Anyone who enjoys the outdoors and is considering a safari or hiking tour in West Africa may consider visiting Ghana’s Mole National Park. Ghana may not initially strike you as an African safari destination, but its complex, intertwined history, and culture of slavery hide a unique take on the country’s nature trips.
The Northern part of the country is not only hotter and windier than Venus. but also a sweet pain on a 10- 12 hour bus ride from Accra through Ghana’s Ashanti and Bono regions, with en- route stops at the Manhyia Palace and the Kintampo Waterfall to relieve the pressure. But this trip can be reduced to 2 hours with a 50- minute flight to Tamale and a 45- minute bus ride to the park. The Mole National Park is home to elephants , buffalos, antelopes, warthogs, the black and white colobus monkey, and some exposed species of flora, all of which are visible to guests during a walking or jeep safari. For nature suckers visiting Ghana, Mole is a must- see place to visit.
Accommodations at the Park
In terms of accommodation at the national reserves, there are multiple options, like the Zaina Lodge and Mole Motel. Zaina Lodge happens to be the first luxury safari lodge in West Africa and is set up right in the heart of the Reserve. The lodge offers safe and world- class hospitality services in luxurious tented chalets with private sundecks overlooking the picturesque Savannah. The lodge is a great place to stay as they give a guided walking tour or vehicle safari, and for birdwatchers, Mole Park is an international pitstop destination with many endemic species. The lodge has a shop for souvenirs, too.
Other Attractions
The Park is close to some other attractions in its surrounding communities, like the ecotourism village of Mognori, an ecotourism village that offers a town walk tour through some of its homes, allowing visitors to learn about the process of making shea butter; a canoe safari on the Mognori River to the center of the park, where you can see birds and crocodiles; and the Larabanga community, which is home to the oldest temple in Ghana and one of the oldest in West Africa, known as the Larabanga Mosque. This temple was erected in the 17th century in a Sudanese architectural style. It’s the most hallowed religious point in Ghana and the most visited. Not too far from the mosque is the” Mystical Stone,” a stone at the center of the road said to have returned to its original place when it was moved during the construction of the road years ago. There is a head Priest in charge of the stone, and one can always request a prayer while at the point.
Just as Bill Murray said that “ elephants never forgets. But what they don’t tell you is, you never forget an elephant.“ should make you want to take a trip to Ghana and make it a safari one in the midst of your ancestral discoveries, just catch a morning flight into Tamale and back on the next morning flight into Accra for that different diamission to the Motherland and get up close and personal with these highly sensitive and caring animals in their natural habitats.
Things to do while at Mole National Park.
- Walking or Vehicle Safari at the Park
- Mognori eco-village walk
- Canone ride
- Visit Larabanga mosque and the Mystical stone
- Visit to the Leather and Basket market