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DETAILED ITINERARY >>
DATES AND PRICES >>
PRACTICAL INFORMATION >>
PHOTO GALLERY >>
COUNTRY FACTS
GHANA >>
BURKINA FASO>> |
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From Palm-fringed Beaches to the Edge of the Desert - a Tour to Ghana - Burkina Faso
Accommodation
On our trip through Ghana and Burkina Faso we stay in clean thoroughly selected 2-3-stars-hotels. The rooms have en suite facilities, electricity and water supply and air condition or fan. The hotels at Elmina, Mole National Park, Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso have clean swimming pools.
Here is a selection of the hotels used on our tour:
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| Hotel Auberge, Bobo Dioulasso | |
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Airlines
Airlines with scheduled flights to Ghana and Burkina Faso include Brussels Airlines offering flights to Accra daily and two scheduled flights per week (Tuesday and Saturday) from Ouagadougou to Brussels. KLM has flights to Accra on a daily base, KLM partner Air France offers daily return flights except on Wednesdays from Ouagadougou via Paris. Another option is Royal Air Maroc with three flights per week (Thursday, Friday and Sunday) to Accra and five times per week (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from Ouagadougou via Casablanca. Ethiopian Airlines has three scheduled flights per week to Accra and return flights from Ouagadougou via Addis Ababa.
For further information regarding flights schedules, reservation, connection flights and other questions related to your flight please consult the airlines’ websites: www.brusselsairlines.com, www.airfrance.net, www.royalairmaroc.com or www.flyethiopian.com
The itinerary of our group guided tours with fixed departure dates matches the Brussels Airlines flight schedule. If you choose another airline there may be modifications to the itinerary and/or additional cost due to extra overnight accommodation and extra transfer expenses. If you book a tailor-made trip with us you can fly the airline of your choice. We will be pleased to provide you with a regarding your reservation.
Climate
Ghana
In the south of Ghana the climate is tropical and wet all year round. Two rainy seasons occur in the south, the principal one from April to June and a shorter one in October and November. In July, August and September the rains are interrupted by a short dry season. There is a long dry season between December and end of March. The annual temperatures average 28 to 32°C. The coolest months of the year are July and August. Ghana’s rainforest area in the southwest of the country receives an annual rainfall of about 2,000mm. The relative humidity is high in the southern areas, it reaches up to 90%. A dry wind from the Sahara called the harmattan blows from January to March, and a veil of dust hangs over the country. In this time of the year temperatures can drop to 15°C at night.
Generally speaking, the north of Ghana is drier than the south. It has only one rainy season that runs from April/May to October. In the northern areas savannah is the predominant vegetation zone. The average temperature at day is higher in the north than in the south, but at night temperature can drop considerably. The harmattan winds start blowing already in November.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is divided into three climatic zones, the Sahelian zone, situated in the north of the country, south to it the Sudano-Sahelian zone and the Sudano-Guinean zone which covers the south and southwest of Burkina Faso. The country has a primarily tropical climatewith two alternating seasons: a long dry season and a short rainy season. In the Sahelian zone, covering about 25% of the country, the rainy season runs sometimes only two months with maximum rainfall of up to 300mm a year. The Sudano-Sahelian zone is the largest climatic region, covering half of Burkina Faso. The rains in this area tend to start in May/June and to dry up in September/October. Rainfall figures are highest in the Sudano-Guinean zone which receives up to 1,300mm a year. The rains here tend to start in May and are over by October. The temperatures average between 25°C and 30°C, March, April and May being the hottest months. Burkina Faso is coolest in January and February. During the dry season the harmattan winds blow, bringing dust from the Sahara.
Clothing
Light short-sleeved cotton clothing is recommended for the days and a long-sleeved shirt and trousers for the evenings which will help you to fend off mosquitoes and face the cooler temperatures in the north of Ghana and Burkina Faso). In Burkina Faso and in the north of Ghana shorts and short skirts are ill-advised for women. It is also unusual for men to wear shorts in Burkina. In the rainy season you need a waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella. (see chapter “climate”). In many hotels there is a laundry service on offer, so you can get your washing done. As for footwear, you should carry with you a good pair of walking shoes for our hiking tours in Kakum and Mole National Park and a pair of sandals. Thongs are useful in shower and pool areas. Don’t forget your swimwear! You will have the opportunity to swim in the sea, and some of our hotels have clean swimming pools.
