EXPLORING ASHANTI CULTURE & CRAFTS-3 DAYS

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS and VISAS

•  A passport valid for at least 6 months prior to the scheduled tour is required.
• Get visa information at http://www.ghanaembassy.org/index.php?page=visas
• Your passport must have at least two blank visa pages for immigration stamps.
• Please print at least two copies of your Passport (the bio-data/ photo page only), leave one with your relatives at home and carry other copies separate from the passport.
• It is recommended that you carry extra passport photos with you in case you lose your passport and have to reapply.
• Most nationals including U.S. citizens need an entry visa for Ghana.
•  Proof of Yellow Fever is not required for the granting of the visa in the US but will be demanded by Ghana Immigration on arrival at the Ghana Airport.
• Evidence of yellow fever inoculation administered within the last 10 years is required by Ghana immigration. In cases where you do not have proof of inoculation, the Ghana Health Department will administer the inoculation at the airport and will charge you the fee which averages approximately to US$25.00.

AIR TICKET

• Verify that your name on your International round-trip airline ticket is spelled correctly. Your name must be the same as it is on your passport.
• Please be at the airport with enough time as required by airlines (at least 3 hours before departure is recommended).

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

•  Vaccination against Yellow fever is required.
• It is highly recommended that you get a prescription for malaria prophylactics.  
• The Center for Disease Control or your personal health care provider may also suggest other preventative actions that are not required for entry but recommended.
• The final decision regarding health requirements must be made by your physician/ health care provider.  
• Only bottled water is recommended while in Ghana.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE

The climate in Ghana is tropical, but temperatures vary with seasons and elevation. August is a “winter” month in Ghana. You can find average weather information using the following link: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/geography/climate.php For Accra, here are some averages: In August, the average low is 73° F; the average high is 81° F.

MONEY & CURRENCY

• $1 US dollar = 5.20 GHC (Ghana Cedis) (approximate)
• Most hotels have a forex (foreign exchange) bureau which offers competitive exchange rates.
• Do not change more than you will need in local currency or you might have to change your Ghanaian cedi back to US$ and this will cost you twice.
• Always keep receipts for your currency exchange.

Credit Cards:

•  American Express and Visa are the most widely accepted.
• Check with your credit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
•  Always notify your credit card company in advance that you’ll be traveling and get a PIN number in case the overseas merchant requires a PIN.
• Only the larger hotels and most exclusive restaurants take credit cards.
• In Ghana, most transactions are conducted with cash. Market vendors do not accept credit cards.
•  It is better to plan on not using a credit card at all, and only carry for emergency purposes. Do not use a debit card, only a credit card.

ATM:

•  Bring your ATM card so you can get local currency as needed.
• Be sure to let your bank know you’ll be traveling internationally so they honor your ATM being used.

How much extra cash to bring:  

• Additional expenses will be bottled water, meals not included in the itinerary and tips. We suggest you bring a few hundred dollars for meals, water, tips, and souvenirs.

TIPS/GRATUITY

As in all other areas of the hospitality industry, tips are a significant part of service employees’ income. It is expected that tour leaders and others who provide a service will be tipped at a minimum of 10% and maybe more if they have performed exceptionally.

BARTERING

Bartering is a way of life in West Africa and Ghana is no exception-- it's a great way to break the ice and can be a lot of fun. But here are some advices to consider:

