Ultimate Guide of The Day Tour to Cape Coast
One of the most popular and travelers’ favorite things to do while in Ghana is the Cape Coast Tour. This tour usually includes a visit to the Kakum National Park, the Cape Coast Castle and the Elmina Castle. These sites have a great blend of history and nature and are highly recommended by many travelers who visit Ghana. Usually, this tour can be done in a day but some people prefer to spend more than a day in the area to reduce the daily drive time and explore more activities in that region. If you have limited time and can only spare a day for this tour, then this guide will give you a general overview of what to expect on the Cape Coast Tour.
When Can I Take The Cape Coast Tour
One of the commonly asked questions about this tour is if there are certain days or seasons best for taking this tour. The answer is, that every day is a good day to take this tour. Fortunately, all 3 tour destinations (Kakum National Park, Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle) are open all 7 days of the week and so it doesn’t matter which days you decide to visit. Personally, I will recommend taking the tour on a Sunday if your schedule allows it as there is less traffic on Sundays cutting down the drive time involved as the whole drive is a breeze with no traffic.
I will recommend you avoid visiting Cape Coast on Saturdays, again if your schedule allows you to have the flexibility to do so. Why not Saturdays you might ask? Because the traffic on Saturdays is nothing like any other day. Mind you the traffic is not within the city of Accra but on the Kasoa to Budumburam road which is the route taken when leaving Accra to Cape Coast. Usually in Ghana, weddings and funerals are reserved for Saturdays especially and so many people leave Accra to visit Cape Coast and other neighboring towns increasing the usage of the road hence, traffic. Saturdays also happen to be the market day of many towns you pass through, causing some congestion from traders selling and vehicles transporting goods. The traffic is usually encountered in the morning when you are heading towards Cape Coast and in the evening when you are returning back to Accra. Traffic alone on Saturdays can add up to about 2 hours of delay to the total drive time of the tour.
If you have no choice but to take the tour on a Saturday, then I highly recommend leaving Accra as early as 5 am to 5:30 am to skip the worst of the morning traffic at Kasoa and Budumburam. You might still encounter the evening traffic when you are returning but at least it wouldn’t be as bad.
How to get to Cape Coast from Accra
Book a Tour with a Local Guide
This is the easiest option of all as the tour operator arranges all logistics involved and all you have to do is show up and enjoy the ride and the tour. You also get a local guide who will keep you company throughout the tour and answer any questions you have about the county.
Rent a Vehicle
You can rent a vehicle from a car rental company or a taxi. You can also find out from your hotel if they offer car rental services or if they can recommend a driver to you as they usually have drivers on hand to offer such services to guests.
Take a Public Bus
You can take a public bus to Cape Coast from Accra and the two public bus options I usually recommend are the STC Bus and the Vip Bus. You will however have to go to their station sometimes to purchase the ticket. However, STC has an online ticketing platform where you can purchase your ticket online. When you get to Cape Coast, you will have to get a Taxi that will take you to the tour sites.
How to get to Cape Coast with Public Transportation
Drive time involved in The Cape Coast Tour (without traffic)
Drive from Accra to Kakum National Park- 3 hours 40 minutes
Drive from Kakum National Park to Elmina Castle- 50 minutes
Drive from Elmina Castle to Cape Coast Castle- 17 minutes
Drive from Cape Coast Castle to Accra- 3 hours
This drive time is the estimated time involved without any traffic.
Pro Tip for taking The Cape Coast Tour
Excluding Saturdays, if you leave Accra for Cape Coast around 7 am, then you should usually be back around 8:30 pm. I like to read a book, watch a movie or catch some sleep during the long drive. If you take this tour with a tour company then you are in luck as you will have good company from your guide who will share interesting stories and information about Ghana with you.
What to Expect at Each Tour Site
Kakum National Park
Opening Hours
Monday- Friday- 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
When you arrive at the park, you will be required to pay an entrance fee at the main entrance before you are permitted to enter. After, go to the reception where you pay another fee for whichever activity you would like to take. Some of the attractions at the Park include the canopy walkway which is the main attraction, a Nature walk in the forest to learn about the plants and animals and an overnight stay at the tree house for those who want to spot some animals. You are likely not to spot any animals at the park during the day as most of the animals are nocturnal and only active at night. People who would like to see the animals are advised to spend the night at the Tree House at Kakum.