Communications
Ghana
In major towns cheapest is to use a telephone booth that takes phone cards available from post offices, gas stations, street vendors or small stalls. There are 25, 50, 100 or 150-unit cards. One minute to Europe costs around 1 US dollar. The booths offer International Direct Dialling. The prefix for UK is 0044, for USA and Canada 001, for Ghana 00233. There are also small stalls in the streets offering phone service. You can also make phone calls at upmarket hotels but this option is quite expensive. As in many other African countries, the mobile industry in Burkina Faso is booming, and coverage is excellent across the country. For detailed information please contact your provider prior to departure.
Internet access is widely available in major towns and prices not expensive, although connections are often slow.
Burkina Faso
International and national calls can be made from post offices and hotels. The prefix for UK is 0044, for USA and Canada 001, for Burkina Faso 00226. As in many other African countries, the mobile industry in Burkina Faso is booming, and coverage is excellent across the country. For detailed information please contact your provider prior to departure. If you have a GSM phone and it has been „unlocked“, it is possible to buy a local SIM card for about 7$ and buy top-ups. International calls to UK and USA cost about 400 to 500 CFA per minute.
Internet access is widely available in Ouagadougou and prices not expensive, although connections are often slow.
Electric Supply & Plugs
220 volts alternating current. Generally, you can recharge your batteries in your hotel room without a problem. Burkina Faso uses two-pin continental-style plugs, so you will probably need an adapter. In Ghana they use sockets of type D and G, old British BS-546 5 amp "small" and British BS-1363. In case if you need an adapter it can be purchased from street vendors or supermarkets for about 3 GHC. US citizens may also need a voltage converter. Please note that power cuts are frequent.
Food and drinks
In the itinerary we state which meals are included on each day.
Food included in the breakfast varies according to hotel standard. Most hotels serve bread, butter, jam, sometimes honey and processed cheese or omelette for breakfast. It also includes tea or coffee. Upmarket hotels usually serve buffet breakfast. Dinner we usually take in the restaurants of our hotels or in clean, thoroughly selected restaurants in town. In many places international cuisine is served.
Ghana
Ghanaian main staple food is made of yams, cassava, sweet potatoes, millet, maize and rice. Plantains are very popular, too. The traditional dishes are served with vegetables such as tomato, onion, egg-plant, okra or beans as well as tasty sauces and soups. Food is generally very spicy; ten different kinds of pepper and chilli occur in the country and are used abundantly. However, there is a number of hotels and restaurants serving European-style food.
Ghanaians love meat, they particularly appreciate bush-meat. Grasscutter also known as cane rat, a large rodent, is also very popular. But you will also find beef, mutton, chicken and goat meat on the menus. Pork meat is rarely served but it is eaten in areas with a Christian population.
The coast is great for delicious fish and seafood dishes. But not only the sea provides the Ghanaians with fish, Lake Volta is also very rich in fish.
There is a large variety of fruit in Togo. Along with pineapple, citrus fruits, papaya, mango, banana and melon, there is cherimoya, star fruit and guava on offer. Vendors walk around the cities with carts piled high with young, green coconuts.. They open the coconut so that you can drink the clear refreshing water. If you’d like to eat the flesh they also split it open for you.
Ghana’s national dish is fufu, made of cassava, plantain or yams, mashed until the starch breaks down and it becomes a gooey ball. Usually it is served with a tasty soup. Joloff rice is found throughout West Africa, it is served with beef, mutton or chicken. Dumplings made of cassava or maize are found throughout the country. The dishes are called banku, obenku, kokonte or akpie depending on the region. The most popular soups in Ghana are abenkwan, made of palm kernel, ntaketwan made of groundnut or nkrakra, a clear soup.
Tap water should be boiled or filtered before you drink it. In all bigger cities you can buy mineral water in bottles. Although there are many species of fruit grown in the country fresh exotic fruit juice is difficult to find. Soft drinks including Coca cola, Fanta and Sprite are widely available. Ghanaians are known for being enthusiastic beer drinkers, and there are several local and international brands to buy, the most popular being Star, Gulder and Club. In the south homemade palm wine is very popular, in the north people prefer millet beer.
