CULTURAL TOUR OF GHANA & SOUTH AFRICA- 14 DAYS

ARRIVAL

On arrival at Kotoka International Airport, our expert cultural tour guide will meet, assist and transfer you to the hotel in our private air conditioned vehicle. Once you have checked in, your guide will brief you on what to expect during your stay here in Ghana.

This evening there will be a welcome dinner and orientation including a lecture/discussion on Ghanaian history, culture and customs. You will also learn about staying safe and healthy in Ghana.

ACCRA

Your first full day in Ghana, after a sumptuous buffet breakfast at your

hotel, we set off for the tour of Accra and vicinity, passing through the economic and administrative districts.       

Visits today will include:

Independence Square where you will see the enclosed flame of African Liberation, which was lit by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1961.

The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, final resting place of Ghana’s first president. Set in attractive gardens, there is an adjoining museum, which contains photos, artifacts and an insight into Dr. Nkrumah’s life. Adjoining the park is the National Cultural Centre, which is Ghana’s largest outdoor arts and crafts market selling traditional crafts from all over West Africa.

Jamestown- One of Accra’s most historic neighborhoods where history resides on every corner. Best known for its lighthouses (the first of which was constructed in 1875 by the British) as a navigational aid for trading vessels sailing through the Gulf of Guinea. The original structure was ruined but a larger and more improved lighthouse completed in 1921 is still functioning today.

You may visit  “Brazil House” and learn about the seven Afro-Brazilian families who returned to settle in Ghana in 1836. Familiar Brazilian/Portuguese last names such as De Souza, Palmares, Azumah, Amorin, Da Costa, Santos, De Medeiros and Olympio are abundant in this section of Accra

ACCRA-CAPE COAST

After breakfast, drive to Cape Coast; enroute tour of Mankessim, visit the Posuban Shrine and Fante Village. This evening on a guided tour through the ancient town of Elmina. At the harbor, you will see the colorful fishing canoes getting ready to go to sea for another night’s task of fishing. This is a perfect opportunity for the photographers in the group.

CAPE COAST

After breakfast, visit Cape Coast Castle Museum for a guided tour. Cape Coast Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and was one of the departure points for Africans being sent to slavery in the Americas. The castle is home to the infamous “Door of No Return”.

This afternoon, visit Elmina Slave Castle, another UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1482. This castle was the first European structure built in sub-Saharan Africa. This evening attend a “Return to the Homeland” ceremony called “Fiankra”. This ceremony illustrates how Africans were taken from the homeland without bidding goodbye to their family. It is also an initiation rite for African Returnees.

CAPE COAST

After breakfast, drive to Cape Coast; stop at Assin Manso, the burial site of two former slaves from the U.S and Jamaica whose remains were re-interred in August 1998 during Ghana’s first Emancipation Day Celebration. You will see the “Slave River” where captured Africans were washed before being confined.

CAPE COAST/ACCRA-JOHANNESBURG-SOUTH AFRICA

After breakfast, return to Accra with a stop at the Village of Abandze, the ancestral Home of Louis Armstrong, the famous American Jazz musician; in Accra those who ordered outfits go for a fitting, farewell dinner. Transfer to airport for flight to Johannesburg.

ARRIVE JOHANNESBURG

Arrive Johannesburg; meet assist and transfer to the hotel.

This afternoon drive to Lesedi Cultural Village, a multicultural village set amongst rocky hills where the cultures, customs and traditions of four of South Africa’s tribes are brought to life. Get a presentation on the history and original of the different ethnic groups and given a guided tour of the four homesteads- Zulu, Xhosa, Basotho and Pedi. The tour is followed by a cultural performance by the four groups- Zulu, Xhosa, Basotho and Pedi. The tribal dance display is then followed by a Pan African Feast served in the Nyama Choma restaurant with delicacies from different regions of Southern Africa.

JOHANNESBURG-PILANESBURG-JOHANNESBURG

After breakfast, drive to Pilanesburg Game Reserve- the ideal destination for a day Safari. This is a reserve which boasts the Big Five and a host of other game species. The Plianesburg lies in the crater of an ancient volcano and has some unique scenery and geology. The establishment of this reserve saw the biggest relocation project ever of wild animals and the reserve now boasts the Big Five’ lunch at a local restaurant

JOHANNESBURG- SOWETO

Full day tour of Soweto; get an intimate understanding of South Africa’s history. Travel along the paths of the freedom fighters and experience the City of Johannesburg and Soweto through their eyes highlights include:

• The Hector Petersen Memorial, the spot where 12 year old Hector was shot during the Soweto uprisings.
• Regina Mundi Church. The church was a meeting place for activists deprived of any other place to meet. It played a role in Soweto’s most significant day, when students, revolting against the imposition of Afrikaans teaching by the apartheid government, ran into the church. They were followed by the police, who shot and injured many; firing teargas and damaging the marble altar and the figure of Christ, the bullet holes are still visible in the ceiling.
• Chris Hani Baragwaneth Hospital- the largest hospital in the world; named in honor of the African National Congress leader who was assassinated in 1993.
• Mandela’s House comprising four inter-leading rooms, containing an assortment of memorabilia, paintings and photographs of the Mandela family as well as a collection of honorary doctorates bestowed on Nelson Mandel from universities and institutions around the world.
• Freedom Square, the place where the Freedom Charter was adopted

JOHANNESBURG-CAPE TOWN- ROBBEN ISLAND

Transfer to the airport for afternoon flight to Cape Town- meet assist and transfer to hotel. Take the afternoon ferry to Robben Island- a former prison now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This evening enjoy dinner at the Cape Town waterfront.

CAPE TOWN-TABLE MOUNTAIN- CAPE TOWNSHIP

Early morning tour of Table Mountain by cable car; the state-of-the-art car rotates 360 degrees on its way to the top, offering a panoramic view of the City; at the summit, take short walks to enjoy the magnificent view of Cape Town. Continue to the City Centre, the Company Gardens, the Castle of Good Hope and the Minnerton Lighthouse for a view of Table Mountain.

In the afternoon, go on a cultural tour of Cape Townships; an opportunity to interact with different communities.- visit Langa Cape Town’s oldest township gaining insights into the legacy of apartheid and the country’s struggle for democracy. In Gugulethu township, visit a community-driven and observe crafters at work.

Khayelitsha, Cape Town’s largest informal settlement. This evening a special dinner will be arranged in a home and accompanied by music and poetry. You will be invited to display your artistic and musical skills.

CAPE TOWN- WINELANDS

After breakfast tour Cape Town winelands. Visit Paarl, Franschoek and Stellenbosch. Enjoy wine tasting in the Stellenbosch

You return to your hotel and enjoy a relaxing time at the sun-drenched beach.

CAPETOWN

After breakfast, you will have the day at your leisure.

CAPETOWN-JOHANNESBURG-DEPART

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Johannesburg; make the connecting flight home.