Background

Ghana, is a west African country, bounded on the north by Burkina Faso, on the east by Togo, on the south by the Atlantic Ocean and on the west by Côte d'Ivoire.

Formerly a British colony known as the Gold Coast, Ghana was led to independence by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah on the 6th of March, 1957. Ghana became the first nation in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve independence from colonial rule.

The country is named after the ancient empire of Ghana, from which the ancestors of the inhabitants of the present country are thought to have migrated.

English is the official language of Ghana and is universally used in schools in addition to nine other local languages.The most widely spoken local languages are Ga, Dagomba, Akan and Ewe.

How to get here

Several major international airlines operate regular flights to Ghana from major cities across Europe, North America, Africa and the Middle East. Examples include Emirates, British Airways, TAP Portugal etc.

Climate

Ghana is a tropical country. The South Western part is located within the warm wet forest zone similar to the Amazon. Accra, the capital, is located in the dry equatorial cones but is warm and humid.

In Southern Ghana the rains last from April to June and again from September to October. Generally temperatures are between 21 – 31°C. The rains are usually restricted to specific times each day during the rainy season; they are not continuous throughout the day.

Passports & Visas

Visas are required by most non-residents except ECOWAS nationals. Ghana Missions and Embassies abroad will assist in issuing individual, business and group visas.

Currency

Ghana’s currency is the cedi which comes in denominations of GHC 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins come in denominations of 1 GHC as well as 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p & 1 pesewas. Foreign currency can be freely exchanged at any Forex Bureau in the country.

Apart from the Forex Bureau, some commercial banks also exchange foreign currency. Banks are normally open from 08:30 to 16:00 on Mondays through to Friday. Some banks also operate on Saturdays from 09:00 – 14:00 GMT. Almost all large commercial banks also have ATM/cash machines located outside and available during and after hours. Most ATMs accept VISA, Mastercard and some other select check cards.

Traveller's Cheques

All banks and Forex Bureaus accept Traveller's Cheques although the rate of exchange may be slightly lower than for cash transactions.

Credit Cards

The most widely accepted credit cards are Visa and Mastercard. These cards are accepted in major hotels, restaurants, banks and businesses. Your card may be used for payment at most all airlines, leading hotels and major supermarkets. As always, caution is always advised when using bank cards/credit cards when travelling.

Health 

Yellow Fever vaccinations are required by all except infants under the age of 9 months. Please do not forget to bring your health certificate which shows that you have a Yellow Fever vaccination. As Ghana is considered high risk for malaria, you are also advised to consult your doctor/travel centre well in advance of your visit so that you may begin anti-malaria treatment.
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Drinking water is considered safe but it is advisable for visitors to use bottled drinking water which is widely available for sale in hotels, supermarkets, grocery/provision stores etc.