About this trip
Akwaabaa.......Blackstar Tours has put together a cultural & historical experience of a lifetime. Experience the sights & sounds of Accra, Ghanas Capital. Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum & Park to learn about his vision. Be transported back in time with visits to the slave dungeons at Cape Coast & Elmina castles. Visit Kumasi Manahyia Palace museum & craft villages.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Question: What is the exchange rate of US$ to Ghana Cedi
Answer: The exchange rate changes every day, check online for daily rate
2. Question: Whats the temperature in Ghana ?
Answer: The temperature ranges between 78 - 92 degrees depending on time of year. You can check the weather app for more accurate temperatures.
3. Question: How do I dress?
Answer: We recommend casual apparel for daytime and dressy casual for dinner. When visiting the Palace or meeting with Chiefs, for women we recommend dresses which cover the knees.
4. Question: Do I need vaccines to travel to Ghana
Answer: Check with your doctor however The Ghanian government recommends that you are vaccinated for Malaria.
5. Question: Are children allowed on your tours?
Answer: While our travel experiences are designed for adults of all ages, children are more than welcome to join! Travelers must be at least eight years old at the departure date for most tours.
6. Question: I have special meal requirements; can you accommodate me when I’m on tour?
Answer: Food allergies, needs, or preferences shouldn’t keep you from seeing the world. Just notify us of any dietary restrictions when you book and we’ll make sure that your Tour Director is made aware and can provide options for you.
7. Question: Can I upgrade to Premium Economy or Business Class on my flights?
Answer: Flight upgrades are available on some flights upon request. Please email us at Hazel@blackstarge.com for more information about your options.
8. Question: Can you guarantee or assign seating on the plane?
Answer: Picking that perfect seat is important, and we will make general seat requests (such as window or aisle) whenever possible. Seating arrangements vary by airline, so please call a Customer Relations Representative if you have any questions about how to proceed with seating for your flights.
In many cases, you must contact the airline directly to arrange your seating once you receive your finalized flight itinerary, about 30 days before departure. Some airlines (such as British Airways) will only allow you to make seat requests within 24 hours of departure, while others may charge a fee for advance seating assignments.
9. Question: Are my travel dates flexible? Can I fly ahead of time or stay after?
Answer: Customizing your tour starts with choosing the dates that work for you. If you’d like to spend time on your own before or after your tour, we’re happy to help make those arrangements. Work with a Customer Relations Representative to finalize your itinerary before your final payment is due, as additional costs may apply.
10. Question: Are your tours good for solo travelers?
Answer: Yes! One of the best parts about a group tour is that when you travel by yourself, you’ll never be alone. No matter which of our tours you pick, when you go solo, you’ll have your Tour Director and fellow travelers to keep you company. Plus, our tours are designed with lots of flexibility, so you can seek out as much (or as little) alone time as you’d like.
11. Question: I have special meal requirements; can you accommodate me when I’m on tour?
Answer: Food allergies, needs, or preferences shouldn’t keep you from seeing the world. Just notify us of any dietary restrictions when you book and we’ll make sure that your Tour Director is made aware and can provide options for you.
12. Question: Do I need to join the group for all of the included activities?
Answer: Your tour is exactly that: yours. If your itinerary includes a guided tour, but you’d prefer to spend your time doing something different, that’s perfectly fine. Enjoy your time however you like! Just be sure that you meet up with your group in time for any transfers between cities or countries.
13. Question: How many travelers are on a tour? Why should I care about group size?
Answer: Group size impacts making connections with fellow travelers and your Tour Director, access to local culture and remote natural landscapes, and the overall ease and comfort of traveling together. We determine the ideal group size for each adventure is 15, which—unlike the industry standard of 45 travelers—never exceeds 25 travelers.
Terms & Conditions
1. A non refundable $250 deposit is required to book your Flight/Tour. if your tour has been paid in full and you wish to cancel, the difference can be refunded if cancellation is made 120 days in advance. If you have an emergency and cannot travel on your designated booking date, we can possible schedule you for touring at a later date within the year.
What’s included
- AirfareFlights to/from JFK
- 4* & 3* HotelHotel Accommodations
- Airport transfersTo/From hotel & all Tours
- TransportAir Conditioned Buses
- MealsBreakfast/Lunch/Arrival Dinner
What’s not included
- laundry
- alcohol
- phone bills
- travel insurance
- visa
- Room Service
Itinerary
PROPOSED 8 DAYS 7 NIGHTS ITINERARY FOR NOVEMBER 15-22, 2020
DAY 1: SUNDAY NOVEMBER 15
Depart from USA
DAY 2: MONDAY NOVEMBER 16: ARRIVAL
Arrive at Airport
Meet and transfer to your hotel
Hotel check in is at 3.00pm
Brief Orientation
Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel
Overnight: 4* /3* Hotel in Accra
DAY 3: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 17: ACCRA CITY TOUR
Breakfast
After breakfast, depart for a city tour of Accra visiting the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Park, W.E.B. Du Bois Centre for Pan Africanism
Continue to Old Accra which was divided into Dutch and British Accra as a result of the two European nations operating from different locations within the same township of a little under 1 sq. kilometer. You will drive past Fort Crêvecoeur (Ussher Fort) built by the Dutch in 1652, James Fort built by the British in 1662, Old Accra Square and the Post Office, the old light House built by the British to guide commercial ships into the Accra Harbour.
.View in the distance Christiansborg Castle, formerly residence of the President of Ghana. We end the day with a visit to Makola market and finally to the Arts and Crafts market. In these two markets you will find fantastic bargains for everything from beads, bronze and wood carvings to textiles, pottery, jewelry and antiques. Try out your bargaining skills on the local vendors and to “shop till you drop.