Burkina Faso
The Burkinabé staple is the rather tasteless tô, a maize-, millet- or sorghum-based dough mixed with water, that is usually combined with a vegetable sauce or a sauce made of ladies’ fingers, baobab leafs or groundnuts. These sauces are also served with rice and couscous made of fonio or cassava. The sauces can be quite spicy. Riz gras is another popular dish consisting of rice fried in oil with tomato paste and onion. It is usually served with fried fish or meat. Fufu is a popular starch-based staple originally from the coast. There are also plenty of meat dishes on offer. Beef, mutton, goat, chicken and bush-meat are available throughout the country. Guineafowl known as pintade in French and fish are often seen on menus in Burkina Faso. Popular side dishes in restaurants are fried plantain known as aloco and fried sweet potatoes or yam. Caterpillars are a popular food source as they are rich in protein.
Tap water should be boiled or filtered before you drink it. In all bigger cities you can buy mineral water in bottles. You should try bissap, a thirst-quenching juice made of the purple petals of the hibiscus flower. Other tasty juices are available like tamarind or ginger juice and depending on the season baobab juice. Beer is also produced in Burkina Faso, the most popular brand is Brakina. Locally brewed millet beer known as dolo or chapalo is available in the villages.
Health
A Yellow Fever vaccination and certificate is a compulsory requirement for entry into Ghana and Burkina Faso (see visa requirements). You should always carry the certificate with you while being in Africa.
Immunisations against tetanus, diphtheria, polio and hepatitis A are recommended by the World Health Organization, regardless of your destination. For other vaccinations and prophylactic measures please consult your doctor, travel clinic or tropical medical bureau before departure.
Travel clinics:
UK
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Berkeley Travel Clinic, 32 Berkeley St., London WIJ 8EL, Tel.: 020 7629 6233
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Cambridge Travel Clinic, 41 Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 1NT, Tel.: 01223 367362
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Hospital for Tropical Diseases Travel Clinic, Mortimer Market, Capper St. off Tottenham Court Road, London WC1E 6JB, Tel. 020 7388 9600, www.thehtd.org
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InterHealth Travel Clinic, 111 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7HR, Tel.: 020 7902 9000, www.interhealth.org.uk
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USA:
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Centres for Diesease Control, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30333, Tel.:(800) 232 4636 or (800) 232 6348
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IAMAT, International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers, 1623 Military Rd., 279 Niagara Falls, NY14304-1745, www.iamat.org
Canada:
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IAMAT, Suite 1, 1287 St. Clair Av W, Toronto, Ontario, M6E 1B8, Tel.: 416 652 0137, www.iamat.org
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TMVC, Suite 314, 1030 W Georgia St., Vancouver, BC V6E 2Y3, Tel.:888 288 8682, www.tmvc.com
For further health information visit following websites:
www.masta-travel-health.com
www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk
www.iamat.org
To prevent traveller’s diarrhoea, peel fresh fruits before eating them and avoid fresh salads and ice cubes in basic restaurants. Be careful and very selective when eating or drinking in street stalls and make sure that meat is always well cooked and plates and serving utensils are clean. Don’t drink hastily ice-cold drinks. Consult your doctor before departure for appropriate medication and rehydration mixtures.
The best prevention of malaria is to avoid being bitten. The evening wear clothes covering your entire body and use mosquito repellent. Sleep under a mosquito net and/or turn AC or fan on. For further prophylactic measures consult a specialist for tropical diseases.
Keep away from street dogs, monkeys and other mammals that could carry rabies. Avoid bathing in standing bodies of water because they are high-risk areas for bilharzia. Be careful while bathing in the sea because undercurrents and breaking waves are very dangerous even for strong swimmers the seas off Ghana being particularly risky.
Literature
Travel guides:
West Africa, Lonely Planet, 7th edition, published Oct 2009
Burkina Faso, Bradt Travel Guide, 2nd edition, published October 2011
Ghana, Bradt Travel Guide, 5th edition, published July 2010
The Rough Guide to West Africa, 5th edition, published June 2009
Novels and biographies:
Money
Ghana
Ghana’s currency is the Cedi (GHC). Exchange rates are 1 € = 2,42 GHC, 1 $ = 1,95 GHC and 1£ = 3,01 GHC (as of July 2012).