•  Always be polite but firm.
• Bargain only with people you are comfortable with since you could be spending a lot of time with the person with whom you are bargaining.
• Do speak a little of the seller's language. With any transaction in a foreign country, the effort you make to use a little of the local language will be returned many folds.
• Don't be rude or question the validity of any price the seller names--no matter how absurd it may seem. Your attitude should be apologetic and a little self-effacing: "I'm sorry, but I can't pay that much." If you feel the seller is really trying to rip you off, just apologize for taking their time and move along to the next vendor who will be more than happy to be more reasonable.
• There is no need to bargain with an obviously unfair vendor; rather you should seek the item elsewhere. On the other hand, you should just enjoy the whole process and have fun. Feel free to laugh at an outrageous price, make friends, and enjoy the relationship.  
• When bargaining to buy an item, bear in mind that a small amount to you could be extremely important to the seller. So, don’t waste time haggling over a few cents. PHONES
• You’ll want to be reachable when you are in Ghana. Because of the time zone difference and your travel schedule, it may be challenging to know when you will be at a fixed point (e.g. in a hotel room). What works best is for you to have a cell phone that functions in Ghana and on which you can receive/send text messages, WhatsApp, etc.
• Check with your phone carrier to find out the cost if necessary, of a one-time upgrade to your service so that your phone will function in Ghana as it does at home. Most carriers will upgrade your service for only one month so that you can make and receive calls and use added data for a fraction of what the same calls would cost without the temporary service upgrade.
• When your family/friends dial to Ghana from the U.S., use the country code +233. For example, to call Accra, dial: 011- 233 plus the 9-digit Number. If a local phone number starts with a “0”, drop the “0” when calling from an international location.

EMERGENCY CONTACT WHILE IN GHANA

Continent Tours Local Tour Operations Manager: +233 202 099 970 Continent Tours Alternate Number: +233 202 099 969

TIME ZONE

During the months when the U.S. has daylight savings time, Ghana is 4 hours ahead of the Eastern Time zone (United States). So during your time in Ghana, when it is 1pm in New York it will be 5pm in Ghana. Use this website to verify local time in Ghana: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=4

INTERNET ACCESS

Most hotels provide free wireless internet access and Wi-Fi connection will be provided on the bus while traveling.

ELECTRICITY

There are several issues about electricity: Voltage: First is the voltage. The type of electricity that comes out of the wall socket is different than in the United States. Thus, you cannot directly use a U.S. electrical appliance UNLESS it is dual voltage. Ghana electricity is 220 volts/50 cycles. To know if your appliance is dual voltage look on the plug or power box to see if it reads only 110 volts or if there is a range of 110-220v (or something very close). Converter: If there is a range of 110-220v you can use the appliance without a converter. You may need to move a screw from one indicator to the other, though. If your appliance is only good for 110v, you’ll need a converter. There are different types of converters, depending on the wattage of the appliance. Be sure to get the right kind. Adapter Plug: Regardless of what voltage your appliance is, you will not be able to plug it directly into the wall. You will need an adapter plug. Depending on whether your appliance is a two-prong or three-prong item, you will need an adapter plug that works with your appliance. You may need two plugs—one with two prongs and one with three. Here is what the outlet plug will look like. ← The Plug types used are Rectangular blades. Power strips: If you have multiple things to charge, you may want to purchase a power strip. That way you can charge several camera batteries, your cell phone, etc. at once. Note: Throughout the world electrical outlets in bathrooms are ONLY for shavers. Do NOT plug anything else in, including hairdryers.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

In Ghana the official language is English. There are several widely spoken dialects such Twi, Ga, Fante and Ewe but the most universally spoken is Twi after English. You may hear simple Twi phrases such as “Akwaaba” (Welcome), “Medaase” (Thank you) and “Etesen” (How are you?)

CARRY-ON LUGGAGE

• Be sure to check the size/weight limit of carry-on luggage with the airline you are flying.
• For Delta airlines, you can read the restrictions at: http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/baggage/baggage_allowance/index.jsp. The size of the carry-on bag must not exceed 45 linear inches.
•  It is very important that your carry-on luggage has at least one complete change of clothes so that in the unfortunate situation that your checked luggage is delayed you will not be overly inconvenienced.
• The security regulations prohibit taking certain items in your carry-on luggage. To double check current restrictions, read these procedures: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

Required clothing:  

• Lightweight or tropical for most of the year including August.
• Trousers and Long sleeves at nights.
•  An umbrella or light raincoat for occasional shower.

Suggested clothing:

Casual wear is suitable although beachwear should only be worn at the beach or at the poolside. Only the most exclusive dining rooms encourage guests to dress for dinner. We suggest you leave the expensive jewelry at home. The rule is to take as little as possible: 

• Long-sleeved shirt/blouse. 
• Light long trousers will help protect you against the sun and Insect bites.
•  A hat that shades your neck and forehead.
• A pair of well-broken in walking boots/sneakers.
• Small washcloth (in case you don’t like the color of those provided by the hotel).

