Sankofa 2023 Immersion Experience
to Ghana, West Africa
Join the Office for World Mission on a trip to the Land of Smiles from October 12-26, 2023.
Click here for the application. Applications close April 20, 2023.
General Information
- Learn about the place that was the point of departure during the transatlantic slave trade for millions of Africans.
- Learn about and experience the last bath at Assin Manso before heading to Elmina Castle and passing through the door of "no return."
- Visit the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and memorial park celebrating Ghana's Independence and the W.E.B. DuBois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture.
- Visit Kumasi's Manhyia Palace Museum and learn about the history, culture, and traditions of the Asante Kingdom.
- Experience cultural wonders of nature: Wli Falls, Aburi Gardens, and the Kakum National Forest.
- Experience the art of bartering for clothing, drums, woodwork, kente cloth, and much, much more!
Cost and Payment Information
Package Includes
- Roundtrip airfare from U.S. departure point to Ghana
- *transportation to U.S. departure point will be coordinated at a later date at an additional cost
- Hotel accommodation
- Daily breakfast and daily lunch (except for free days)
- Welcome & farewell dinners
- *all dinners will be on your own
- Guided tour service with experienced drivers on an air-conditioned motor coach
- Entrance and site fees
Required For Entry
- Passport valid for up to six months after return (April 2024)
- Proof of COVID vaccination or if unvaccinated, proof of a negative COVID test 48 hours before departure
- Proof of Yellow Fever Vaccination
- Ghanaian Visa (group application)
Tentative Itinerary
DAY 1 - OCTOBER 13, 2023 - ARRIVAL
Upon arrival in Accra, we will be met by an Expertravel Tour Guide and transferred to the hotel. The afternoon will be a time to rest and relax. We will stay overnight at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel.
DAY 2 - OCTOBER 14, 2023 - ACCRA, SEGE, ACCRA & ANCESTOR PROJECT
After breakfast, we will depart Accra for a visit to the Ancestor Project in Sege. The Ancestor Project seeks to help promote and preserve intangible African cultural heritage through the use of art and performance and also to empower young Africans. The Ancestor Project is currently funded by a Ghanaian start-up company called Osramba, as well as the artist Kwame Akoto-Bamfo. Later that afternoon we will return to Accra. There will be time to freshen up in preparation for the Welcome Dinner, which will include cultural drumming and dancing. We will stay the night at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel again.
DAY 3 - OCTOBER 15, 2023 - ACCRA & KUMASI
We will check out of the hotel after breakfast. Then, we will travel to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, passing by many scenic villages and towns. Upon arrival in Kumasi, we will visit the museum built by the British, Prempeh II Museum, and the Centre for National Culture. We will stay the night at the Noda Hotel in Kumasi.
DAY 4 - OCTOBER 16, 2023 - KUMASI CRAFT VILLAGES
After breakfast at the hotel, we will go on a tour. The tour takes us through the three craft villages of Kumasi starting at Ahwiaa, where we will see skilled woodcarvers at work, Ntonso, which is home to the traditional Adinkra clothing, and Bonwire, where the famous Kente is woven. After lunch, we will proceed on a city tour of the Kumasi Municipality, which will take us to places such as the Okomfo Anokye Sword Site and the Kejetia Market. Then, we will stay the night at the Noda Hotel once again.
DAY 5 - OCTOBER 17, 2023 - KUMASI & ELMINA
We will check out of the hotel after breakfast and head to the Central Region. On the way, we will stop at Assin Manso Slave Camp to visit the Slave River. Assin Manso Slave Camp is a pure historical site where tourists are briefed on the slaves who were taken through the camp for their last bath and later auctioned before they were taken to the slave forts. Slaves who were not selected were sometimes shot dead and buried in a hole together. This is a sacred site where people believe the spirits of many ancestors reside and can be felt. Upon arrival in Elmina, we will check into the hotel. The rest of the day will be spent relaxing at the beachfront property. We will stay the night at the Coconut Grove Beach Resort.
DAY 6 - OCTOBER 18, 2023 - ELMINA & CAPE COAST
We will depart from the hotel after breakfast for a visit to Elmina Castle, the oldest European building in Africa, which was erected by the Portuguese in the 15th century. At different times the castle has been used as a warehouse to trade gold, ivory, and eventually slaves. The castle is the result of successive extension works and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Outside the castle, we will see a wonderful village with lots of large colorful fishing boats. Every day these canoes are guided by skilled fishermen across strong ocean waves and currents, “fighting” to earn a living. In the old town, we will see the Posuban, a shrine of the old “Asafo companies,” where the warriors used to put their offerings on large colorful statues. The alleys in the old town have a very lively atmosphere, bringing us back to a time when Elmina was a busy colonial town.