You can change cash money in banks, some hotels and foreign exchange bureaus (Forex bureau) in Accra and major cities. Normal banking hours are from 08.30 to 14.00 Monday to Thursday and 8.30 to 15.00 on Friday. The best banks to exchange money are Barclay’s and Standard Chartered Bank. However, the exchange rates in banks are often lower than in the foreign exchange bureaus. All widely usedcurrencies like euro, US dollar, Swiss franc, British Pound Sterling are easy to be exchanged. The CFA franc from the neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo can also be changed without a problem. North of Kumasi there may be problems to exchange hard currency cash. In Accra and all major cities banks are equipped with ATM machines, allowing you can withdraw money using your Visa card. Cashpoints are sometimes not working or malfunctioning, so do not count on them. Please note, that most banks and cashpoints only accept Visa card. Mastercard, American Express or other credit cards are rarely accepted. Only very few big hotels, restaurants or supermarkets accept payment with credit card. EC Maestro card you can only use with the Ghana Commercial Bank on High Street in Accra. It is not accepted as a means of payment. While travellers’ cheques offer a greater security, changing them can be time consuming, and commission is very high and you will get a low exchange rate. You will be asked to produce both your passport and the receipt you get from your bank when purchasing them. Standard Chartered Bank has the best exchange rate for travellers’ cheques. Forex Bureaus rarely change travellers’ cheques.
Burkina Faso
The CFA franc (Communauté Financière Africaine) represented on international banking systems by XOF, is the currency of Burkina Faso. Exchange rates are $1 = 521 CFA (July 2012), £1 = 817 CFA (July 2012), €1 = 655.95 CFA. The CFA franc is pegged directly to the Euro. Notes are in denominations of CFA 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000 and, since November 2012, there is a note of CFA 500. Coins come in CFA500, 250, 200, 100, 50 and 25. Coins of CFA 10 or 5 exist, but they are extremely rare.
Please note that finding change can be very difficult at times, particularly in small shops, restaurants, taxis and street stalls, so you should always have a good supply of cash money in small denominations or coins.
Banking hours in Burkina Faso vary according to the bank and its location. Generally speaking, most of them open very early, close for a long lunch break and reopen in the afternoon, so you should be able to find an open bank from 07.15 to 11.00 and from 15.30 to 17.00, Mondays to Fridays.
You can change cash money in banks, some hotels, foreign exchange bureaus (Bureau de change) and in some Lebanese supermarkets (like branches of Marina Market). The best hard currency to bring is euros, some banks and money changers also change US dollars. In Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso BECIA-B and SGBB banks are equipped with ATM machines, allowing you can withdraw money using your Visa card. The banks in other towns do usually not accept foreign credit cards. Cashpoints are sometimes not working or malfunctioning, so do not count on them. Please note, that most banks and cashpoints only accept Visa card. Mastercard, American Express or other credit cards are rarely accepted. Only very few big hotels, restaurants or supermarkets, such as Marina Market accept payment with credit card. EC Maestro card is an absolute no-go everywhere in Burkina Faso. While travellers’ cheques offer a greater security, changing them can be time consuming and commission is very high. You will be asked to produce both your passport and the receipt you get from your bank when purchasing them. Travellers’ cheques are only accepted by some bigger banks. They should be issued in euros or US dollars.
Photography
Both countries are real treasure troves for passionate photographers. Whether the impressive slave castles on the Gold Coast, the elephants in Mole National Park, the colourful dwellings of the Kassena or the castle-like houses of the Lobi, there are countless photographic subjects.
Before you snap people please ask permission. A small friendly conversation can help you to break the ice and win your subject’s sympathy. Particularly in the animistic parts of the countries there are sacred places where photography is not allowed. Please follow your local guide’s instructions. Some places charge a photo fee (e.g. Cape Coast and Elmina Castle). Taking pictures is not allowed inside the museums. It is strictly forbidden to take pictures of military buildings and people wearing uniforms, airports, dams, bridges, power plants, police stations, control posts along the roads and border posts!
Safety
The danger most likely to affect a tourist is pick-pocketing, particularly in busy markets, bus stations, in crowds in the streets or in shared taxis. Bag snatchers are few, but can occasionally strike, speeding past on mopeds.Do not wear expensive jewellery or carry large amounts of cash or expensive items such as cameras. You should keep belongings close when walking down streets. We recommend you to keep your documents, cash money, credit card and cheques in a skin-hugging hidden money-belt or a button-up chest pocket. Always travel with photocopies of your documents and keep them in a separate bag.
Avoid walking around the streets at night, especially alone.During late evening or around/after midnight, we recommend you to use a taxi.
