Tour the Capital of Ghana, Accra. Experience the city’s highlights during this Accra orientation. The capital of Ghana since 1877, Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra  Region.  In addition, it’s the country’s most populous city. Travel through  the administrative and economic districts of Accra. Also, see the W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Pan African Culture and the Independence/Black Star Square. Learn about important events in Ghana’s history and the  country’s first president who helped lead Ghana to independence.  End the day’s tour at the Arts Center, where participants can sharpen their bargaining skills to shop for goods from Ghana and West Africa in an open-air market. On display, you will see fabrics of different materials, designs, colors and textures to purchase from. 

Embark on a tour of the infamous Forts, Castles, and Slave Dungeons of Ghana. History will unfold the story of the slave trade which the impact  is still felt beyond the shores of Africa today. Visit the Cape Coast Castle built by the Swedes in 1653 and was later taken over by the British. Here, you would learn about the relationship between the western slave traders and the African tribes that made the trans-Atlantic slave trade possible. It is an opportunity to be up and  close with history – to stand in the dark and stuffy dungeons, imagining the experience and conditions  that millions of Africans endured. This castle also houses the West African Historical Museum.  

Explore Elmina, a fishing village that’s both picturesque and gritty, charming and thought-provoking. What better way to appreciate it than to immerse oneself in its main industry – fishing! Meet with local  fishermen to learn the intricacies of their trade and the challenges they face in their day-to-day work. Next,  meet the fish mongers in the village who will demonstrate the various stages of smoking the fish in earthenware ovens. This is a unique way to experience one of Ghana’s oldest and important trades. After dinner, you will have the opportunity to participate in “Reverential  Night.” There will be candle light processions and a vigil to commemorate the Africans who died in the slave  trade. There will also be a moving ceremony and  re-enactment of the slave passage through the “Door of  No Return,” followed by a midnight declaration of  Emancipation Day. This is the highlight of the Panafest  celebration. 

 Drive through the former slave route to Assin Manso. This was the final transit point for  enslaved Africans before being shipped off to the new world. You will have the opportunity to visit the slave  dungeons as well as the final resting place for two  ancestors whose mortal remains were returned from the USA and Jamaica and re-interred in Ghana. The Emancipation Day Celebration is opened with a Grand Durbar of Traditional Chiefs and people of the Central Region.  Witness this grand, colorful and spectacular event that showcases the pomp and pageantry of Ghana's traditional rulers, dressed in rich Kente and adorned in  glittering gold jewelry. Discover the African rhythm in you as you dance to the beat of the 'Fontomfrom'  drums.

Visit the Manhyia Palace Museum to obtain first-hand information on the legacies of the Ashanti kingdom, the famous Kejetia market, the National Cultural Centre which features the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum and various studios of the brass makers, potters and batik makers. Visit the three famous Ashanti craft villages; Ahwiaa, the wood carvers’  village, Ntonso, the home of Adinkra cloth, and Adanwomase, the Kente  weaving village. You will have an opportunity to see how African crafts  are made and to buy directly from the artisans who make them. 

Besease shrine, a world heritage site. The Besease Shrine is a traditional fetish shrine near the town of Ejisu. Each of these shrines is a home for a particular spirit, called obosom that mediates between mortals and the supreme god Nyame. Observe the  unique architecture and experience the mode of ancestral worship to the ancient gods.  

Visit a beautiful village located on the lower course of the splendid Volta River. You will pay a  courtesy call on the chief and elders amidst traditional drumming and dancing by the villagers. The group will participate in a naming ceremony of recognition, where  a Ghanaian name is given to participants, and a gift presented as part of celebrating a new identity as a  Ghanaian and a member of the local community. 

Take a city tour of Lome. Drive by the Musée National (National  Museum), as well as the Place de I’ Independence (Place of Independence, where the Independence  Monument is situated). Visit Grand Marche (Grand  Market) and Marche des Feticheurs (Fetish Market). 

Ouidah, the cradle of African Traditional Religion. Tour the temple dedicated to the sacred Python, which is believed to give vitality and protection; you will also pay a visit to the sacred forest which houses many shrines dedicated to various deities. Afterwards, visit the Port of No Return; a monument built by the Benin Government to commemorate the Africans that were taken from the Dahomey Empire during the Slave Trade.

Embark on a sensational visit to Ganvie (the village on water), commonly referred to as the Venice of West Africa. Witness first hand, the people of Ganvie carrying out their daily routine as vendors in dugout canoes pile high with wares, transacting commerce with one another and with tourists. You will enjoy shopping on the floating market and taking a relaxing canoe ride on the waterways of this exotic 300-year-old village.  After lunch, return to Ouidah and experience a vibrant and  mystical private Voodoo Festival.  This offers you a unique opportunity to witness  traditional Voodoo rituals, dances, and music, deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of Benin. During this immersive tour, you'll engage with local  communities and gain a deeper understanding of Voodoo religion and its significance. 

Depart for Accra. En route, stop in Lome, and enjoy lunch on your own at a beach side restaurant. 

Spend the day shopping and doing last minute packing. Later, check out of the hotel and transfer to airport for check-in and final departure back home.