Tour Information
General Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Ghana. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they took this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document that will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose content supersedes any information contained here.
TRAVEL TO GHANA: This tour is organized by our British company, Sunbird. Please read the Important Travel Information for Participants on Sunbird Tours.
ENTERING GHANA: United States citizens will need a valid passport and a tourist visa. Note that your passport must be valid for six months after you plan to return from Ghana. Citizens of other nations should contact their nearest Ghanian Embassy for entry requirements.
MAPS AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view maps of Ghana in the University of Texas series here. You can review the U.S. Department of State background notes on Ghana here.
HEALTH: Visitors must be in possession of a current medical vaccination certificate for Yellow Fever. Other recommended vaccinations include: Hepatitis A, typhoid, and rabies. You should also be sure that your routine vaccinations are up to date for measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, etc. The CDC and State Department strongly recommend a malaria preventative and vaccination against meningococcal disease (meningitis). As some of these inoculations cannot be given concurrently, you should contact your doctor straight away and obtain advice about when to start your treatment.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention currently recommend one of the following antimalarial drugs: mefloquine (Lariam®), doxycycline, or Malarone®. The CDC has determined that a traveler who is on an appropriate antimalarial drug has a greatly reduced chance of contracting the disease. In addition, other personal protective measures, such as the use of insect repellents, help to reduce malaria risk. Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area and up to one year after returning home should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history and what antimalarials they have been taking. Note that according to the CDC, Chloroquine is NOT an effective antimalarial drug in Ghana and should not be taken to prevent malaria in this region. CDC also recommends that you NOT use halofantrine because of serious heart-related side effects, including deaths.
Bottled water will be widely available, but mild stomach upsets can be difficult to avoid in Ghana and we strongly suggest bringing an adequate supply of Imodium or Arret. Gatorade or other electrolyte-replacement drinks in powder form are worth bringing, as they replace the vital salts and minerals lost during a bout of diarrhea. Finally, be sure to bring adequate supplies of all personal medication, as it may be impossible to obtain them during the tour.
You can review the most recent CDC medical advisories for Ghana here.
Please note that any health/medical information contained herein is gleaned by WINGS from websites that are dedicated to traveler’s health issues. Advisories and recommendations by agencies such as the CDC can and do change frequently. We urge you to consult with your physician, local health department, or the CDC for the most up-to-date health advisories for travel to Ghana. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or at the CDC’s Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov.
All of our birding will be at low altitude.
TIME DIFFERENCE: Ghana is 8 hours ahead of Pacific Time, 5 hours ahead of Eastern Time.
LANGUAGE: Though many African languages are spoken, English is the official language of Ghana.
CLIMATE: The wet season generally ends in October, and so we should expect mainly dry weather on our trip, with the chance of occasional rain. Temperatures will be hot, with typical daytime temperatures around 90°F. The temperature can drop at night, especially in the north.
PACE OF TOUR: We’ll tailor our birding to the climate, taking into account the fact that the middle of the day can be very hot. On most days we’ll have coffee and tea around 5:00am, then return from our morning’s birding for a late breakfast. On some days we will then take time out to relax by the pool, enjoy a light lunch, or a siesta before heading out again from about 3:00pm to dark (6:30pm). On at least two nights we will stay out after dark in search of nightjars and owls. In the evening we will try to allow an hour to shower before dinner. Our drives to and from Mole National Park will be “travel” days, with stops as necessary. Nearly all of the birding will be done along good paths and tracks, with our vehicle close by. Our search for the Yellow-headed Picathartes will involve a walk of more than an hour on a slope that is at first gentle but ends with a short steeper section. The Kakum Canopy Walkway is more than 120 feet above the ground, and some participants may choose to wait on the ground.
ACCOMMODATION: Our hotels near Accra and at Kumasi are both of a high standard. At Hans Cottage, Mole, Assim Fosso, and Atewa we stay in more basic guest houses; all rooms have private bathrooms and a fan or air conditioning. There was no running water for showers at Mole in 2007. The hotels at Accra, Kumasi, Mole, and Hans Cottage have swimming pools.
FOOD: Breakfasts typically consist of toast, jam, and omelette. Lunch will usually be a sandwich or an omelette. Dinner usually consists of chicken or fish, served with rice or french fries. There will be plenty of opportunity to try local dishes, most of which tend to be bland. Bottled water is provided throughout.
DRESS: Dress will be informal throughout the tour. Though shorts and T-shirts are acceptable, long-sleeved shirts and long pants protect from mosquitoes, thorny plants, and the intense sun. Sandals are ideal for the hotels and swimming pools, but walking shoes or boots should be worn in the field.
TRANSPORT: Transportation will be by comfortable air-conditioned minibus. A 4x4 vehicle will ferry us up the forested hill at Atewa.
SMOKING: Smoking is not allowed in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any lodge, accommodation or location where the group is staying or is gathered has a more restrictive smoking policy than WINGS’ policy, the more restrictive policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours, and other information that will help you prepare.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to Ghana will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Updated: January 2008