Ghana primer: Accra, the coast and Kumasi

Ghana is one of the easiest places in West Africa to travel independently. English is the official language, the people are famously welcoming, and the road from Accra to the castle coast is a well-worn trip. But it has two entry requirements that catch people at the check-in desk, and a money system that runs on phones more than cards. Here’s the pre-departure checklist, then where to go. Our Ghana country page has the cedi rate, public holidays and plug details in one place.

Before you book: the checklist

• Check your visa route on the new eVisa portal (below)
• Get a yellow fever vaccination and the certificate to prove it
• Passport valid six months beyond your stay
• Malaria tablets discussed with a clinic
• Type G or D adapter
• A plan for cash and mobile money
• Insurance with medical evacuation cover

The eVisa: new in 2026

Ghana moved its visa process online in 2026. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the launch of a national e-Visa portal on 25 May 2026, replacing manual procedures, and said visa fees were being removed for African passport holders travelling to Ghana (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). African travellers still need to complete the online process; it’s the fee that’s gone.

The official portal is evisa.immigration.gov.gh. What it says at the time of writing:

• The route depends on nationality. Some passports are visa-free, some get an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) and others need an e-Visa. The portal checks this for you.
• Standard processing is listed as 96 hours. Faster paid tiers are available. Fees are shown in the applicant guide; I’m not quoting them here because they’ve moved since launch.
• You need a passport valid at least six months beyond your intended stay, a compliant photo and supporting documents that vary by visa type.
• A visa doesn’t guarantee entry. The length of stay, up to 60 days, is set by the officer at the border.

A word of warning on official advice lagging behind. At the time of writing, the UK Foreign Office entry page still describes applying via the Ghana High Commission (GOV.UK), and the US State Department says visitors need a visa from a Ghanaian mission (State Department). Start with the portal, and if anything conflicts, ask the nearest Ghanaian embassy or high commission before you fly. As always, avoid copycat sites: the real portal ends in .gov.gh. Our Ghana country page links the entry basics alongside the other essentials.

The yellow fever certificate is not optional

This is the one that turns people away. Ghana requires proof of yellow fever vaccination for all travellers aged nine months and older, regardless of where they’re coming from (State Department; GOV.UK). That’s stricter than places like Kenya, which only ask travellers arriving from risk countries (see our Kenya primer). Practicalities:

• Book the jab early. The certificate becomes valid 10 days after vaccination, and supplies at travel clinics can be patchy.
• Carry the original International Certificate of Vaccination (the “yellow card”) in your hand luggage, not in a checked bag. Airlines may ask for it at check-in, and health officers can check it on arrival.
• Talk to the clinic about malaria at the same visit. Ghana is a malaria-risk country, and antimalarials plus bite prevention are standard advice. The Foreign Office health page for Ghana and the US CDC destination page have the current guidance.

This is orientation, not medical advice. If you can’t have the vaccine for medical reasons, you’ll need an exemption letter from a clinician, so sort that out well before you travel.

Money: cedis, cards and MoMo

Ghana’s currency is the cedi (GHS). The State Department says cards are accepted mostly in the big cities, cash is still needed for many bills, ATMs are often out of order and card skimming is common (State Department). Hotels, malls and upmarket restaurants in Accra take cards. Markets, tro-tros (minibuses), chop bars and most taxis don’t.

The everyday payment system is mobile money, known as MoMo. Ghanaians pay rent, taxis and market traders from their phones, and Bank of Ghana data put mobile money transactions at about GH¢518 billion in December 2025 alone (Graphic Online). Ghana scrapped its 1% “E-Levy” on electronic transfers in March 2025, so moving money by phone no longer carries that tax (Ghana News Agency).

Can a visitor use it? Yes, with a local SIM. The National Communications Authority lists a passport as acceptable ID for non-resident foreigners registering a SIM (NCA). Register at an official network shop, not a roadside kiosk, and load your wallet with cash at any MoMo agent. For a short trip, I’d do this:

1. Land with a travel eSIM such as Airalo Partner for data from the airport.
2. Withdraw cedis at a bank ATM inside a branch or mall in Accra. Carry a mix of small notes.
3. If you’re staying more than a week or travelling outside Accra, get a local SIM with MoMo.

If you bring hard currency, the UK Foreign Office says you must declare it on the arrival form, and warns against carrying US$10,000 or more in value, which can be confiscated (GOV.UK). Our travel money cards comparison covers cards that keep ATM fees down.

Power: Type D and Type G

Ghana uses Type G (the British three-rectangular-pin plug) and Type D (three round pins in a triangle), at 230 V, 50 Hz (Mains electricity by country). In practice, Type G is what you’ll find in most hotels, so UK and Irish visitors can usually plug straight in. Everyone else should pack a Type G adapter, and a Type D one if you’re staying in older buildings. Our UK plug adapter guide explains how to buy a safe Type G adapter, and the IEC World Plugs site shows every other type.

Power cuts happen, so a power bank earns its space in your bag.

When to go

Southern Ghana has two rainy seasons. The major rains build from March and peak in May–June, with June averaging about 190 mm in Accra. There’s a “little dry” season around August, then shorter minor rains around September–October. Kumasi, inland and in the forest belt, is wetter, with a June peak of over 220 mm (Kumasi).

The driest months are roughly November to February. That’s also when the harmattan, a dry, dusty wind off the Sahara, can haze the skies and dry out your throat and contact lenses. Most visitors find November–February the most comfortable. December is busy, especially with diaspora visitors home for the holidays, so book flights and coast hotels early.

Where to go: Accra, the coast and Kumasi

Accra. Give the capital two or three days. Jamestown and its lighthouse, Makola Market, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and the bars and galleries of Osu are the usual starting points. Traffic is heavy, so plan by neighbourhood rather than criss-crossing the city.

The castle coast. West of Accra is the reason many people come. Ghana’s coast is lined with European forts and castles, built between 1482 and 1786. They’re a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes Cape Coast Castle and St George’s (Elmina) Castle (UNESCO). Both were central to the Atlantic slave trade, and the guided tours of the dungeons are sobering, essential visits. Base yourself in Cape Coast or Elmina for two nights. Add the canopy walkway at Kakum National Park nearby, and finish on the beaches further west.

Kumasi. About 200 km north-west of Accra as the crow flies by our airport data, Kumasi is the capital of the Ashanti Region and the historic seat of the Asante kingdom (Kumasi). Go for the Manhyia Palace Museum and the enormous Kejetia Market, often called the biggest in West Africa. Kente-weaving villages are within day-trip range. The road from Accra is slow and busy, and domestic flights to Prempeh I International Airport (KMS) are the time-saving alternative. Check current schedules on the airlines’ own sites.

A good first loop is Accra (3 nights), the coast (2–3), then up to Kumasi (2) and fly back. That’s ten days without rushing.

Staying safe, briefly

The US State Department rates Ghana Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution” (updated 7 July 2026). It advises reconsidering travel to the northern border regions, Upper East, Upper West and Northeast, and parts of the Savannah Region (State Department). It also flags online romance and gold-buying scams, and notes that same-sex relations are criminalised. The Accra–coast–Kumasi loop above is well away from the flagged northern areas. Insurance with medical evacuation cover, such as World Nomads Partner, is sensible given the State Department’s note on limited health infrastructure.