5 Days in Ghana: A Realistic Itinerary from Accra to the Coast

Who this itinerary suits

Five days is enough for Accra and the central coast at a comfortable pace. It is not enough to add Mole National Park in the north without spending two of those days in a vehicle. If elephants are the priority, plan seven days instead.

Day 1 — Arrive in Accra

Land at Kotoka, settle in, and keep the day light. An afternoon at Independence Square and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, then dinner in Osu or Labone. Jet lag wins on day one; do not schedule a long drive.

Day 2 — Accra city day

• Makola Market in the morning, when it is busiest and coolest.
• Jamestown for the lighthouse, the boxing gyms and the harbour.
• Artists Alliance Gallery or the Nubuke Foundation in the afternoon.
• Live highlife or jazz in the evening.

Day 3 — Drive to Cape Coast

The drive is roughly three hours without traffic, four to five if you leave Accra after 7am. Leave early. Afternoon guided tour of Cape Coast Castle, then sunset at the fishing harbour.

Day 4 — Kakum and Elmina

Start at Kakum National Park by 8am — the canopy walkway is quieter and cooler before the school groups arrive, and the seven bridges take about ninety minutes with photos. Elmina Castle in the afternoon, forty minutes away. Overnight on the coast.

Day 5 — Coast to Accra and departure

Breakfast by the sea, a stop at a stilt village or a craft workshop on the way back, then Accra. Allow four hours to the airport including traffic, and more on a Friday.

What it usually costs

Costs per person vary with group size and hotel standard. Castle and park entry, a driver, fuel and a guide for five days typically sit in the mid hundreds of US dollars per person for a small group, with accommodation on top. We price each trip against your budget rather than a fixed package, so tell us the number you have in mind.

Where the schedule slips

• Leaving Accra late. Traffic out of the city doubles the drive.
• Underestimating the castles. Both tours are emotionally heavy; people need time afterwards.
• Rain in June and September, which makes the canopy walkway slippery and closes it occasionally.

Make it yours

We run this route as a private trip with your own driver and guide, or as a small group departure. Send your dates and group size and we will come back with a costed version, usually within 24 hours.