PANAFEST– the Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival is just around the corner! This event is held every two years in Ghana to celebrate the history, culture, and unity of the Ghanaian people. Since its inception in 1992, Panafest themes have reflected the political, social, and economic advancement of Africa. Panafest is held every two years to encourage learning about the history of Africa using traditional arts and culture.

Panafest attracts a diverse assembly of people – ranging from political leaders, eminent personalities, and intellectuals – to entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and vacationers. Central to the celebration are major international performing and visual artists from across Africa.

Arrive at Kotoka International Airport Accra; after you disembark off the flight and pass through immigration and customs formalities, the team will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. After settling, your tour guide will brief you on what to expect during your stay in Ghana.

We will visit the National Museum of Ghana. It is the largest and oldest of the six museums under the administration of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board. 

The museum is home to a collection of archaeological, ethnographic, and fine art objects. 

Objects ranges in age from the Stone Age to the recent past, and include indigenous Ghanaian musical instruments, beads, traditional textiles, furniture, pottery, and ceremonial costumes.

We will also visit the famous Makola Market where participants will have the opportunity to experience a typical “Day in the Life” of Ghanaian market women and a Ghanaian market scene. 

Makola Market has a host of items ranging from clothing and textiles to food species.

We will continue to Jamestown to explore one of the oldest and vibrant neighbourhoods of Accra. 

Discover Ghana’s capital city, Accra with a drive through a blend of medieval and modern buildings. A visit to James and Ussher towns will walk you through the path of the British and their settlement in 1877. 

Enjoy the drive through with your tour guide pointing out important landmarks and their significance to the history and development of the city of Accra and Ghana as a whole. 

Our next stop will be at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum which is the third and final burial place of Ghana’s first President and one of the founding fathers’ of the Africa Union. 

Opened in 1992, the memorial complex is nestled on what was once the British colonial polo grounds. This symbolic location is a striking reminder of Ghana's journey from a colonial outpost to a sovereign nation.

Our final stop for the day will be the Arts Centre for an Akwaaba (Welcome) drumming lessons and a photo session at the Black Star Square. 

Visit the Aburi Botanical Gardens, a miniature Kew Garden of Britain in Ghana built by the British in 1890 as a sanatorium. 

The century- old Botanical Gardens offer a rich collection of diverse flora. The gardens comprise great lawns planted with native and imported trees and plants. 

During the guided tour, your guide will point out important plants and their medicinal and cultural values.

Ever wondered where chocolates come from? A visit to Tetteh Quashie Cocoa Farm will take you to the very beginning of chocolate, the Cocoa Tree. 

Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm is the first place cocoa was planted in 1879. A visit to the over 140 year old farm will open you up to the journey of Ghana’s cocoa industry.

Asenema Waterfall is a hidden marvel in the Akuapem Hills rainforest . 

The water falls from a towering height creating a misty veil that leaves visitors in awe of this natural beauty. 

According to local customs, the waterfall was created by a powerful spirit. The water fall also serve as an important cultural site for the people of Asenema. It is believed that the waterfall has healing properties and the people hold regular ceremonies at the waterfall to offer sacrifices and seek blessings from the spirits. 

We will start the day with a stop at the Cape Coast Castle. Built in 1664, Cape Coast Castle served as one of the over 40 Slave castle and forts that served as holding places for enslaved people awaiting shipment to the Americas. You will join the 45 minutes tour of the Cape Coast Castle to listen and see the “horrors of the slave trade”. This tour will take you on a journey which will expose you to the activities of the slave trade era and the effects it had on Communities, Nations’ and Humanity as a whole. 

This evening you can participate in the “Reverential Night.” There will be candle light processions and a vigil to commemorate our ancestors who perished in the slave trade. There will also be a ceremony and re-enactment of the slave passage through the “Door of No Return” at Cape Coast Castle. This will be followed by a midnight declaration of Emancipation Day. This is the highlight of the Panafest celebration.

We will walk the path of the ancestors to Assin Manso, the burial site of two former slaves from the USA and Jamaica whose remains were re-interred in August 1998 during Ghana’s first Emancipation Day Celebration. A visit to “the Slave River” or “Donkor Nsuo” offers the chance to see the place where captured Africans had their ‘’last bath’’ before being confined in the Slave Dungeons to await shipment to the Americas and the Caribbean.

This will be followed by the opening of Emancipation Day Celebration with a Grand Durbar of traditional Chiefs and people of the community. This will be a grand, colorful and spectacular event that showcases the pomp and pageantry of Ghana’s traditional rulers, dressed in fine ceremonial clothing adorned in glittering gold jewellery.

Take this day off to relax in your hotel after several days of long travels.

You will have a tour to Adanwomase Kente Village, where you will witness how the local weavers work on their looms in the town center and demonstrate how the famous Kente cloth is made in a time tradition passed down through generations. 

After our tour we will proceed to meet the elders of Adanwomase to undergo a Ghanaian Traditional naming ceremony. Naming ceremonies are one of the Rites of Passage in the Ghanaian Culture. 

Today, you will be reconnected with your African identity as you go through the naming ceremony.

Enroute, we will visit Manhyia Palace Museum to listen to the history and exploit of the Ashanti Tribe, one of the powerful tribes in Ghana. 

Manhyia Palace, the official residence of Ashanti Kings (Asantehene) until 1974, is now a museum containing treasured items relating to the Ashanti Kingdom. The Ashantis forms the biggest population group in Ghana. For centuries they were the rulers in this region because of their well-organized society. 

At Manhyia Palace, disputes are still settled in accordance with centuries-old customs where the King has the final word.

Beads have been made in Ghana for many centuries. In the past they were made of various materials including stone, bone, wood, coconut shells, sea shells, clay and brass. Archaeological evidence suggests that stone, bone and ceramic beads have been used in the area for thousands of years. 

Today we will visit our good friands at Krobo-Odumasi for a Ghanaian bead making class. Cedi Beads is a Ghanaian-born jewellery brand founded by Nomoda Djaba, also known as "Cedi". The brand specializes in creating beautiful, handcrafted jewellery that celebrates African culture and heritage. Each piece is made with care and attention to detail, using only the highest quality materials. Cedi Beads' unique designs blend traditional African beadwork with modern techniques, resulting in stunning and timeless pieces that tell a story. 

We will return to our hotel after the bead making class to rest. Late afternoon, we will go on an hour boat cruise on the Volta River. Later in the evening, we will have our farewell dinner and review the entire trip.

Depending on departure times, we will visit the Arts and Crafts market. You can find all kinds of souvenirs for family and friends in this market. 

You will be transferred to the Airport for departure.