Day 1-2: Arrival & travel to
Kumasi, Ashanti region
Akwaaba!
You will arrive at Kotoka International Airport (Accra International Airport).
On arrival into Accra International Airport, you will be greeted by a staff of
OGVO who will be easily visible in his OGVO T-Shirt.
You will
be taken straight to our partner hostel near the airport. The journey will take
around 20 minutes. The taxi ride will provide you with your first glimpses of this
amazing country.
Day 2
will start with a good breakfast at the hostel followed by the journey north to
the city of Kumasi. This will be our base for the volunteering segments of the expedition.
The bus will be a comfortable and safe way to travel. The journey takes around 4-5
hours and our local team will accompany you. Some of the views along the way
are breath-taking.
The rest
of the day will be relaxed and informal. The team will be on hand to show you
around the local community. In addition, they can help you pick up any
amenities you may need for the rest of the day.
Day 3: Orientation
Your
orientation as a volunteer in Ghana will begin on day 3. We’ll kick the day off
by introducing you to the local area and projects. In addition, our team will
teach you how to locate every essential you may need during your time.
The next
part of the induction day will be based around learning the cultures of the
Asante people. Enjoy some very unique Ghanaian experiences as you visit the
Manhyia Palace and Kejetia Market. More specifically, you will have the
opportunity to explore Kumasi’s most bustling market and tour Manhyia Palace.
With about 11,000 stalls, the open-air market is a great place to pick up some
traditional Ashanti kente cloth, food, spices and toiletries. In addition, the
Palace museum will give you the chance to view some well-preserved artefacts of
the Ashanti Kingdom.
Our team
will assist you with any currency exchange and help you pick-up anything you
may require. We’ll be sure to have a traditional Ghanaian lunch across the day
too! The theoretical part of your orientation will then make up the rest of
your induction day. Our team will go through important health and safety
information to follow during your time as a volunteer in Ghana. We’ll teach you
more about the way of life in West Africa, cultural differences and the local
community. In the same vein, our team will also try to teach you the basics of
the main language in Ghana, Twi. Finally, we will also provide you with a guide
on what your coming days in Ghana will look like.
Day 4-6: House Build, Outreach
Project & Cultural Activities
Trek out
to a remote village where the build site is located & start laying the
groundwork that will become the foundations of the house. If you’ve never swung
a hammer or used a saw before don’t worry, the locals will have you
Bunnings-ready in no time!
After busy mornings house build work, it will
be time for a well-earned Ghanaian lunch to top up energy levels. After lunch,
you will spend a little time preparing and then departing for your afternoon
outreach project. As part of a wider group, you will perform much needed
outreach work on our mobile outreach project, including building water wells
& toilets, providing emergency medical care and emergency rice drops to
families in need. On each
of your evenings in Kumasi, we will provide cultural and fun activities for you
to enjoy. This will allow you to immerse yourself into the Ghanaian culture and
lifestyle further and ensure your days remain action-packed! Examples will
include a drumming lesson, traditional African dance class etc.
NOTE: There
will also be plenty of village kids around so be prepared to play a lot of
football or volleyball.
Day 7-8: Mole National Park, Kintampo
Waterfalls, Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary
At 5am on
day 7, you will depart for the 7 hour journey north to Mole National Park. Upon
arrival, you will check into the hotel located in the centre of the national
park. Currently, it is the only standing hotel to be surrounded by the natural
habitat of wildlife in the national park. After getting settled the group will
have lunch and sit by the pool or if you would like to swim feel free!
By
mid-afternoon, you will climb atop the jeep for the 2 hour safari in search of
these beautiful creatures in their home. After finishing the jeep-top safari
you will go back to the hotel for the evening meal. Once night falls, we will
go to the nearby village of Larabanga to participate in some traditional
drumming and dancing of the Northern Region.
At 7am on
day 8, everyone will meet for another 2 hour safari on foot. You will walk
through the jungle to encounter first- hand the route taken by many species of
antelope, see the monkeys swinging through the trees, and the elephants bathing
one another in the natural waters of the land.
Following
the walking safari, you will have breakfast and depart from the hotel to
continue on the expedition. First stop will be at the Larabanga Mosque, one of
the oldest mosques in West Africa, to learn about the Muslim traditions and the
importance it holds in their tribe. The next stop is Kintampo Waterfalls; here
you can enjoy a refreshing swim under the crashing waters.
Lastly,
you will take a walk on the wild side feeding the monkeys of Boabeng-Fiema
Monkey Sanctuary out of your hands! We will finish the day with the travel back
to the accommodation in Kumasi ready to begin week 2 of your Ghana adventure!
Day 9-12: House Build, Outreach
Project & Cultural Activities Continue
After a
couple of days full of sightseeing and exploring, it’s time to continue our
house build work & Outreach Project in Kumasi. The projects will run in the
same structure as week 1 with both morning and afternoon house build &
outreach project sessions and lunch provided in between. The morning session
will see us finish off the hard work we started in week one at the house builds
work.
The
afternoon project structure will remain the same as it was in week 1 as your
outreach project. You will hopefully feel more acclimatised and accustomed to
the outreach project setting after settling in and building bonds with the
communities and local staff during your first week. The morning project will
usually last around 2-3 hours. The afternoon project will also run for a
similar time period.
Evening
activities will continue to follow as well as dinner in the evenings to keep
your energy levels topped up! Such cultural activities will include an art
class, local market tour, pizza night and a briefing about your upcoming Cape
Coast trip!
Day 13-14: Cape Coast, Canopy
Walkway & Oasis Beach
After
working hard volunteering in Kumasi, it’s now time to play hard for your final
few days in Ghana as we head off on one more Ghanaian adventure expedition! We
will leave Kumasi at 5am on day 13 and head down to the south of Ghana.
Our first
calling point will be a visit to Cape Coast Castle. The tour is a fascinating
but harrowing experience and an insight into horrific human cruelty. Thousands
upon thousands of West African men and women were imprisoned within the
castle’s dungeons, in the most inhumane conditions, before passing the ‘Door of
No Return’ and being shipped off to the Americas. You will get to experience
the thrilling feeling of walking the same steps as the African slaves in the
dungeons out to the door of no return. Be prepared to learn about the shocking
history of Ghana’s slave fortresses and their significance to modern-day Ghana.
The
morning of day 14 offers a chance for a nice lie-in! You are welcome to awake
at any time today as the beach awaits you. If you are up for an early morning
we invite you to join us for the opportunity to pull in the nets of the local
fishermen. Once the nets are in you can encounter many species of sea life
including swordfish and tuna to squid and large manta ray!
The day
is spent on the beach soaking up the sun, getting that tan that everyone at
home expects you to return with. There are many souvenir shops locally where
the local people love to show off their work! Throughout the day, based on the
tide, we will take a surfing class. We can’t wait to capture videos of you up
on that surfboard in the sea off the coast of Ghana! For our final night in
Ghana, we will come together over a bonfire and enjoy some traditional
drumming, dancing and singing!
Day 15:
Accra & Hometime
Sadly, all good things must come to an end. We
will arrive back at Accra International Airport in good time for your flight
home. Should the flight schedule allow, we will visit one or two points of
interest in Accra on your final day in Ghana. This will include the Accra mall
and Jamestown Lighthouse. It’s been a great two weeks!
