As an alternative to the normal tourist "tour" Anansi offers you a unique experience. While traveling with an idigenous West African guide, you will see highlights of each country you visit, and you can choose to become involved in the day to day life of West African people. Anansi guides are African people who have been trained to provide you with a worthwhile valuable experience during your time in West Africa.

Fly into Accra, Ghana, where you will be met by your African guide who will take you to your hotel either in Accra or Cape Coast. For the exact location, see the West Africa Map. All Anansi Travel is customized, therefore, unlike most organized tours, we at Anansi will help with your travel plans as much or as little as you like, leaving you very much in charge of your travel if that is your choice. While based in Accra or Cape Coast you may choose to spend your available time concentrating on all that Ghana has to offer or you may plan to visit one of the neighboring countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin or Cote d'Ivoire. We, the Staff of Anansi, will help with your travel plans, saving you time and money in the process. Contact us to learn more about your options and prices, and a bit more about Anansi.

Anansi Travel is now an NGO:

As of November 2005, Anansi Travel NGO is devoted to the task of supporting Ghanaian village children whose families cannot fund their secondary schooling. A percentage of our guide fees, Bed and Breakfast income in Mpeasem, volunteer work, and all the profit from our Annual Anansi Auction will be used to fund students in need for secondary school in Ghana. In addition, Anansi seeks to connect deserving students with sponsors in the United States or Europe who agree to be their benefactors for these three years of study. Anansi Travel NGO is affiliated with A WISH a U.S. nonprofit organization. Should you be interested in helping with this Anansi school children funding project, please contact Kathryn at: anansitravel@yahoo.com.

Two Festival Anansi Travel Tours:

• Panafest, July to August, 2007 in Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi and ending with a trip to Mole Park.
• Oguaa Fetu Afahye, August to September, 2006 primarily in Cape Coast, Ghana.

Some possibilities for your customized adventure in West Africa:

Ghana:

• Activities:

Accra, Ghanas capital city, is located along the mideast southern coast of Ghana. Some of the highlights of this city include: The National Museum, Makola Market, Arts Center, WEB Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the beaches, and Aburi Botanical Gardens.

Cape Coast is located west of Accra along the coast. It is the home of Anansi Travel, the Cape Coast Castle, Kakum National Park and many small African coastal city treasures.

Elmina is home to St Georges Castle and Fort St Jago. The castle was built in 1482 by the Portuguese and eventually turned into a grim slave castle complete with dungeons. Today you will find informative guided tours, a historical museum and a great gift shop in the castle. Elmina is a wonderful small picturesque fishing village where it is easy to spend time enjoying the sights and sounds of the fishing activities.

Kumasi is the Ashanti capital of Ghana located in the southern central region of Ghana. Highlights of this central capital city include the National Cultural Centre, Manhyia Palace Museum, Armed Forces Museum, Kejetia Market and the many craft villages in the surrounding area. Take a look at some photographs of an Ashanti funeral celebration.

Tamale, the capital of the northern region of Ghana, is most famous as the gateway to Mole National Park , although you can bypass Tamale and go directly from Kumasi to Mole National Park.

For information about the country of Ghana, it's ethnic groups, culture and art see Christopher Roy's Art and Life in Africa site from the University of Iowa.

We at Anansi are dedicated to providing an authentic African travel experience. With only one, two or three people (westerners) moving about on public transportation with one African guide, it is possible to feel and understand some of the differences between African culture and the culture of the western world. You might like to read the writing of Reshelle McNeil, one of the American students in Bassam in 2000. She told of her trip from Côte d'Ivoire to Ghana with four other people – two students and two Africans.

Burkina Faso

For information about the country of Burkina Faso, it's ethnic groups, culture and art see Christopher Roy's Art and Life in Africa site from the University of Iowa.

Check out the photos in the Nonswaoga file for a description of travel in Burkina Faso.

Mali

For information about the country of Mali, it's ethnic groups, culture and art see Christopher Roy's Art and Life in Africa site from the University of Iowa.

Cote d’Ivoire:

We regret to announce that Anansi Travel has suspended their travel in Côte d'Ivoire until peace has been completely restored in this interesting country.

• Activities:
  

Grand Bassam is located east of Abidjan on West Africa's south coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It was the first capital of Côte d'Ivoire from 1893 to 1900. The many colonial buildings are evidence of this period. As you enter Grand Bassam from Abidjan there is a village called the Carrefour with hundreds of artisans from different parts of Côte d'Ivoire and other West African countries making and selling their work in thatched roofed shops on both sides of the highway. On the island of Grand Bassam you will find Fodi's Shop with a large collection of sculptures and masks for sale and at the Artisans Centre you can see and/or buy most art objects made in Côte d'Ivoire and neighboring countries.

In Grand Bassam there are the artisans who keep the traditional arts alive, and there are also contemporary artists, painters whose work is a most intriguing combination of 20th/21st-century painting with definite African influences. One of these well know artists living in the Bassam area is Hayford Y. K. Okyere.

Abidjan is less than 30 minutes travel time away from Grand Bassam. It is the functioning capital and largest city in Côte d'Ivoire, and can be reached by taxi from Grand Bassam for visits to galleries, museums, football games, golf, the Cap Sud mall and Woodin’s. To get a feel for Abidjan, you may take a look at some photos of Abidjan.

Yamoussoukro is approximately four hours north of Abidjan. It is the home of the famous Basilica, Park and the Baule people. The official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, Yamoussoukro has been called the "Brasilia" of Africa.

Korhogo is six hours north of Yamoussoukro by bus. Everything, from the markets to the arts and crafts and nearby villages, reflects the culture of the Senufo people, very different from that of the neighboring ethnic groups to the south.

Man is located in the west central part of Côte d'Ivoire, Man can be reached by a six to eight hour bus ride from Abidjan. There are mountains to climb, an impressive Cascade waterfall to visit and monkeys who can be enticed out of the forest for treats. One of Whatcom's students, Alicia, wrote about her stay in Man with Diallo in 2000. She also wrote about the trip to Grand Lahou.

Grand-Lahou, an ocean side village located east of Abidjan and Grand Bassam, takes about three hours on public transportation to reach. Yonk, one of the students from Whatcom Community College, wrote about his trip to Grand-Lahou (also Man and Ghana). Photos from this 2000 student trip can be found in the Grand Lahou historical file.

Sassandra - is four hours west of Abidjan along the southern coast of Côte d'Ivoire, Sassandra is a beachside settlement with swimable ocean beaches. This most pleasant hillside fishing village is one of the more picturesque places in West Africa.

For additional information about the country of Côte d'Ivoire, it's ethnic groups, culture and art, see Christopher Roy's Art and Life in Africa site from the University of Iowa, or more updated U.S. Government information here.

© Anansi