Return to your hotel at the end of the day.
Dinner (on own account)
Overnight: 4* /3* Hotel in Accra
DAY 4:WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18: ACCRA-: COCOA TRAIL-KUMASI
Tetteh Quarshie CRIG
Breakfast and hotel check out
Depart to visit the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Cocoa Farm at Akuapem Mampong, the very first cocoa farm established in Ghana from seeds brought from Fernando Po in 1876. From this small beginning grew Ghana’s cocoa industry and Ghana’s largest export. Cocoa from Ghana is used to blend some of the world’s finest chocolates.
Continue to the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) founded in 1938 as the Central Cocoa Research Station of the Gold Coast Department of Agriculture. Visit the Cocoa plantation to observe at first hand the process of harvesting, drying and preparing cocoa beans for export.
Lunch at a local restaurant
Continue to Kumasi driving past several farming villages and towns
Arrive in Kumasi and check in to your hotel
Dinner on your own account
Overnight: 3* Hotels in Kumasi
DAY 5: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19: KUMASI CITY & CRAFT VILLAGE TOUR
Manhyia Palace Craft Village
Breakfast
Depart after breakfast to Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region. We drive past several scenic villages and charming towns, passing through tropical forest.
Enrotue stop tovisit a few Ashanti craft villages to observe craftsmen at work and to purchase souvenir gift items from the assortment of handicrafts on sales. We begin with Ahwiaa, which is known for its woodcarver’s and their fabulous walking sticks, mask and fertility dolls. The next stop is Ntonso, a village famous for its production of Adinkra cloth with many hand-stamped designs. Before lunch we finish with a visit to Bonwire which is home to Ghana’s legendary Kente cloth, the hand woven cloth worn by royal families.
Arrive Kumasi in the afternoon and have lunch
After lunch take a city tour of Kumasi visiting the Manhyia Palace – residence of the Ashanti King and Palace Museum National Cultural Centre, Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, Okomfo Anokye Sword, University of Science and Technology School of Art and Sculpture and the Kumasi Central Market – the largest open-air market in West Africa.
check-in into your hotel.
Rest of the evening is free for your leisure
Dinner (on own account)
Overnight: 3* Hotel in Kumasi
DAY 6: FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20,: ASSIN MANSO & ELMINA CASTLE TOUR
Assin Manso Elmina Castle
Breakfast and hotel check out.
Depart Kumasi for Elmina in the Central Region. Stop to visit Assin Manso, burial site of the remains of two former slaves exhumed from New York’s Wall Street and re-interred on Emancipation Day 1998 and the “Slave River” which was the last rest stop for slaves on their “one-way” trek to the Coast for shipment into slavery. Note the change in vegetation from forest to coastal shrub as we drive southwards.
Continue to Elmina. Visit the Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482 and later used as an auction market for slaves for a comprehensive guided tour. See the Slave dungeons and the condemned cell where slaves who attempted to escape were incarcerated. This UNESCO World Heritage Site marks the first place where Europeans landed in West Africa. The Castle/Fort changed hands several times between the Dutch, the Portuguese and finally the British.
Arrive in Elmina and have lunch
Check in to your hotel
Rest of day free to relax
Dinner (on own account)
Overnight: 3* Beach Resort Hotel in Elmina B
DAY 7: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21: KAKUM PARK & CAPE COAST TOUR- ACCRA
Kakum Canopy walkway Cape Coast Castle
Breakfast and hotel check out
Depart to visit the Kakum National Park, a pristine rainforest that features nature trails and an aerial walkway above the tree canopy. Enjoy an informative short hike along a trail where a ranger guide informs you about the plants and trees and their medicinal uses. The more adventurous may want to try the Aerial Walkway which reaches a height of 120feet, affording a panoramic view of the flora and fauna of the rainforest.
Continue to the Cape Coast Castle and the West African Historical Museum. The guide will conduct you to the slave quarters and Negotiation Hall where our ancestors were bargained for and sold. Pay a solemn homage to our ancestors.
Lunch at a local restaurant
Depart Accra for Elmina. Driving along coastal fishing villages and coconut lined beaches
Arrive in the evening and check in to your hotel
Dinner(on own account)
Overnight: 4*/3* Hotels in Accra
DAY 8: SUNDAY NOVEMBER DAY 22,: DEPARTURE
Leisure
Breakfast
Have breakfast and then spend the rest of the day at your leisure, with last minute shopping and packing for the trip home.
Check out is at 12 noon and put your bags in storage.
You might enjoy the afternoon at the La Pleasure Beach, Accra’s weekend playground.
Relax on the white sand and listen to roving musicians while you soak up the sights of acrobats and hawkers with souvenirs.
Enjoy a Farewell dinner outside hotel and then transfer to the airport for departure and your flight home. B
Package Rate Includes the Following
* 3 Nights at a 4* Hotel in Accra on Bed & Breakfast basis.
* 2 Nights at a 3* Beach Resort in Elmina on Bed & Breakfast basis.
* 2 Nights at a 3* Hotel in Kumasi on Bed & Breakfast basis.
* Meals as Outlined in itinerary. (Alcoholic Beverage on your account)
* Tours and Entrance Fees to Tour Sites as Outlined in Itinerary.
* English Speaking Professional Tour Guide
* Hotel taxes
Not Included
*All personal Expenses e.g. Telephone bills, laundry, Liquor etc.
*Items not listed above as included
*Visas are required for US Citizens; you can find additional info at http://www.ghanavisapassport.com/online-visa
Please let us know how many people are in your group as soon as possible.