The day activities at the park usually take about an hour to an hour and 30 minutes. All tours at the park are guided tours and are accompanied by site guides. You sometimes have to wait for some time before the tour starts as the tour is conducted every 30 minutes or so depending on how busy the park is. While waiting you can check out the Museum open to guests which is self-guided. The tour usually takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.
Pro Tips for your visit to Kakum National Park
You will be given a time for your tour to start. Make sure you are at the waiting area at the time your tour is supposed to start.
The Canopy walkway has a bypass with just 2 bridges and another path with seven bridges. Assess yourself first and decide which one you are up for. Grab a bottle of water at the restaurant before going on the tour. You will need it.
Wear comfortable shoes that have enough friction underneath as it can be slippery especially after it rains.
Have some cash (Ghana Cedis) with you as credit cards sometimes don’t work there. Entrance fees are taken in Cash or Mobile Money (a local money wallet connected to sim cards)
There is also a souvenir shop for guests who would like to do some shopping.
There is a restaurant at the park for guests who would like to grab a meal there while at the park. Order the food before going on the tour so it is ready by the time you are done with the tour. Because food from most restaurants is prepared fresh, it sometimes takes a while for the food to be ready. You can save time by ordering for the food in advance.
When you pay for the activity fee at the reception, keep the receipt as it will be inspected before you enter the forest.
Difficulty level of the tour is medium, so make sure you don’t have any serious health conditions that prevent you from doing strenuous activities. Always inform your guide about any health conditions for advice and recommendations.
Elmina Castle
Opening Hours
Monday- Friday- 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
An entrance fee is required to have access to the site. The tours at this site are guided tours. The tour usually takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. When you arrive you will be directed on what to do next by some of the staff at the site. There is also a self-guided museum that will give you a general overview of the castle. Outside the castle are some locals who sell their crafts. Some will ask for your name when you arrive and will have your name written on a seashell as a present for you after you are done with the tour. If you don’t want to give out your name, just politely say “no thank you” to every question you are asked. They usually ask for a donation from you after they give you the shell. I will advise you to give as much as you are comfortable giving and don’t be forced to donate if you don’t want to do so.
Cape Coast Castle
Opening Hours
Monday- Friday- 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
You will pay an entrance fee as well at this castle. The tours at this site are also guided tours and usually take about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. Again you will be directed on what to do next by the staff at the site when you arrive. There is a craft center for those who would like to shop for some souvenirs. They also have some books about Ghana and the slave trade which will be shown to you at the end of the tour.
General Tips for The Cape Coast Tour
This tour is worth the journey and I rank it as one of the top 3 tours to take when you visit Ghana.
Halfway through the drive from Accra to Cape Coast and back, there is a rest stop called Eat and Ride at Apam. I recommend making a stop there to use the washroom, stretch your legs, get some coffee or grab a quick bite. It will be best to have breakfast before embarking on the tour or pack some snacks for the road.
Entrance fees vary from Ghanaians to non-Ghanaians. If you are Ghanaian bring along your national ID card. Students also have a different rate from Adults so if you are a student, bring along your student ID for Identification.
If you are taking this tour during the rainy season (June to October) I will recommend you take an umbrella or a raincoat along as the rainfall can be unpredictable, especially at the Kakum National Park which is a rainforest.
All 3 sites have washrooms for guests.
All tours at 3 sites are walking tours so wear comfortable shoes for walking.
Wear light clothes as the tour is outdoors and it can get hot and humid during the day.
As you will mostly be outdoors, you can bring along some sunscreen as it can get really hot sometimes.
Always feel free to ask locals for advice or directions especially the staff at the tour sites if you need any.
Is the Cape Coast Tour on your bucket list?
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Hello, fellow adventurers! I'm Rashida, your not-so-typical travel guide. Join me for laughs, mishaps, and perhaps a questionable decision or two (because let's face it, those always make for the best stories). Learn More