Global Media Projects location in Ghana

Highlights – Ghana

The cost of the programme in Ghana includes drumming lessons. Music is an integral part of Ghanaian culture so learning a bit about music in Ghana will give you more of an insight into the Ghanaian way of life.

Weekends are free and, depending on how many volunteers are overseas with you, you are based in the same accommodation which means that you can easily go travelling at weekends. Our location in Ghana means that you are close to some of the Ghana's most popular attractions.

Kakum national park, home to our conservation projects in Ghana is a short drive away. The forest reserve at Kakum is famous for it's canopy walkway. Those with a good head for heights can literally walk through the canopy of the rainforest thanks to a walkway that spans the tops of the trees. Those without a head for heights can wander the numerous trails that run through the forest, some that have been renovated by Global Volunteer Projects conservation volunteers.

Also within easy reach is the coast. Great if you just want to chill out and relax by the beach and watch the fishermen land their days trawl. The coast is also home to the colonial forts. many of the forts were used during the sinister trade of slaves from Ghana and it's well worth taking the tour around these forts to learn a bit more about Ghana's colonial past.

Further afield, you can visit the vibrant capital city Accra or fishing villages along the coast. Time it right and you might be lucky enough to visit one of the villages during their annual festivals.

Further north, you can journey to the capital of the Ashanti empire at Kumasi, visiting the huge market for souvenirs to take home. It's this market where you're likely to find the best deals on Ghana's famous Kente cloth as well as numerous hand carved crafts.

Those with a bit more time on their hands can journey further north to Lake Volta or the game reserve in Mole.

Climate

The Climate in Ghana is hot and humid at most times of the year. Temperatures will regularly reach 30 degrees centigrade during the day and will not drop much below 25-28 degrees at night.

From November the Harmattan winds blow dust from Northern Africa. This usually lasts into January and February. It doesn't really have much impact on the coastal regions but can make the air dustier than usual and you will find that most things quickly adapt a thin layer of terracotta red dust!

Ghana will see a short period of rain, usually around June followed by longer rains around September or October. The rains are unlikely to be a deluge, most of the time they are a short sharp period of instense rainfall. The rain tends to dampen the dust, clear the air and drop the temperature so it can be quite a pleasant change to the heat and humidity.

Money

You will have weekends free to travel and visit the sights so do take some spending money for food, accommodation and souvenirs.

Exactly how much to take is a matter of great debate but most who have travelled to Ghana recommend that you could probably get by allowing £50-75 per weekend spending money. If you can, take a little extra just in case to allow for emergencies or those ‘must have’ souvenirs.

You cannot get Ghanaian currency outside of Ghana so it’s best to take your spending money as travellers cheques or cash. Credit and debit cards are not widely excepted in Ghana. You can usually draw money out on credit and debit cards from most banks in Ghana but this can be a slow and laborious business.

Travellers cheques are the safest way to carry your spending money to Ghana as they can be easily replaced if lost or stolen. In our experience we’ve found that American Express travellers cheques offer the best service but most travellers cheques are accepted. It’s probably best to avoid ‘Thomas Cook’ traveller cheques as some banks do not accept them.

However, do take a debit or credit card (preferably a Visa card) and some cash with you as travellers cheques are difficult to change (often requiring hours of queuing in banks).

You can take cash as sterling, euros or US dollars. All are easy to change in Ghana.

Arrival

All international flights arrive in the capital city Accra (airport code ACC), and there are a reasonable number of airlines to choose from. From London, British Airways is often the most convenient, flying direct to Accra every day. From UK regional airports, KLM is also convenient, flying from various UK cities via Amsterdam, again every day. We advise you to shop around, however, as competition is strong and deals change on a daily basis.