Experience the Motherland - KK

Today, you arrived in the motherland.  You will be picked up by our team at the Airport  the Certified Africa way.  

Settle in, relax and enjoy the new environment.

The nighttime is always open to different nightlife activities and outing.

Today we will immerse ourselves into the culture by participating in a traditional welcome home ceremony to welcome you back into the motherland. 

There will be elders to offer prayers and perform some traditional rites to usher you into the land. At this same ceremony, you will receive your Ghanaian name.

We will have the opportunity to dance along with cultural dancers as we celebrate our return to the motherland.

You will also participate in a cook and eat session of local Ghanaian dishes.

Our seamstress will be on standby to take measurements for those who want outfits made. 

Enjoy Nightlife the way you want. We can recommend some places based on preference.  

Today, you will journeys to the Ashanti kingdom, Kumasi. Take time to unpack, unwind and prepare for the days ahead. 

Try your hands on some fufu at a local chop bar. Take the rest of the day relaxing and checking out your environment. 

Today you will immerse yourselves into the diverse and colorful culture of the Ashanti Kingdom. 

You will tour notable parts of Kumasi and learn the history of the Ashanti Kingdom. 

You will also;

• Take a tour of a cocoa farm to taste and learn about Ghana's leading and major exported commodity.
• Explore Adinkra Symbols stamping
• Ntonso Adinkra Symbolism Village
• Manhyia Palace
• King Prempeh Museum 
• Okomfo Anokye Sword Site
• Learn about the origin of the famous Kente cloth at the Bonwire Kente Village.
• Try your hand at thread spinning and weaving, or shop for your own exotic cloth.

Activity level is active. Attire is anything Comfortable for City Tour. 

Today, you will enjoy a boat cruise on one of Ghana's finest  natural lake, Bosomtwi. It is appraised as a sacred place spiced with its scenic beauty and charm.

The lake is surrounded by lush green forests and rolling hills. Lake Bosumtwi is located at about  27 kilometers in the Southeastern part of Kumasi.

Lake Bosomtwi is a popular recreational spot, with calm and soothing water where you can safely swim.

There is a stone at the lake side called Abrodwum Stone. It is believed to be the spiritual centre of the lake. You will learn the story behind this lake as you catch some fun cruising.

You can go with a bottle of schnapp to request for prayers from the priest at the Bosomtwi shrine.

Today wake up to a beautiful sunny day. After breakfast you return to Accra to continue with the rest of the activities.

Later at night you can enjoy some live band music at +233 Jazz Bar or visit the Oxford street at Osu.

Today you have the whole day to yourself. Have some rest from your travels thus far.

Today you will explore the capital city of Ghana. You will visit historic sites including 

• A visit to the national museum, W.E.B Dubois Museum and Nkrumah Museum.

• Visit to the independence square and Black star square, the most famous symbols of Ghana 

• Visit Makola market, the biggest and busiest market in Accra where you can shop beautiful African fabrics

 • Visit the local art market for art and craft shopping, walk around, interact with artists, take pictures or enjoy the beautiful Ghanaian art. 

• Explore some local snacks and street foods

Today, we journey to the central region to visit Assin Manso slave River and Cape Coast slave castle. 

Assin Manso Slave River served as a slave market where people captured from different places were walked to the grounds and given a final bath before been sold or sent to the Cape Coast and Elmina castles.

Weak slaves were fed and allowed to rest for several days or weeks in order to look appealing before been offered for sale or marched to a slave castle.

The market grounds also host the mortar remains of two slave ancestors who were brought from the diaspora for reburial. You will participate in the ritual bath and offer prayers to your ancestors.

You will experience the horror of the dungeons where  slaves were kept to await the ships.  After, we will pass through the "door of no return"  where slaves exited and left their homeland. Today, the "door of no return" has been commemorated as the "door of return" to welcome descendants of those who were forcefully captured and sold into slavery. We will have a door of return ceremony here to mark the emancipation of enslaved people of African descent.

Activity level is moderate.

Today, you have will go back in time again. 

Visit the Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482 and is also known as St. George's Castle. This castle was the first European structure built in Sub – Saharan Africa. 

The colorful harbor nestled below the Elmina Castle, full of pirogues preparing to go to sea offers one of West Africa’s greatest photo opportunities. 

Overnight at Roral Ridge Hotel

Today you will spend the day at the One Africa Resort. One Africa Resort is a beach front health and welness center started by a repartraited African American couple in the 80's.

