Introduction
On the 3rd of July 7, 2021, Xperience Ghana organized a tour to the Central region of Ghana specifically the Elmina Castle and Kakum National Park. This tour allowed the entourage to enrich their knowledge in the slave trade that occurred in Ghana formally the Gold Coast, Where the colonial master (Portuguese, Dutch and the British) established their stronghold and how the slaves, our forefathers and ancestors were housed and transported to foreign lands. The tour also enlightened individuals for the Eco-geographical area of Cape coast, Specifically the tropical rain forest and its inhabitants. This tour upheld the Objective of Xperience Ghana, that is: to explore our tour destinations and learn about their values and contributions to the tourism industry in Ghana; to exchange individual knowledge or opinions among participants, and to have the very best of experience during the entire tour.
The Entourage departed from the Accra Mall at 8:00 am on a very sunny Saturday morning. A word of prayer was said upon our departure and immediately after that breakfast was shared in the bus, The tour participants introduced themselves and also initiated some form of interaction to eliminate shyness and also to voice out their expectations for the tour. Shortly after, the brain behind Xperience Ghana; Nii Martey Newman-Adjiri briefed the entourage about the profile of Xperience Ghana and what we intend to achieve as a tourism agency. The entourage made its routes from the Accra mall through The George Walker Bush Highway, catching a glimpse of Achimota, Lapaz, Kwashieman and Mallam. We then went through the overhead and joined the Kosoa Road, through to west Hills and the Kasoa Tollbooth. From the toll booth, we climbed to Awutu Senya passing through some interesting towns, Educational Institutions such as the University of Cape Coast, Adisadel College, Ghana National College, Wesley Girls Senor high School and a Host of others. The entourage finally got to the Cape Coast with a beautiful blue sky and busy people.
Entrance of Adisadel College 
Entrance Of Cape Coast University
Elmina Castle
Situated along the Coastal belt of Cape coast is the esteemed Elmina Castle. Elmina Castle or Saint George’s Castle is the oldest Castle in Ghana and the entire continent of Africa. The Castle was constructed in 1482 by the Portuguese. The word “Elmina” was driven from a Portuguese word “A mina” meaning a gold mine, due to the accent of the Gold Coast people, specially the Fante people, they pronounced it as Elmina. The castle is the first of all the forts/castles and the only oldest European building in the area and West Africa.
Elmina Castle also played a big role in gold trading but later became a hub for the slave trade in West Africa. It was captured from the Portuguese in 1637 by the Dutch. They also constructed Fort Coenraadsburg on top of the hill just 500 meters away as extra protection and barracks for the soldiers.
View of Fort Coenraadsburg
Elmina Castle was established before Cape Coast Castle around a fishing village port. The village, before the slave trade thrived, was a hub of commercial and social activity centering around a fort that had been built by the Portuguese. As the need for slaves was becoming more apparent, the castle was built in anticipation of the pending mass trafficking of the Black cargo. Even though the Portuguese may have been the ones who entered the slave enterprise on a mass scale, the British took over the castle from the Dutch and in addition built the Cape Coast Castle.
In the middle courtyard, there is a church that is rare and cannot be found in any of the other slave forts in Ghana. The Church place is now being used as a Mausoleum to house the history and some artefacts like hand shackles. The dungeons could hold about 1500 slaves. The dungeons/rooms are small and it’s difficult and dehumanizing to imagine how 1500 people/slaves would be kept there.
The Mausoleum of Elmina Castle 
The Court Yard of Elmina Castle 
The Church building Used as a Mausoleum 
The Church Building 
The Kakum National Park
Our journey to the Kakum National Park was exciting. It was raining and it made the journey scarier. The driver of the bus did an extraordinary job on the road and everyone loved him for that.
Kakum National Park, located in the coastal environs of the Central Region of Ghana, covers an area of 375 square kilometres (145 sq mi). Established in 1931 as a reserve, it was gazetted as a national park only in 1992 after an initial survey of avifauna was conducted. The area is covered with tropical forest. The uniqueness of this park lies in the fact that it was established at the initiative of the local people and not by the State Department of wildlife who are responsible for wildlife preservation in Ghana. It is one of only 3 locations in Africa with a canopy walkway, which is 350 metres (1,150 ft) long and connects seven tree tops which provides access to the forest. When we got to the Kakum National Park and Rain Forest, it was raining and that made it impossible for us to get down and explore the tourist site. Hence we had to have lunch in the Bus. After that, the rain had subsided and it was time to explore the Forest.
The tough journey began with a long hike to the canopy walkway and at that time the was raining again. That made the Kakum National park a rare experience. People were sweating in the rain. Yes, It happened! the hiking made some people so tired that they had to take a rest in a shed.
The park has a long series of hanging bridges known as the Canopy Walkway at the forest canopy level to provide access to the forest, which is one of the unique feature in the entire west African continent. At 40 m (130 ft) height, the visitor can approach the limits and view plants and animals from a vantage point that would otherwise be inaccessible to people. The canopy walkway passes over 7 bridges and runs over a length of 330 m (1,080 ft). Some of the tree canopies are more than 50 metres (160 ft) in height. Built with wire rope, aluminium ladders, wooden planks, it is secured by a series of netting for safety purposes. The Canopy Walkway was built by two Canadian engineers from Vancouver with the assistance of five (5) Ghanaians – the latter (staff of Ghana Heritage Conservation Trust- managers of the Kakum National Park Visitor Centre) have been maintaining the facility ever since.
When we stepped on the canopy walkway, you should have been there! Some people were scared and others acted like superheroes who were going to save the world and others visibly couldn’t hide their fear. They were screaming, moving with carefully with calculating steps and shaking.
Others were just dramatic, trying to scare people and bluffing about walking on the walkway without even holding it. There was a beautiful 4year old girl who walked the walkway with confidence.
That scene left other tourists gaping and applauding.
All this and more added to the Kakum experience.
Conclusion
The entire team headed back to the car park with lots of smiles although some were tired, the excitement had just begun because Xperience Ghana has a lot more to give you.
Everyone was happy about the success of the entire journey and promised to join the Xperience Ghana team on the next trip.
Yes, you Should as well!