Then we will continue to the Cape Coast Castle, one of the largest castles built by the Europeans. This castle began as a trading lodge constructed by the Portuguese in 1555. We will stay the night at the Coconut Grove Beach Resort.
DAY 7 - OCTOBER 19 2023 - ELMINA, KAKUM & ELMINA
We will depart from the hotel after breakfast and head to Kakum Nature Park. We will experience the thrill of a “canopy walk” right in the deep forest of the Kakum National Park, one of the world's highest suspended rope bridges held by steel cables. Kakum National Park is perched 37 meters (120 feet) above the earth which makes for a stunning view of the rainforest. Instead of unveiling their trunks from this view, the trees reveal their tops. We will then have lunch after the tour and return to Coconut Grove Beach Resort.
DAY 8 - OCTOBER 20, 2023 - ELMINA & ACCRA
We will check out of the hotel after breakfast and return to Accra. Upon arrival, we will drive to one of the many malls for last-minute shopping. Later, we will drive to the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel.
DAY 9 - OCTOBER 21, 2023 - ACCRA & AKOSOMBO
We will check out of the hotel after breakfast and depart for Akosombo. Upon arrival, we will board the MV DODI PRINCES II for a memorable voyage experience on board its 150-capacity pleasure boat to Dodi Island. Dodi Island is an 84-hectare island located 5 kilometers off the shore of Lake Volta, which provides tourists and holidaymakers an opportunity to explore nature. Lunch will be served on board with a live band. We will then return to the hotel for an overnight stay at the Afrikiko Beach Resort.
DAY 10 - OCTOBER 22, 2023 - AKOSOMBO, HOHOE, & HO
We will leave Akosombo early in the morning and travel to Hohoe in the Volta Region. Our first stop will be at the village of Tafi Atome where the Tafi Monkey Sanctuary is located. Tafi Atome is the home of the Mona and Patas monkeys, which are on the endangered list. After this tour, we will check into the Chances Hotel.
We then continue traveling to the Wli Waterfalls, which is the largest and highest waterfall in Ghana. On route to the waterfall, we will hike through the lush greenery of the Agumatsa Forest Reserve where we will cross the same river eleven times before reaching the breathtaking falls. After the hike, we will drive back to the Chances Hotel to stay the night.
DAY 11 - OCTOBER 23, 2023 - HO & ACCRA
We will check out of the hotel after breakfast and return to Accra. Along the way, we will stop at the Cedi Beads Factory where glass beads are made from recycled glass bottles and sold throughout the country and overseas. The art of making glass beads has a long history in Ghana. For the past 400 years, the finished products have been used in ceremonies of birth, coming of age, marriage, and death. Today, the city of Odumase Krobo and the wider Krobo district are particularly associated with the making of traditional glass beads.
At the Cedi Bead Factory, you can watch the intricate production process from beginning to end, while having the possibility of designing your own beads. We will then check in to the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel.
DAY 12 - OCTOBER 24, 2023 - ACCRA CITY TOUR
This day presents the opportunity to explore the capital city of Ghana. Our first visit will take us to the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre for Pan-African Culture. We then continue to the Accra Central District. As part of our city tour, we will drive through the administrative and economic districts of Accra. This 128-year-old city has a blend of colonial and modern architecture that summarizes its history. We continue our tour through Independence Square, Christiansborg Castle, Ussher Fort, and Jamestown.
Lunch will be at a local restaurant, and then we continue to the Makola Market. This is the city’s biggest traditional market, where we will experience a typical African market atmosphere. We then continue to the Artists Alliance Art Gallery which is housed in a grand, three-story tower overlooking the sea. The gallery showcases traditional crafts, such as Ashanti drums and masks, as well as contemporary Ghanaian art. Take note of the elaborately carved and painted coffins, fashioned into shapes like cars and Nike sneakers, for which Ghanaians have become famous.
We will enjoy a Farewell Dinner and return for the night at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel.
Day 13 - OCTOBER 25, 2023 - ACCRA
Breakfast will take place at the hotel, and the rest of the day will be spent relaxing. In the evening, we will be transferred to the airport for a departure flight home.
DAY 14 - OCTOBER 26, 2023 - RETURN TO U.S.
Today we will land in the U.S.