Explore Ghana’s Stunning National Parks
Best known for its cultural offerings and important historical sites, Ghana is also home to a wealth of majestic natural parks. These nature preserves feature everything from unspoiled rainforest to open savannas where you can track elephants on foot. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a lion or two. Get ready to experience a whole new side of this West African country by visiting five of the most remarkable national parks and conservation areas in Ghana.
Walk among the Rainforest Canopy at Kakum National Park
Kakum National Park is one of Ghana’s most visited attractions. The park is home to dozens of mammal species, including spot-nosed monkeys, six types of duiker, and Ghana’s densest population of forest elephants, the smaller cousin of African savanna elephants. Yet the bulk of this wildlife is elusive, often camouflaging itself from onlookers among the greenery of Kakum’s vast rainforest.
Even if you don’t spot any wildlife in this 375-sq-km (145-sq-mile) national park, you’re in for a treat thanks to the 350m- (1148ft-)long canopy walk at a height of some 40m (130ft), which provides a uniquely breathtaking vantage point. This series of seven rope bridges winds its way through Kakum’s towering rainforest canopy, a world of mostly virgin hardwood trees, including ebony and mahogany. Some of the centuries-old trees grow up to 60m (200ft) tall, with flowering orchids and ferns covering their trunks and a bevy of squawking wildlife in their branches.
Enjoy Superlative Wildlife Watching at Mole National Park
At 4840 sq km (1869 sq miles), Mole National Park is the largest of Ghana’s seven protected areas and also the oldest, first established in 1958. Located in the country’s northwest Savannah region – easily accessible from Tamale Airport – Mole is one of Ghana’s most sought-after spots for wildlife watching.
Primates such as green vervet monkeys and pensive baboons make their home among the park’s open grasslands, basking in the shade of flat-topped wild syringa, African baobab, and flowering acacia and shea trees. Other mammals such as warthogs and hippos reside here as well, with martial eagles – known for their massive wingspan – can be spotted circling overhead. They’re just one of the 344 species of birds that nest or migrate here.
Although it’s possible to spot predators such as spotted hyena, leopards, and even lions (so rarely seen that some consider their presence a myth), it’s the park’s elephant population that astounds the most. Mole is home to approximately 500 forest elephants that tend to gather at crocodile-filled watering holes or wander in groups among Mole’s slightly rolling landscape. Compared with other elephant populations across Africa, the park’s particular breed of elephants is considered non-aggressive, meaning walking safaris led by a certified guide are not just allowed here – they’re encouraged.
Hit the Hiking Trails at Kyabobo National Park
While it’s not easy to reach, Kyabobo National Park, in an under-visited part of Ghana, is well worth the effort of getting to. Its remoteness makes the park alluring: expect to not see another visitor for hours, if not days.
At 220 sq km (85 sq miles), Kyabobo is home to Ghana’s second-tallest mountain peak, the 876m (2874ft) Mt Dzebobo, whose summit offers stellar panoramic views of Volta Lake. More than half of this national park is mountainous, a unique feature for Ghana. From one of its many higher vantage points, visitors can see the ecological transition from tropical rainforest in the park’s south to open savanna in its north. The park is a haven for hundreds of butterfly species, as well as for warthog, aardvark, baboon, and the prolific red river hogs and rock hyrax.
Visit Atewa Range Forest Reserve to See Endemic and Critically Endangered Species
Atewa Range Forest Reserve is Ghana’s biggest forest and one of the largest surviving rainforests in West Africa. This park consists of nearly 259 sq km (100 sq miles) of woodlands, including a substantial swath of upland evergreen forest, uncommon in this region. This richly biodiverse area brims with lush jungles sprouting giant ferns, clear running streams, and more than 570 species of butterflies – some of which, like the Atewa dotted border, are found nowhere else on the planet.
Atewa is a refuge for an incredible array of rare plants and animals. The critically endangered white-naped mangabey, a ground-dwelling primate, was first spotted here in 2017; birds like the least honeyguide and blue-headed crested-flycatcher reside in the reserve as well.
Meet Chimpanzees in Untouched Rainforest at Bia National Park
Bia National Park, Ghana’s only designated biosphere reserve, is a wonderfully biodiverse rainforest that boasts some of the country’s last remaining remnants of pristine canopy cover. This UNESCO-listed site teems with wildlife, including elephants, buffaloes, and bongos, which are considered highly threatened.
It’s also home to some of Ghana’s rarest wildlife finds, including the vulnerable white-breasted guinea fowl and nearly a dozen primate species, including chimpanzees. Bia is one of the few areas in the country where you might spot those forest-dwelling great apes.
Camping is allowed at designated sites within the park, so bring your gear along with you.
