CAPE COAST HISTORICAL TOUR
CAPE COAST HISTORICAL TOUR
Spend Your Weekend Immersed in the History of the Cape Coast!
This 3 days, 2 nights trip into the heart of Cape Coast will be one you will never forget! We will start this adventure leaving very early in the morning on Friday traveling to Cape Coast.
We will first go to the Kakum National Park. This will take about 5 to 5.5 hours depending on traffic but don't fear you will be travelling in a private air conditioned vehicle to keep you cool and comfortable the entire drive.
Kakum National Park was established in 1931 as a reserve and as it bloomed into a tropical forest over the years it was eventually deemed a national park in 1992. This park is known for its incredible amount of bird species as well as a rich butterflies with new species even being discovered there.
The canopy was designed by two Canadian engineers with the assistance of 5 Ghanaians. It was originally designed to increase ecotourism and after opening on earth day in 1995 it has become one of the most popular attractions in Ghana.
The walkway spans over 7 bridges at 40 metres in height. Connected by platforms, the views you will experience of the tropical forest are hard to beat!
After our forest experience, we will travel to the beachside accommodation and check in to our rooms. After having some lunch we can walk over to the fishing village and Cape Coast Castle for a tour.
The Cape Coast Castle was originally built as a Portuguese trading post but later was used in the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade by the British and other European countries over the years. Slaves were held in underground dungeons to await their export to the Americas. These dungeons are a jarring juxtaposition to the luxurious living quarters the Europeans stayed in above. This tour can be very emotional and is a very important part of history for the entire world. This castle is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We will continue with this historical tour the next day after spending the morning on the beach with a trip to Elmina Castle.
Elmina Castle is also recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
It was also established by the Portuguese originally as a trading post mostly trading gold, ivory and timber.
This original fort was the first building of European design in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1400’s. By the seventeenth century they were operating as a slave trading centre.
The historical town of Elmina is believed by many historians to be the first point of contact between Europeans and sub-Saharan Africans.
After our tour of Elmina Castle we will go on a fishing boat ride, leaving from the castle area onto the ocean.
We will enjoy the natural beauty of this area. On our way back to the accommodation we will have dinner at a seaside restaurant.
On our final morning, volunteers will be free to explore the local area, take a dip in the ocean and enjoy their time on the beach. We will head back to Kumasi after lunch and be home in time to prepare for your programs the next morning. This will definitely be a once in a lifetime historical adventure!
*A minimum of 6 volunteers needed to run this trip.