General Accessories:

• Electrical adapter plugs, and converter if needed.  Camera, film/memory cards and extra batteries.
• Day pack.
• Ziploc plastic bags for electronics and film.
• Small flashlight. Occasional black outs are not unusual in most of West Africa but it is unlikely that you will experience these in the hotels where you are staying.
• A digital photo storage unit, such as a flash drives or pen drives may come in handy

Prescription medication:

• Make sure you have enough to last during your trip, as well as a copy of the prescription(s).
• If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you should have with you a spare pair of glasses or enough lenses and cleaning solutions to last your trip. Also, carry with you a copy of your prescription.

Packing List

This packing list is to serve as a guide only and it is not intended to be a complete packing list. Any other items that you wish to pack are at your discretion; however, you may want to follow the required luggage weight of the airline you will travel with. Here are some packing tips to take the stress out of packing: Bring Essentials in Your Carry-On: Things can happen with airlines and luggage so on your international flight, we advise bringing at least one change of clothes in your carry-on luggage in case your luggage is delayed/lost during travel. Bring your walking boots on the plane with you! You can pretty much climb or hike without anything else, but you are going to want your broken in, comfortable, perfect-for-your-feet walking footwear with you.

What to wear: Lightweight clothing is best and layering is the way to go with a warmer fleece for the evenings. Comfortable, casual, cotton or nylon clothing is recommended for your time in Ghana as the organic material allows your skin to breathe. Trousers or long skirts are recommended after dark to help protect against mosquitoes. Another great packing tip is to avoid bright colors. Avoid white, blues and reds, while brown, beige and tan colors are best. You may add a scarf/bandana to your trip packing list because they are good to carry along with a sun hat. Dress appropriately during Durbar and other group events. Female clothing should cover shoulders, thighs and stomach.

•  Blouses/ shirts with long sleeves (even in summer, they will protect you from the sun and from mosquitoes)
• Khaki, green, beige and neutral colors  T-shirts; shorts or a light skirt; cotton pants or trousers for evenings and cooler days
•  Sandals or rubber thongs (for showers, swimming and boats rides, not for general use everywhere)
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Light, compact raincoat is a good idea for the summer (because you may experience light showers occasionally)
•  Swimsuit, as most hotels and lodges have swimming pools in Ghana

Travel Documents

• Passport and photocopies of passport  
• Visa is required for the trip
• Travel Insurance including insurer details and emergency contacts
• Flight tickets, E-tickets
• Copies of passport size photos
•  Photograph of luggage contents in case of loss Personal Health
• First aid kit
• Personal toiletries
• Prescription glasses
•  Personal medications/prescriptions
•  Contact lenses and solution
•  Lip balm/lip gloss
• Feminine hygiene products, hair spray, deodorant, shampoo, razors
•  Band Aids
•  Sunglasses and sunblocks 
• Tissues or Baby wipes/wet wipes
•  Insect repellent and malaria tablets
•  Antibacterial wipes/gel or insect bite creams
• International Travel vaccination certificates such as yellow fever card. You need to have a yellow fever inoculation (preferable no less than 10 days prior to travel) and will need to have a certificate/card as proof when entering the country. If you do not have proof of Yellow Fever vaccination with the last 10 years the Ghana health authorities may administer it at the airport at a cost to you of approximately $ 25.00

Rainy Weather

• Raincoat/Jacket
• Small umbrella

Sightseeing and Communication

• Camera Equipment
•  Cell phone
•  Chargers for your cell phone, camera, video camera, etc.
•  Batteries for small electronics and cameras
•  Film/memory cards
•  Dust proof camera bag Others
•  Comfortable daypack to carry personal needs during the day
•  Reading material
• Water bottle
• Small flashlight/Torch
• Foldable bags for souvenirs
•  Nightgown or pajamas (and light robe)
•  Electricity converter and an adapte