate very well in Ghana society. We will pass by Independence Square and view the enclosed flame of African liberation, which was lit by Kwame Nkrumah himself in 1961. We continue on a short distance to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, final resting place of Ghana’s founder. Set in attractive gardens, there is an adjoining museum, which contains photos, artifacts and an insight into this incredible man’s life. Adjoining the park is the National Cultural Center, which is actually Ghana’s largest outdoor arts and crafts market selling traditional crafts from all over West Africa. After testing your bargaining skills we return to our hotel, in the evening we will enjoy dinner at Bondai restaurant, the remainder of the evening is for leisure and enjoying some nightlife in Accra.
Day – 3 (may 4) “visit made in ghana brand”
After leisure breakfast at your hotel. We will enjoy lunch at BRASA, visit Made in Ghana Showcase and enjoy dinner at +233 Jazz whilst enjoying best of Ghana’s live band music.
Day – 4 (may 5) “leisure/free day”
The entire day is dedicated into relaxation/free day.
Day – 5 (may 6) “depart for cape coast”
We check out of our hotel after leisurely breakfast, we will drive through scenic coastal plantation, having a glimpse looks at several historical and heritage sites on our way. We will stop brief at Abandze to visit Fort Amsterdam, which was the first British fort built between 1631 and 1638. The original fort was destroyed by the people of Anomabo who are their neighbors in 1811. We will exclusively enjoy Lunch with the paramount chief of Elmina upon arrival.
We proceed with a visit to Cape Coast Castle after lunch, Cape Coast Castle designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Built by the British in 1665 at the height of slavery and played a major role in holding enslaved Africans in awaiting of slave ships to ship them to the New World. We will walk through the Male and Female dungeons and the infamous “Door of No Return”. There is a historical museum inside, which explains the whole history of the castle and Cape Coast itself, as well as a souvenir shop which sells literature on all of Ghana’s forts and castles, as well as the cultural history and traditions of Ghana. After a wonderful, yet thought-provoking day, we check into our hotel, the rest of the day is spent at leisure.
DAY 6 (may 7) - naming ceremony and cooking lessons
After leisurely breakfast we will participate in traditional naming ceremony and “The Right to Return Atonement and Rituals Ceremony” to formally welcome you back home, the program will be held at Simiw village, you will be welcome by Elders of the community, pour libation to call on our ancestors and welcome you back. There will be drumming, dance and other rituals performed. After a wonderful day at the village, we will also participate in traditional Cooking Lessons, explore the fragrant and exotic flavours of Ghana and West Africa finest cuisine and take the recipe back home.
ATTIRE: AFRICAN PRINT
Day – 7 (may 8) “depart for kumasi, visit slave river”
After leisurely breakfast, we checked out of our hotel, our final destination today is Kumasi, we will first stop at Assin Manso, which was one of the major slave market during the slave trade, Ndonkor Nsuo (Enslaved African River). This river is where enslaved Africans were checked for fitness and bathed before being transported to Cape Coast for shipment to the Americas and Caribbean. At the Slave River, we will participate in “First Bath Of Return” ceremony.
After we continue our journey to Kumasi, check into our hotel, the reminder of the day will be spend at leisure.
Day – 8 (may 9) “visit wesley girls high school, kumasi city tour”
We will visit Wesley Girls High School, and have a half day interactions and share with them and also donate some school supplies and other items to the school. Included
After we will embark on city tour of Kumasi, with a visit to Manhyia Palace museum, which houses regalia, paraphernalia and real good ornaments which tells the history, tradition, continuality and customs of Ashantes. Next is Cultural Centre. The cultural center is found in one of the oldest suburbs of Kumasi. There is a wonderful craft market here and during our leisurely tour we have the opportunity to visit the Prempeh II Jubilee museum which offers an excellent overview of Ashanti history. We will enjoy dinner at Jofel restaurant.
Day – 9 (may 10) “visit crafts villages”
The day is dedicated into crafts villages, learning about ancient kente cloth and Adinkra symbols, our first stop is Adanwomasie famous as the birth place of Kente. Adanwomasie produces some of Ghana’s finest Kente cloths, many designs of cloth are woven here and some are exclusive only to this region. We will interact with the community, learning about the history behind the many designs. As we walk through the village, we see highly skilled locals weaving outside their homes. The machines that the weavers use have not changed in design for centuries. During our time at Adanwomasie, we have the opportunity to buy excellent quality cloth at very reasonable prices before setting off for the village of Ntunso.
The ancient village of Ntunso, is where Adinkra originates. Adinkra are traditional symbols with meanings, carved from calabash shells, and printed onto traditional cloth using natural dyes made from the bark of certain local trees. Adinkra cloth has been adorned by the Ashanti’s for more than 4 centuries and pre dates Kente cloth. Even today most Ashanti’s will wear Adinkra cloth for funerals, festivals and other important occasions. During our time here we have the opportunity to make our own strip of Adinkra cloth using symbols with personal significance. After wonderful morning, we will enjoy our lunch at Kumasi City Mall.
Lastly is a visit to Okomfo Anokye sword which has defied all human strength to pull it out, it’s believed that it was planted there by famous priest Okomfo Anokye conjure the golden stool from the heaves.
Day – 10 (may 11) “internal flight to accra, farewell dinner”
After breakfast, we will depart to the Kumasi airport to join our internal flight to Accra, we check into our hotel upon arrival, the reminder of the day at leisure, we will also embark on some more shopping to pick more souvenirs back home and enjoy farewell dinner.
Day – 12 (may 13) “departure”
After a leisurely breakfast we will visit Nkyinkyim museum which is one of the biggest outdoor museums around in display and chronicle middle passage, enslavement and giving veneration to our ancestors. We will continue to have lunch at cozy Aqua Safari and cruise on Volta River.
Day – 12 (may 13) “departure”
Sadly your final day with us in Ghana, after a leisurely breakfast and morning of relaxation we check-out of our hotel and If time permits we may have the opportunity to pick up any last minute souvenirs as we visit Ghana’s largest arts and crafts market, after we transfer you to the airport to catch your flight back home after a wonderful 12 Day GoGhana experience.
Registration Information
December 1st - Registration & non-refundable deposit of $1,000.00
Pay in full by Feb 1st & save $100
April 1 - final deadline for all payments
Monthly Payment plan available:
January 1st | $500 |
January 15th | $250 |
February 1st | $500 |
February 15th | $250 |
March 1st | $500 |
March 15th | $500 |
April 1, 2023 | Balance Due |
Register for The FREE ZOOM about the Tour:
Choose a date:
November 15, 2022
When: Nov 15, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
November 21, 2022
When: Nov 21, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
November 28, 2022
When: Nov 28, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
December 5, 2022
When: Dec 5, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Africa Journey TO GHANA Registration
Please complete this form if you're interested in traveling to Ghana, West Africa from May 1 - 14, 2023 with Africa Reconnect.
Refund Policy (not including airline tickets which are based on Airline policy): Up to 45 days before departure, you are entitled to receive 75% of deposit minus $500 non-refundable initial deposit by sending trip cancellation in writing. Between 44 – 30 days before departure, you are entitled to receive 50% of deposit minus $500 non-refundable initial deposit by sending trip cancellation in writing. Between 30 – 15 days before departure, you are entitled to receive 25% of deposit minus $500 non-refundable initial deposit by sending trip cancellation in writing. There is no refund within 15 days of departure.