october 18-NOVEMBER 1 2019

Day One  We fly from the US to the coastal region of Africa in search of fascinating cultures, new and exciting wildlife and a bit of our own history.

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Day two  A full day tour of Accra is truly a full day. We’ll start with Independence Square and its Flame of African Liberation. The Kwame Nkurumah Memorial Park , resting place of Ghana's first president, is a beautiful garden and craft market .   One of Accra’s most historic neighborhoods, Jamestown, is complete with lighthouses, original colonial buildings and architecturally interesting African style housing

 

Day 3 We will take a day trip to UNESCO Castle region of Ghana. We will pass through Anormabo--the Cape Coast Castle, which was the seat of the British colonial administration until 1877 when the capital moved to Accra. After lunch we will visit a second UNESCO site Elmina Castle built in 1482.  This is the oldest European structure in sub-Sahara Africa.  We will also visit former slave markets and cemeteries.

 

Day Four  This morning we drive to Kumasi--capital of the Ashanti Kingdom. We will visit the Manijiya Palace, home of the Ashanti royal family until the mid 1970s.   Today it has been transformed into a museum filled with Ashanti Kingdom artifacts. We will visit two very important symbols of the Ashanti-- the Golden Stool and the Okomfo Anokye Sword.

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Day Five  We venture into the heart of the culture and craft of Ghana today. We’ll visit the woodcarving village that is renowned for its talented Craftsman that create fertility dolls,  walking sticks and stools used by royalty. You'll have a chance to buy one of these treasures for your home before we head to the textile village. Here artisans hand stamp patterns on cotton to make Adinkra cloth.  You'll learn how natural dyes are created to make the special textiles and you'll have the opportunity to create an item to take home. Next we had to the village that weaves the famous Kente Cloth--Bonwire. This loomwork is passed down from generation to generation. You'll see how they are created and have the opportunity to purchase a special gift or souvenir for yourself.  This evening will visit the Kejetia  Market,  the area's largest open air market that features everything imaginable.

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Day Six We drive back to Accra today to catch a flight to Tamale.   This is the gateway to the Great Mole National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site .

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Day Seven  We drive from Tamale to Mole National Park.  We start out with our first safari.   Mole is home to large elephant herds, leopards, cheetah, hyena, antelope and buffalo.  Most of the Big 12 are found here and in good numbers along with over 300 bird species, many endemic to the region. Other fauna  include 3 species of crocodile and over 50 butterfly types.

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Day Eight  Another full day in the park to raise the species count. We will also do a night drive to spot genets karakal and other denizens of the night. This park protects rainforest and savannah allowing a diversity of species to flourish.

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Day Nine   We visit the Boubury-Fieme  Monkey Sanctuary to get closer pictures of wild monkeys.  They are attenuated to humans so many will take food from you. Have lots of room on your photo card!  We will also visit the mud and stick mosque of Larabanga.  One more night drive at Mole to  put the finishing touches on our species count here.

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Day ten  We fly back to Accra today to do a little more touring before getting back to our hotel so we can be ready for our next adventure.

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Day Eleven  We drive across the border today to the country of Togo and its capital city. Lome, the capital of Togois a city where tradition and modernism overlap. We will visit Independence Square and it's neighbor, the National Museum-- where we can sample the Togonese culture.  We will venture into Art Street and it's craft vendors, ending in the infamous fetish market at the heart of the voodoo cult.

 

Day Twelve  Togo is the center of all voodooism in the world and we will have a chance to see a true voodoo ceremony and dance at the outskirts of the capital. we will also viniti the early Lake to go settlements by the Portuguese and Germans.

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Day Thirteen  We cross one more border today as we enter Benin. The capital city is Cotonou, which has become one of the best trivia questions ever.  Today you will visit the government district, the Ganvie Market zone including the famous International Dantokpa market  with its exuberant traders in handicraft center . This afternoon we will visit one of those iconic African villages—Ganvie--known as the Venice of Africa with its houses built on stilts.  This village is replete with great street and site names like Fisher Street, Lovers Lane and Francophorie Villa.

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 Day Fourteen We begin our trip home today with of course, one more surprise by Bill.  The cultural diversity of this region is mind blowing .

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Day Fifteen  We arrive in Chicago full of stories of lands that few know, let alone visit.