For up-to-date information and safety and security advice about your destination please check your government’s travel advisory: www.fco.gov.uk, www.travel.state.gov, www.voyage.gc.ca
Ghana
Ghana is a rather safe country. There is very little crime. Please follow the above mentioned general security advice.
In case of emergency please contact your embassy or representation in Ghana:
Address:
British High Commission in Accra
Osu Link
Off Gamel Abdul Nasser Avenue
P.O. Box 296
Tel.: +233 302 213 250; fax: +233 302 213 200
Office hours: Monday - Thursday: 07.30 to 15.30, Friday: 07.30 to 13.00
For USA:
Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy
No. 24, Fourth Circular Rd., Cantonments, Accra
P.O. Box GP 2288
Accra, Ghana
Tel. +233 030-2741-150
Fax: +233 030-2741-692/741-763
pressaccra@state.gov
www.ghana.usembassy.gov
For Canada:
High Commission of Canada
42 Independence Avenue
P.O. Box 1639
Accra, Ghana
Telephone: 011 (233) 30 2211 521
Facsimile: 011 (233) 30 2211 523 / 2773 792 / 2211 524 (visas)
Email: accra@international.gc.ca
www.canadainternational.gc.ca
Office hours: Monday to Thursday: ´07:30 - 16:00, Friday: 07:30 - 13:00
Burkina Faso
Demonstrations have been occurring more frequently in Burkina Faso since February 2011. Although the situation has since calmed down again you should avoid all demonstrations and public gatherings. Unfortunately the crime rate has increased in the past few years, so travellers should be vigilant.
In case of emergency please contact your embassy or representation in Burkina Faso:
For UK:
There is no British Embassy in Burkina Faso. The British Ambassador to Burkina Faso resides in Accra.
Address:
British200 High Commission
Osu Link
Off Gamel Abdul Nasser Avenue
PO Box 296
Tel.: +233 302 213 250 or +233 302 213
Fax: +233 302 213 274
Office hours: Monday - Thursday: 07:30 to 15:30, Friday to 13:00.
There is a British Honorary Consul, Mr Patrick de Lalande, who can only offer limited consular assistance in an emergency.
Address:
Mr. Patrick de Lalande
Honorary Consulate of the UK in Burkina Faso
01 BP 6490 Ouagadougou 01
Burkina Faso
Based at ICI, Initiatives Conseil International
Impasse Thévenoud
Mobile: +226 70203982
Tel: +226 50 30 88 60
Fax: +226 50 31 25 43
E-mail: consulat-uk@fasonet.bf
For USA :
Embassy of the United States of America
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Rue 15.873
Avenue Sembène Ousmane
Ouaga 2000, Secteur 15
Tel: (226) 50-49-53-00
Fax: (226) 50-49-56-28
E-mail: amembouaga@state.gov
American citizen services are scheduled as follows:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: from 2:00 pm to 4:30pm, Tuedsay: from 8:00am to 4:30pm, Friday from 8:00am to 11:30am.
For Canada :
Embassy of Canada
316 Professeur Joseph Kizerbo ave.
01 P.O. Box 548
Ouagadougou 01
Tel: +226 50 31 18 94 station 3000
Fax: +226 50 31 19 00
E-mail:ouaga@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Office hours: Monday to Thursday: 08:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 17:00, Friday: 08:00 – 13:30
Time zone difference
Burkina Faso’s and Ghana’s time zone is UTC/GMT + 0. As they do not observe daylight saving time they are one hour behind in summertime.
Tipping
Although entirely voluntary, tipping is a recognized part of life in Africa. In the more well-to-do restaurants you can tip 5 – 10% if you were satisfied. For hotel tipping guidelines are as follows: for porters 100 CFA for one piece in Burkina Faso, about 1 GHC for one piece in Ghana, for housekeeping 200 CFA per person per night, in Ghana about 1 GHC per person per night. At your discretion you might also consider tipping your driver, tour guide and local guides in appreciation of the efficiency and service you receive.
Visa requirements
You may choose to use a visa service or send your application to the representations listed below.
Please note, that for this trip you need to have 4 empty pages in your passport.
Please note that a Yellow Fever vaccination and certificate is a compulsory requirement for entry into both countries (see chapter “Health”). The certificate is often checked upon arrival.
All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related issues with the relevant embassy or consulate prior to departure.
Burkina Faso
Visas are required by all nationalities. Passports valid for a minimum of six months beyond date of departure are required by all. Visas are issued in countries with Burkina Faso representation.
