Routes · Africa

Lisbon to Ghana: Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi

Lisbon → Accra → Cape Coast → Kumasi

Ghana heritage Best season (general guide): Nov–Mar

Ghana is one of the most welcoming countries in West Africa for first-time visitors, and English is widely spoken. This route links the capital with the castles of the coast and the Ashanti heartland. From Lisbon there are direct or one-stop flights to Accra. The rest of the trip is by road, with a domestic flight back from Kumasi if you'd rather not drive. The itinerary spends two nights in Accra, two nights on Cape Coast and two nights in Kumasi.

How to pace it: After you arrive from Lisbon, plan days one and two in Accra: first Jamestown, then Nkrumah memorial and Makola market. Next, plan days three and four on the Cape Coast: first road to Cape Coast, then Cape Coast Castle, and finally Elmina Castle and Kakum canopy walk. Next, plan days five and six in Kumasi: first travel to Kumasi, then Kejetia market, and finally Manhyia Palace Museum and kente village.

Accra rewards a couple of days: the old district of Jamestown, the memorial to Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, and the Makola market. The coast road west leads to Cape Coast and Elmina. Their whitewashed castles were centres of the Atlantic slave trade, and guided tours through the dungeons and the 'Door of No Return' are powerful experiences. The canopy walkway in Kakum National Park is nearby. Inland, Kumasi is the historic capital of the Ashanti kingdom, known for kente weaving, gold work and the Manhyia Palace Museum.

The dry season, roughly November to March, is the usual time to visit. Rainfall is lowest around December to February on the coast. From about December the harmattan wind from the Sahara can bring dusty, hazy skies, which affect views but not travel.

Roads between the cities can be busy and slow, so allow plenty of time, and avoid driving at night. You'll need a yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Ghana.

Ghanaian food is a highlight: try jollof rice, kelewele (spicy fried plantain) and fufu with light soup, often eaten at small 'chop bars'. In Kumasi, ask about visiting villages near the city where kente cloth and adinkra stamped fabric are still made by hand.

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