← Back to Ghana
🇬🇭 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Ghana, practical info.
Visa, money, health, when to go, getting around, language and the small habits that make Ghana easier. Last updated for the 2026 season.
Visa, money, health, when to go, getting around, language and the small habits that make Ghana easier. Last updated for the 2026 season.
Most travellers need a visa and a yellow-fever certificate. ECOWAS passport holders enter freely.
Most travellers apply at a Ghanaian mission or through the e-Visa portal. Processing usually 5–10 working days.
Submit forms to the Ghana Immigration Service at least 5 days before arrival. Approval letter must be shown at Kotoka.
Mandatory for all visitors over 9 months old. Photocopies are sometimes rejected — carry the original from your travel clinic.
From your date of entry. Two blank pages required. Lost passports can be replaced at most embassies in Cantonments, Accra.
Mobile Money runs the country — get a SIM on day one and you'll move through Ghana like a local.
Banknotes: ₵1, ₵2, ₵5, ₵10, ₵20, ₵50, ₵100, ₵200. Coins (pesewas) for street snacks. The cedi floats — check the rate before you exchange.
De-facto currency. Pay Bolt drivers, market traders, even kente weavers via a 10-digit number. Top-up at every street kiosk.
Standard Chartered, Ecobank, GTBank, Stanbic — reliable. Withdrawal limits typically ₵2,000–₵4,000 per transaction. Amex limited.
Restaurants 5–10%; tour guides ₵100–₵200/day; drivers ₵50–₵100/day; hotel porters ₵5–₵10/bag. Round-up is normal.
Talk to your travel clinic 6–8 weeks before you fly. Below: the basics most travellers need.
Single shot, valid for life. You must show the original certificate at the airport.
Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine. Year-round risk. Use mosquito repellent (DEET 30%+) at dusk; rooms should have AC or nets.
Bring up to date. Hep B and rabies considered for longer trips or rural work.
Drink sachet or bottled water (₵1–₵2). Street food is generally safe at busy stalls — go where the locals queue.
Common meds OTC (paracetamol, ORS, antihistamines). Bring your own prescription drugs in original packaging.
Best private hospitals in Accra: Trust, Nyaho Medical, The Bank Hospital. Confirm your travel insurance covers medevac.
Ghana is one of West Africa's most stable countries. Standard urban awareness covers it.
Petty theft (phone snatching, pickpocketing) does happen in crowded Accra markets and at concerts. Keep your phone out of sight on the move; use a small day-bag with a zip.
Use Bolt or Uber after dark instead of street taxis. Confirm plate & driver name. Don't share rides with strangers.
Northern Ghana is safe for tourism, but the Sahel border zone with Burkina Faso has had volatility — keep ~50 km clearance and check your government's advisory.
Ask before photographing people. Avoid photographing government buildings, ports, airports and the presidential palace.
Two rhythms — wet and dry — but each unlocks a different country. The travel sweet spots are Feb–Apr and Aug–Oct.
Dry, cool, dusty. Peak season — festivals, weddings, returnees. Prices 2–3×. Book by September.
Hot, dry, sunny. Mole's waterhole packed with wildlife. Cape Coast quiet. Beach time at its best.
Heavy short downpours. Greenest landscape of the year. Some Volta trails close. Hotel deals everywhere.
Cooler. Wli Falls at full thunder. Akwasidae festival cycle in Kumasi. Locals' favourite travel window.
Ghana's main highways are paved and decent. Distances feel long because traffic out of Accra is heavy until you clear Nsawam.
Accra ↔ Kumasi · Tamale · Takoradi. From ₵800. ~40–60 minutes vs 4–9 hours by road.
Comfortable, AC coaches between major cities. VIP is the safest bet. Book at Circle station, Accra.
Both work everywhere in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi. Pay cash, card, or MoMo. Surge hits during Detty December and rain.
Cheap (₵3–₵10), atmospheric, slow. Routes shouted from the doorway. Try it once with a local — not for luggage-heavy days.
Outside Accra, surfaces vary. International licence + your home licence. We can pre-arrange a 4×4 with full insurance.
36-hour ferry from Akosombo north to Yapei (Tamale region). Weekly. Cabins available. Best done one-way, fly back.
English is the official language. Twi, Ewe, Ga, Fante, Dagbani and Hausa are spoken regionally. A few phrases go a long way.
Ghana is one of the most welcoming countries on earth. These habits will earn smiles everywhere.
Almost everything is buyable in Accra. Pack light. These items make the trip much easier.
A local planner replies on WhatsApp inside 12 hours — free, no commitment.