The addresses are as follows:
For UK residents:
Embassy of Burkina Faso in Brussels, Belgium
16 place Guy de Arezzo
1180 Bruxelles
Tel.: +32 02 345 99 12 (Tel.: 347.00.41) Fax: +32 02 345 06 12
ambassade.burkina@skynet.be
www.ambassadeduburkina.be
or
Honorary consul for Burkina Faso in the UK:
Mr. Colin Seelig
The Lilacs, Stane Street
Ockley, Surrey
RH5 5LU
Tel.: +44 (0)1 306 627 225
consul@colinseelig.co.uk
www.burkinafasovisa.co.uk
All applications must be accompanied by the following:
• Valid passport.
• Two completed application forms
• Two passport-size photos (attached to form).
• Relevant fee payable in cash or by postal order made out to Colin Seelig only
Single entry 3 months: £30, multiple entry 3 months: £40
• Registered, stamped, self-addressed envelope for postal applications.
Please submit all the documents to above mentioned address.
Visas are normally valid from the date of entry.
3 Working days required. If papers are in order, visas are issued promptly.
For the United States:
Embassy of Burkina Faso in the United States
2340 Massachusetts Av NW
Washington DC
Tel.: +1 202 332 55 77
ambawdc@rcn.com
www.burkinaembassy-usa.org
All applications must be accompanied by the following:
- A valid passport
- Two completed application forms (available on the website)
- Two passport-size photos
- Visa fee: US citizens are eligible for up to 5 years multiple entries visa, the cost is $ 100, Payment Should Be Made by money order or company check only
- Photocopy of Yellow fever certificate
- Registered, stamped, self-addressed envelope for postal applications.
Visas are issued within 72 working hours. Express visa (within 24 hours) on request for a supplement of $ 50 per visa.
For Canada:
Embassy of Burkina Faso in Canada
48 Range Rd.
Ottawa
Tel.: +1 613 238 47 96
Fax: +1 613 238 38 12
burkina.faso@sympatico.ca or info@burkinafaso.ca
Office hours: from 9 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday except holidays
All applications must be accompanied by the following:
- Two visa application forms
- Valid passport
- Two passport-size photos
- Visa fee: 3-month visa for one entry 55 CAN $, 3-month visa for multiple entries 73 CAN $. The fees can be paid by certified check or money order made out to the Burkina Faso Embassy or in cash
- Registered, stamped, self-addressed envelope for postal applications.
Visas are issued within 48 working hours
Ghana
Visas are required by all nationalities. Passports valid for a minimum of six months beyond date of departure are required by all. Visas are issued in countries with Ghana representation.
The addresses are as follows:
For UK residents:
Ghanaian Embassy in London
13 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8PN
Tel.: 020 7201 5900, Fax: 020 7245 9552
www.ghana.embassyhomepage.com
For visa application:
Ghanaian Consulate in London
104 Highgate Hill
London N6 5HE
Tel.: 020 8342 7500
www.ghanahighcommissionuk.com
The High Commission operates two office sites in London and Honorary Consulates in Glasgow and Dublin.
Ghana Consulate, Dublin
Republic of Ghana
74 Haddington Road
Dublin 4
Tel: +353 1667 3849
Fax: +353 1 6677 622
info@ghanaconsulateireland.com
The Honarary Consulate-General
The Honorary Consulate-General
Republic of Ghana
Swalaba
17 Bellevue Road
Ayr
KA7 2SA
Tel. Visa Section: 08453 133 399
hgcscotland@ghc-uk.org
Office hours: Mondays - 5pm to 7pm, Saturdays & Sundays - 1pm to 3pm.
All applications must be accompanied by the following:
- A valid passport and one copy
- Four completed application forms (available on the website)
- Four passport-sized photos
- Visa fees: standard fees are. £50.00 for a 3-month single entry visa (Ireland: 70€) and £70.00 (Ireland: 95€) for a 6-month multiple entry visa, payable by postal order or Bank draft issued to Ghana High Commission or the respective consulate.
- Your current bank statement and one copy
- Confirmation letter from your travel health insurance stating the coverage and one copy
- Reference letter from your employer or education establishment
- Proof of group travel (hotel reservation, return airline reservation)
Standard Applications takes a minimum of 7 working days. 24hr and 72hr processing services are also available at an additional fee.
