Today you will board your Royal Air Maroc Flight #219 from Washington Dulles (IAD) @ 09:05 PM in route to Abidjan, Ivory Coast with a Stop in Casablanca. Flights included in the Air & Land Complete package to be confirmed by 12/31/2025.
Our Representatives will meet with you on your arrival at the Abidjan International Airport. Make yourself known to your guide as you leave the customs and arrival hall. We will be transferred to our hotel for check-in and enjoy a welcome dinner and discuss the trip. (Meals: D)
Having enjoyed your first night in Abidjan, today is dedicated to an Abidjan city tour, first visit will be National Museum of Abidjan, displaying Ivorian tribal art, various masks, statues depicting the history and culture of Cote D’Ivoire. Later, we will have a quick drive through Plateau, the business district of Abidjan and visit St. Paul’s Cathedral which is one of the largest churches of the world with unique modern architecture and panoramic views of the city and have a scenic drive over the Henri Konan Bedie Bridge with stunning views of Ebrie Lagoon and glimpses of Abidjan’s contrast between business and upscale residential areas.
After we proceed with lunch at a local restaurant to try some authentic Ivorian dishes like garba, attieke, poulet braises etc. After lunch we will proceed to explore Cocody center artisanal ville, wonderful place to pick up some handcrafted souvenirs, masks, jewelry, batik, woven fabrics etc. Finally, we will relax with a sunset and drink at a local café, enjoying some cocktails, smoothies, or some local beers. (Meals: B, L)
We will depart to Grand-Bassam after leisurely breakfast to visit National Costume Museum and walk around the colonial quarter and old post office and Art galleries and old French architecture.
We will enjoy our lunch at a beach-front restaurant and relax at Grand-Bassam Beach and there will be option to purchase more souvenirs, the reminder of the day is leisure. (Meals: B, L)
We will depart early on scenic drive for Yamoussoukro-the political capital of Cote D’Ivoire and visit Basilica of our Lady of Peace –The largest Basilica in the world and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and stop by a famous sacred crocodile lagoon and driver back after a wonderful day at the political capital. (Meals: B, L)
Our Representatives will meet with you on your arrival at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra. Make yourself known to your guide as you leave the customs and arrival hall. We will enjoy welcome drinks, discuss the trip, we will also have tailors and dress makers taking your measurement to make an outfit for you, and the remainder of the evening will be spent at leisure and relaxation whilst acclimatizing yourself to the motherland. (Meals: B, L)
Having enjoyed your first night in Accra, today is dedicated to an Accra city tour, first visit is W. E. B. DuBois and Pan African Center is a memorial place and a research center, dedicated into a great Pan Africanist who lived and died as a Ghanaian, he came to Ghana at the Age of 95 with 1,000 books to work on African Encyclopedia on invitation of Ghana’s first president.
We continue to visit the garden adjoining the National Museum, which has sculptures and other artifacts which tells more about our customs and traditions which gives us excellent overview of Ghana and West African culture.
Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant serving a selection of West African and continental dishes. In the afternoon we pass by Independence Square and view the enclosed flame of African liberation, which was lit by Kwame Nkrumah himself in 1961. We continue the short distance to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, final resting place of Ghana’s founder. Set in attractive gardens, there is an adjoining museum, which contains photos, artefacts, and an insight into this incredible man’s life. Adjoining the park is the National Cultural Center, which is actually Ghana’s largest outdoor arts and crafts market selling traditional crafts from all over West Africa. After testing your bargaining skills, we return to our hotel for our evening meal, the remainder of the evening is for leisure.
After our tour we continue to Cape Coast, we enjoy lunch upon arrival at a local restaurant overlooking the ocean before we continue to visit Cape Coast Castle, also designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Built by the British in 1665 at the height of slavery and played a key role in holding enslaved Africans in awaiting of slave ships to ship them to the New World. We will walk through the Male and Female dungeons and the infamous “Door of No Return.” There is a historical museum inside, which explains the whole history of the castle and Cape Coast itself, as well as a souvenir shop which sells literature on all of Ghana’s forts and castles, as well as the cultural history and traditions of Ghana.
After a wonderful, yet thought-provoking day, we check into our hotel, the rest of the day is spent at leisure.
ATTIRE : WHITE (Meals: B, L)
We depart for Prampram ancestral wall murals honoring great African personalities, we will also visit Nkyinkyim outdoor slavery museum, which tells about our history, customs, traditions and giving veneration to our ancestors through middle passage via sculptures display, after we will continue on a short distance to Aqua Safari beautiful river front restaurant for lunch and cruise on Volta River. (Meals: B, L)
We checked out of our hotel, our final destination today is Cape Coast, we will first stop at Assin Manso, which was one of the major slave markets during the slave trade, Ndonkor Nsuo (Enslaved African River). This river is where enslaved Africans were checked for fitness and bathed before being transported to Cape Coast for shipment to the Americas and Caribbean. At the Slave River, we will participate in “First Bath of Return” ceremony.
