Tours and Activities

Tours and Activities

The tours we offer at Four Villages Inn are designed with our guests in mind. Flexibility is the order of the day. We are very familiar with the options available and can tailor any trip to suit individual interests - whether cultural, historical, wildlife, scenery or just shopping.

Christopher Roy, PhD - Professor of Art at the University of Iowa, is a happy man. He's just finished Comfort's fun and informative grand walking Tour of the Kumasi Central Market.Buy Bananas at the Market!
You've read about it in the Guidebooks - "Kumasi boasts the largest outdoor market in West Africa!" Now you're here and you can't leave Kumasi without experiencing first-hand this feast of colour and sound. But how do you do it?

Contract Comfort, who knows everywhere and everyone at Kumasi Central Market ... Well almost! Comfort will take you to every corner of the market where you will see economic activity like you've never imagined. What's more, you won't get lost!

This Walking Tour takes about three hours. Wear running shoes (sandles are not recommended), and don't forget to put on a hat. A money belt is preferable to keeping money in your pockets ... leaving Four Villages early means you can beat the traffic, have more liklihood of finding a parking spot, and you will avoid the midday heat! Comfort is a member of the staff at Four Villages Inn - which gladly releases her from her duties. The entire tour amount, that you pay directly to Comfort, helps to support her and her only child Amanda.

altGo "Bananas" with the Monkey!
You need an escape from the hustle and bustle of Kumasi ... Take the Four Villages Inn Day Trip to visit two of Ghana's premier ecotourism attractions: The Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary and Tano Boase Sacred Grove.

We will leave Four Villages Inn around 6:00 am in our 10-seater air-conditioned Toyota Venture and travel the approximately 200 kms north through the forests and savannah type terrain. First stop is the monkey sanctuary where we'll walk through pristine forest watching monkeys in their natural habitat.

Baobeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary tour, Four Villages Inn, Kumasi, GhanaAfter a picnic lunch, we're off to the Sacred Grove with its abstract fascinating Rock formations. Time permitting, we will also visit a bat cave. We return to Kumasi before nightfall. Cost: US$100 per person which includes the picnic lunch, but not admissions or donations to custodians and local guides.

Explore Kumasi

Kumasi is the capital of the Ashanti Region and the heart of the Ashanti Kingdom, a culture rich with tradition and history, and legendary throughout Africa. From his royal residence at Manhiya Palace, the Ashanti King appears in magnificent processions called 'durbars' 8 times a year. The Akwasidae gatherings are 

Ashanti Craft Villages Tour, Four Villages Inn, Kumasi, Ghana

occasions for Paramount Chiefs from the entire region to gather and pay homage to their king. We invite you to explore the rich heritage of the Ashanti and to discover the many sights of Ghana.

Ashanti Craft Villages

Every visitor to Kumasi makes the pilgrimage to the villages which produce some of Ghana's most famous crafts and artworks. Begin your expedition by stopping at Pankronu to observe the women who fashion pottery from local clay using only hand tools. From there you proceed up the road to Ahwiaa, the home of renowned Ashanti carvings. Watch artisans create stools, walking sticks, masks and fertility dolls. The street is lined with shops where you are sure to find somethihg you like.

Ashanti Craft Villages Tour, Four Villages Inn, Kumasi, Ghana

Another few kilometers up the road is Ntonso where Adinkra cloth is made. Adinkra is usually reserved for ceremonial occasions and is most often worn at funerals. The artisans will give you a demonstration of how the various designs are applied with special stamps. After lunch we continue to the village of Bonwire where the famous and colorful Kente cloth is woven on looms that only the men may touch. Here too you will find an ample selection of the cloth that is worn by Ghana's kings and royal households.

If you have time you might like to explore some of the sights in and around the city. Visit Manhiya Palace and the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum. The Arts Centre has more craft displays and impressive workshops where drums are made. The bustling Kumasi Central Market is reputed to be the largest open-air market in all of West Africa. Just outside town is the village of Asuofia-Asamang where ceramic beads are fashioned in kilns. And finally there is the village of Ampabame Krofrom where bronzesmiths still create works of art using the lost wax method. This town is near the Four Villages Inn.

Ashanti Region nature tours, Lake Bosumtwi, Four Villages Inn, KumasiAshanti Region Nature Tours

Just south of Kumasi lies Lake Bosumtwe, which was formed by the impact of a meteor. All through this region there are tropical rain forests of bamboo and numerous species of exotic hardwoods. The Sanctuary at Owabi is a paradise for bird watchers and butterfly lovers.

For a longer day trip north of Kumasi, drive up to Kintampo for a picnic lunch at Kintampo Falls. A few miles up the road lies the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, where you can see the rare and endangered Mona Monkey and the western Africa Black Colobus. The monkeys are sacred to the area villages and are protected. They often come right into the village for handouts of food.  Some monkeys who die are even given funerals! 

Cape Coast Forts tour, Four Villages Inn, Kumasi, GhanaCape Coast Forts and kakum

Cape Coast is about 3 hours away from Kumasi and is well worth an overnight stay to see all the attractions in the area. Elmina Castle was built in 1482 by the Portuguese and served as prison and trans-shipment for thousands of slaves. At Cape Coast, the fort dates from 1630. Both are restored World Heritage Sites.

Kakum National Park is a Ghana success story. It's thousands of hectares of old growth tropical rain forest shelter many species of primates, birds, butterflies and many rare specimens of reptiles and forest mammals. Unique to Africa is the 1000 foot long aerial walkway through the tree canopy.

Cape Coast Forts tour, Four Villages Inn, Kumasi, GhanaAnother good reason to visit the coast is for recreation and sun on one of Ghana's many beautiful beaches. From Biriwa to Busua, there are miles of sand and azure waters. The new Canadian-owned Rainbow Beach Hotel at Busua is under construction, and will soon offer guests sailing and fishing.

Nature lovers will also appreciate Busua and the many attractions of the Western Region. Numerous smaller forts dot the coastline - many of them in beautiful condition. It is also possible to hire a canoe and visit such magical places as the stilt village of Nzulezo on Lake Tandane - or visit a rubber or palm plantation. 

Wildlife Tours and Mole Park

A journey to Ghana's north can take up to 3-4 days depending on what interests you. Mole Park is one of Ghana's best kept secrets. As the largest reserve in the country, it harbours many species of antelope, baboons, monkeys, hippos and elephants. The park's 2-star lodge sits 

Wildlife Tours Mole, Four Villages Inn, Kumasi, Ghana

on a hilltop and overlooks a small lake where many animals come to drink. Very under-visited, the park provides a unique and restful experience.

The northern towns are well known for their unique styles of architecture. In Tamale, round houses are typical, while further north in Bolgatonga, the homes are built in organic compounds and decorated with elaborate painted designs. The north is also known for its crafts of leatherwork and baskets.