For USA:
Embassy of Ghana in USA
3512 International Dr., N.W.
Washington D.C., 20008
Tel: +1 202 686 4520, fax: +1 202 686 4527
Consular@ghanaembassy.org
www.ghanaembassy.org
Office hours of Consular Affairs department: Monday to Thursday 9.30 – 15.00 (EST)
Consular services are also available at:
Ghana Permanent Mission to the UN
19 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
Tel.: +1 212 832 1300, fax: +1 212 751 6743
Or
The Honorary Consulate of Ghana
Jack M. Webb (Honorary Consul of Ghana)
3434 Locke Lane
Houston, Texas 77027
Tel. and fax: +1 713 960 8833
Office hours: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 2pm – 4pm (by appointment only)
All applications must be accompanied by the following:
- A valid passport
- Completed application form (available on the website)
- Two passport-size photos (taken not more than three (3) months from the date of submitting the application) affixed with glue on the top right comer of the application form
- Visa fee: single entry visa 60$ or multiple entry visa 100$ payable by money order, cashier's check or certified bank check issued to the Embassy of Ghana.
- Proof of financial support or letter of invitation from host in Ghana
- Applications submitted by mail must be accompanied by prepaid self-addressed overnight, trackable envelope (FEDEX) for return of passports. Only requests accompanied by certified prepaid return envelopes will be processed.
You should have a return air ticket which has to be submitted upon request.
The visa shall be issued within seven working days.
For Canada:
Consular Section of the Ghana High Commission
1 Glemow Avenue (The Glebe)
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 2A9, Canada
Tel.: +1 613 236 0871, fax: +1 613 236 0874
ghanacom@ghc-ca.com
www.ghc-ca.com
Office hours: 9.00 – 14.00 Monday to Friday (closed on all national holidays in Canada and in Ghana)
Or
Consulate in Toronto
4665 Yonge Street
Suite 205/206
North York, Ontario, M2N 0B4
Tel: (416) 848-1014, fax: (416) 848-1017
Or
Consulate in Vancouver, BC
Mr. George Addei-Piprah (Honorary Consul-General)
6741 Cariboo Road
Suite 108
Burnaby, British Columbia
V3N 4A3
Tel.: (604) 715 6624, fax: (604) 931 6164
gpiprah@aol.com
All applications must be accompanied by the following:
- A valid passport
- Four completed application forms (available on the website)
- Four passport-size photos
- Visa fee: Single entry visa 65 CAN $, multiple entry visa 150 CAN $ Payment should be made by Bank draft or postal money order to Ghana High Commission, Ottawa
- Photocopy of Yellow fever certificate
- Proof of return ticket or flight confirmation from a travel agency
- Two addresses of two references, a confirmed booking is required.
The visa shall be issued within three working days.
What to take
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Passport
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Air ticket
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International yellow vaccination card
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Photocopies of your documents (it’s good to keep them in a separate bag)
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Cash money, credit card
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Hard top suitcase or tear resistant travel bag + day bag
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Protective cover for your suitcase
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Swimwear
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A pair of flip flops (for shower and pool etc.)
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A pair of sandals
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Comfortable footwear, non-slip hiking boots
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Long lightweight trousers, shorts, long-sleeved shirt for the evening, light thin cotton clothing
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Sunhat and sunglasses
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Suncream
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Umbrella and/or waterproof jacket
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Towel
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Toilet paper, tissues, wet wipes
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Torch with spare bulb and batteries
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Swiss knife
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Personal first-aid kit
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Insect repellent
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Photographic equipment, memory cards/film rolls, batteries
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Binoculars
What you should know before you go
… Burkina Faso and Ghana are wonderful countries to visit, but remember that Africans have a different perception of time. A trip through West Africa requires a high degree of flexibility, patience and tolerance, western standards regarding service, punctuality, comfort and hygiene cannot be applied here. Although we thoroughly choose our vehicles and use only vehicles in good condition, flat tires or other car breakdowns can happen. The road conditions in African countries can change unexpectedly due to heavy rainfalls requiring a detour or bridges can suddenly become impassable. We do our utmost best to ensure a smooth journey but please understand that delays may occur. Technical defects or service inconveniences in the hotels such as the lack of towels can often be rectified within a few minutes. In case of any inconvenience please contact your tour guide!
From Palm-fringed Beaches to the Edge of the Desert - back to the itinerary |
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