After our tour we continue to Cape Coast, we enjoy lunch upon arrival at a local restaurant overlooking the ocean before we continue to visit Cape Coast Castle, also designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Built by the British in 1665 at the height of slavery and played a significant role in holding enslaved Africans in awaiting of slave ships to ship them to the New World. We will walk through the Male and Female dungeons and the infamous “Door of No Return.” There is a historical museum inside, which explains the whole history of the castle and Cape Coast itself, as well as a souvenir shop which sells literature on all of Ghana’s forts and castles, as well as the cultural history and traditions of Ghana.
After a wonderful, yet thought-provoking day, we check into our hotel, the rest of the day is spent at leisure.
ATTIRE : WHITE (Meals: B, L)
One of the highlights of the trip is a visit to Kakum tropical rainforest to experience the much talked about Canopy walkway, the uniqueness of the park lies in the fact that it was established at the initiative of the local people, it is one of the only 3 locations in Africa with a canopy walkway, which is 350 meters (1,150 FT) long and connects seven tree tops, the park is also notable for a lot of endangered species of fauna in the park.
We stop for lunch at Han’s Cottage Botel near Kakum, Han’s is built over a lake containing Nile crocodiles and set in a beautiful location surrounded by tropical guinea rainforest. It is an original and comfortable establishment, which is teeming with bird life and an excellent place to enjoy lunch.
Before heading to Elmina, we will drive through the campus of the University of Cape Coast to learn more about educational structures in Ghana from the technocrat point of view. Upon arrival in Elmina our first stop will be Elmina fishing market to visit the boat builders, building colorful fishing boats using traditional tools and methods spanning centuries. We will also visit the Elmina castle built by the Portuguese in 1482 which is the oldest European building in Sub Saharan Africa. This castle is steeped in history and played a prominent part during the tragic transatlantic enslaved African trade era. There is an informative museum inside which concentrates on local history, and it is designated a world heritage site by UNESCO, we should the reminder of the day for shopping. (Meals: B, L)
We check out of our hotel after leisurely breakfast, we will drive through scenic coastal plantation, having a glimpse of looks at several historical and heritage sites on our way.
We will stop to participate in traditional naming ceremony and “The Right to Return Atonement and Rituals Ceremony” to formally welcome you back home, the program will be held at Simiw village, you will be welcome by Elders of the community, pour libation to call on our ancestors and welcome you back. There will be drumming, dance and other rituals performed.
After wonderful time in the village, we will continue to Accra, check into our hotel upon arrival, the reminder of the day will be spent at leisure. (Meals: B, L)
After breakfast we depart for Kumasi on internal flight to learn about the powerful Ashanti Empire and its people. We start the day visiting some traditional villages but first we take a visit to the traditional home of Nana Yaa Asantewaa a great female warrior who led the Ashantes in the 1901 war against the British, she was also the Queen Mother of Ejisu Besease, we shall visit her Spiritual Shrine where she fortified herself during the war. Kumasi is regarded as cultural center of Ghana, with its many ancient craft villages within touching distance of the city. Remainder of the day is dedicated to visiting these traditional villages; our next stop is Adanwomasie, famous as the birthplace of Kente. Adanwomasie produces some of Ghana’s finest Kente cloths, many designs of cloth are woven here, and some are exclusive only to this region. We will interact with the community, learning about the history behind the many designs. As we walk through the village, we see highly skilled locals weaving outside their homes. The machines that the weavers use have not changed in design for centuries. During our time at Adanwomasie, we have the opportunity to buy excellent quality cloth at very reasonable prices before setting off for the village of Ntunso.
The ancient village of Ntunso is where Adinkra originates. Adinkra are traditional symbols with meanings, carved from calabash shells, and printed onto traditional cloth using natural dyes made from the bark of certain local trees. Adinkra cloth has been adorned by the Ashanti’s for more than 4 centuries and predates Kente cloth. Even today most Ashanti’s will wear Adinkra cloth for funerals, festivals, and other important occasions. During our time here we have the opportunity to make our own strip of Adinkra cloth using symbols with personal significance. We will enjoy our lunch at a local restaurant after wonderful morning.
We will embark on city tour of Kumasi after Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant which serve an excellent selection of local and continental dishes, with a visit to Manhyia Palace museum, which houses regalia, paraphernalia and real good ornaments which tells the history, tradition, continuality and customs of Ashantes. We continue to visit National Cultural Centre. The cultural center is found in one of the oldest suburbs of Kumasi. There is a wonderful craft market here and during our leisurely tour we have the opportunity to visit the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum which offers an excellent overview of Ashanti history.
Finally we will see Okomfo Anokye sword which has defied all human strength to pull it out, the sword was planted there by famous priest Okomfo Anokye who believed to have conjure the golden stool from the heaves and after take our evening flight back to Accra for farewell dinner and overnight. (Meals: B, L, D)
Transfer to the airport to board your flight back to Washington DC (IAD) on Royal Air Maroc flight # 514 @ 6:05am with a stop in Casablanca. Arrive IAD at 7:05pm (Flights included in the Air & Land Complete package to be confirmed by 12/31/2025. )
