The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Ghana
West Africa
Magnificent beaches, tropical forest, buzzing cities and culture. Coastal forts and the architectural heritage of Asante.
- On the map
CapitalAccra
When to goNovember to March
Suggested length8 days min.
CurrencyGhana cedi / Ghana cedi / Ghana Pesewa
LanguagesEnglish
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Accra · Kumasi · Cape Coast · Elmina
- Best season
- November to March
- Length
- Allow at least 8 days for these 4 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/ghana/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter Ghana, your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
- You must have a visa to visit Ghana.
- To enter Ghana, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination. For full details about health entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Ghana guide.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip:
- Medical facilities are poor outside towns. For serious medical treatment, medical evacuation will be necessary. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
Vigilance zones published by France Diplomatie (in French) · page updated on 15 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Red · Zones formellement déconseillées (rouge)
En raison d’activités possibles de cellules armées, il est formellement déconseillé de se rendre :
1. A la frontière nord du Ghana avec le Burkina Faso, y compris dans les localités de Tumu, Navrongo et Bawku, où des couvre-feux sont actuellement en vigueur :
- Orange · Zones déconseillées sauf raison impérative (orange)
Parc national de Gbelé au nord-ouest du pays
Compte tenu de la présence de groupes criminels, il est déconseillé de se rendre dans le parc de Gbelé et ses environs.
- Yellow · Zones de vigilance renforcée (jaune)
Le reste du pays est placé en zone de vigilance renforcée. Il convient toutefois d’être particulièrement attentif dans les zones suivantes :
Nord-est
- Cases of robbery, burglary and serious assault have become more common since 2021, and in some cases involve the use of weapons. Foreign nationals have been attacked and robbed at gunpoint. Street crime like pickpocketing and bag-snatching is on the increase in Accra.
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- Ghana is a conservative and deeply religious country. Although attitudes are largely modern and progressive, you should show respect for traditional values and morals.
Currency
Ghana cedi / Ghana cedi / Ghana PesewaViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Ghana. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 35,064,272
- Time zone
- −1 h from Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type G plugs · 230 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the right
- Calling code
- +233
- Languages
- English
- Area
- 238,535 km²
- Highest point
- Mount Afadja, 885 m
- Main religions
- Christian 71.3%, Muslim 19.9%, traditionalist 3.2%, other 4.5%, none 1.1%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- ACCAccra International AirportAccra3 M passengers · official site
- KMSKumasi AirportKumasi476,266 passengers
- TMLTamale International AirportTamale217,958 passengers
- WZAWa Airport25,875 passengers
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- You can drive in Ghana using the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) or a Ghanaian driving licence. Carry your driving documents with you.
Destinations
The essentials.
Accra
Accra () is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Kumasi
Kumasi is a city and the capital of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
Cape Coast
Cape Coast is a city and the capital of the Cape Coast Metropolitan District and the Central Region of Ghana.
Elmina
Elmina (Fante: Edina) is a town and the capital of the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem District on the south coast of Ghana in the Central Region.
Matti Blume
Must-try food
Six dishes, and where to taste them.
Jollof rice
Jollof, or jollof rice, is a rice dish from Senegal, West Africa. It is typically made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, chilis, onions, spices, and sometimes other vegetables and/or meat in a single pot, although its ingredients and preparation methods vary acr
Kenkey
Kenkey is a staple swallow food similar to sourdough dumplings from the Ga and Fante-inhabited regions of West Africa, usually served with pepper crudaiola and fried fish, soup or stew.
Banku
In Ghanaian cuisine, banku and akple are staple dishes made of a slightly fermented cooked mixture of maize and cassava doughs formed into single-serving balls.
Shito
Shito or shitor din is a hot black pepper sauce ubiquitous in Ghanaian cuisine. The name comes from the Ga language.
Gari
In West Africa, garri is a flour, varying in texture from coarse to fine, made from fresh, starchy cassava root. Heat used in the preparation process helps remove the thermolabile cyanohydrin toxins that occur naturally in cassava plants. Garri is similar to t
Kuli kuli
Kuli-kuli is a Nigerian snack primarily made from peanuts, first made by the Nupe people of Nigeria. It is a popular snack in Nigeria, Benin, northern Cameroon and Ghana. Today kuli-kuli is accepted across the globe. It is often eaten alone or with a mixture o
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Hellohello
- Thank youthank you
- Pleaseplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Christian 71.3%, Muslim 19.9%, traditionalist 3.2%, other 4.5%, none 1.1%.
- Languages: Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% (2010 est.).
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Independence Day, 6 March (1957) ; independence: 6 March 1957 (from the UK).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Mount Afadja, reaches 885 m.
35,064,272 inhabitants in 2025 on 238,535 km², about 147 per km².
Independence on 6 March 1957 (from the UK).
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
GDP per capita (current US$)3.3World Bank · 2025GDP growth6 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)14.2 %World Bank · 2025Unemployment (ILO estimate)3 %World Bank · 2025
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
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Sources and verification dates · 21 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Ghana (Q117)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Ghana · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Ghana · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Ghana · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Rough Guides · Ghana Travel Guide · Best time to visit
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (English)
- Wikipedia · Jollof rice
- Wikipedia · Kenkey
- Wikipedia · Banku
- Wikipedia · Shito
- Wikipedia · Gari (farine)
- Wikipedia · Kuli kuli
- Wikipedia · Accra
- Wikipedia · Kumasi
- Wikipedia · Cape Coast
- Wikipedia · Elmina
- CIA World Factbook · Ghana (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Ghana · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 15 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Accra · monthly normals (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.
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