You will spend the day socializing with other diasporans who are visiting or have relocated.

If okay then, you will spend the night there as well or at a different hotel which will be on standby.

Today you journey back to Accra. Settle in and embrace the rest of the day. Accra is a cosmopolitan city. No matter your preference, Accra got you covered.

Later at night you can enjoy some live band music at Zen Garden or +233 Jazz Bar. 

Today we will depart Ghana and head to Togo. Upon arrival, you check into your hotel and relax in preparation for your experience in Togo.

Today, you’ll visit the slave house in Agbodrafo. From there you can easily travel by shared boat to Togoville, a red-earth village that was the homeland of numerous slaves taken to Haiti, who were members of the voodoo cult. Here you will find magic remedies and voodoo charms used to cast powerful spells. You are invited to sample some potent herbal teas prepared by a village herbalist today as well. 

Upon return to Lome, Togo’s capital, thought to be the country’s most cosmopolitan city, enjoy a panoramic sightseeing tour of the city’s main features such as the Independence Square, National Museum, Craftsmen village, Central market where traditional articles can be found, the fishing harbour, Fetish market where you can find many sacred magic products.

Depart Lome for attendance of the Voodoo Ceremony in Voodoo village. The chief priest will warmly welcome you to observe their libation. 

Have fun at the Voodoo ceremony where participants get into trance at the rhythm of drums and ritual songs. 

Return to Lome for overnight stay.

Depart Lome to Dzagle village. On arrival in Dzagle, you will visit the funeral monuments and the fetish tree. You will continue to the Yogon village to the meet the chief priest and his team for a conversation.

After performing some few rights and learning about the culture of thye people, we will return to Lome for the night.

Take the day and relax poolside of beach side. Get rejuvenated for the next line of experiences.

Today, you will leave Togo and head for Cotounou for another memmorable experience.

After a leisurely morning, we embark on a city tour of Cotonou before our departure to Accra. We will visit the following sites: the "Esplanade des Amazones’, a public square located in Togo that is home to the ‘Amazon’, and a 30-meter-high statue built in homage to the world’s only all-female army. These Amazons belonged to the Kingdom of Dahomey, a West African empire that existed from 1625 to 1894. 

The Remembrance Square reveals the splendour and fascinating historic works of the city. l Here you will find the Mathieu Garden, the former home of the late President of the Republic, Mathieu Kerekou, now transformed into a flowery area with a pleasant scent for visitors. We will also visit the statue of the Wassangari warrior Bio Guéra on his horse while running. It glimpses the ardour and bravery with which the warriors fought to stop the colonial invasion. In addition, the Martyrs’ Square was refurbished to pay tribute to the soldiers and civilians who fell with their weapons in hand during the military aggression of 16 January 1977. Following lunch (on your own account) at a local restaurant, we return to the hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel and checkout, we depart to Ouidah to experience the mysteries of the Voodoo religion at Ouidah’s annual voodoo festival. 

Although there are many festivals around the country, this is the largest and most revered. You will see followers and adepts of the various voodoo gods, from the elaborately costumed Zangbetos to the followers of Kokou. 

Around the edges of the main performance area, groups from various voodoo temples perform their own rites and rituals. 

One of the highlights of any trip to West Africa is Ganvie, the African Venice. In ancient times people took refuge on Lake Nokoue from the attacks of the feared Dahomey warriors who were forbidden by a deep belief to fight on water. 

The Ganvie people over time developed this unique lake culture and way of life which have made them famous. Our boat cruise takes us along tranquil waterways and fish farms to the lake community of Ganvie. We discover these curious built-on-stilts dwellings, small floating markets and different aspects of the local daily life. 

After lunch (on your own account), we make our way to Lome, Togo’s capital. Check-in and relax. Rest of the evening is at leisure.

Today, we say bye to Benin and Togo and head back to Ghana.

Upon arrival, you can relax from all the expedition. 

For the next 3 days, we want to give you an immersive experience of living with a Ghanaian family before your depoarture. 

You will wake up dailyt like a local woukd and be hosted like a family member at home. 

This unique and comfortable experience will be with the family of the founders of Certified Africa.

Today, you depart from the motherland, but not for long.

Nante yiye!  Yɛbɛhyia bio (Go well! we shall meet again).

You can do some last minute shopping today. You can grab some already sewed African prints, Dashikis and artifacts.