DOCUMENTS

All visitors to Ghana must be in possession of a valid passport or

legal travel documents. All visitors entering Ghana must have valid

entry visa or, in the case of Commonwealth nationals, entry permits,

issued by a Ghana diplomatic mission or consulate abroad or any

other visa issuing authority mandated by the Ghana Government

to act on its behalf. ECOWAS nationals and those of other countries

with which the Government of Ghana has specific bilateral agreements

are exempted.

Travellers are strongly advised to ensure that they have all the necessary documents

before arriving in Ghana. Check well that your passport will not expire within six

months of your intended departure date.

Valid certificate of inoculation against Yellow Fever will be inspected at point of entry.

CLIMATE

Ghana is blessed with a tropical climate, with daily temperatures between 25 and 38 degrees Celsius. It can be humid in the dense coastal areas, but there is always a refreshing sea wind. In the north, where the landscape is more open and the influence of the sahara can be felt, it is dryer and warmer. The rainy season is from May to September.

ECO-TOURISM

Information on the different eco-tourism locations can be found on www.ncrc.org.gh, the website of the Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC), the local organisation in Ghana responsible for eco-tourism project together with the Ghana Tourist Board. In Accra you can get information from the Ghana Tourist Board.

ELECTRICITY

The voltage in Ghana is 220 volts. Power cuts are regular occurrences so take a torch light with you.

FOOD AND DRINKS

Many restaurants in the larger towns and cities serve both European and African dishes. For westerners, the African kitchen is an interesting experience. The basis of many African dishes is something that looks like a very thick porridge or puree. It is served covered with spicy soup in a large bowl. The dish is eaten, without cutlery, with the right hand. There are a number of different types of puree, each with its own name. Fufu is the best known and the most popular type of puree. It is made from a mix of cooked cassava and plantain ( large green bananas). Mashing the fufu is an extravagant ritual and hard work. Other well-known types of puree are kenkey and banku. The latter is made from corn. Even rice is sometimes turned into a kind of puree, the omo tuo; this dish is considered to be a delicacy. When it comes to soup, Europeans will favour groundnut soup. Other popular dishes are red-red, baked banana with beans, jollof rice, a kind of risotto, and grilled tilapia, a freshwater fish that shouldn't be overlooked. All of these dishes are usually available in many chopbars, simple Ghanaian eating establishments.

In Ghana, food and drinks are offered for sale on the streets, like roast goat meat, pieces of cleaned sugarcane, roast cobs of corn, coconut, bags of iced water, oranges or yam chips.

The Ghanaians drink in "spots ", open-air bars, usually walled by brightly coloured boards. All well-known soft drinks like Fanta, Sprite and Coca Cola are readily available, as are the local beers Star, Club and ABC. If you want something extra strong, you should try akpeteshie (local gin), distilled palm wine, a real delicacy that's best when drunk fresh. The drink favoured at local ceremonies is schnapps.

HEALTH

Vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory for Ghana. When asking for your visa and arriving in the country you'll be asked for proof of the injection. Although no other vaccinations are compulsory, it's advisable to have injections against DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, polio), Hepatitis A and Typhoid. You should also use anti-malaria pills. For current information on vaccinations and malaria prevention, contact a travel clinic at least six weeks before departure.

Take a first aid kit with you, including plasters, Norit, Sterilon, Oral Rehydration Salts and medicines for fever, diarrhoea, constipation, insect bites, and sunburn and travel sickness pills. If you take medicines regularly you need to take an exact description of them (not the brand name but the composition and dosage are important). Take twice as much as you need and spread this throughout your luggage, so you have reserves.

On arrival in Ghana take time to acclimatise. The sun's rays are particularly strong in the tropics. Always wear something on your head. Drink lots of water to replace the moisture lost in the heat. Warm drinks are better than ice cold ones as they are kinder to your stomach and intestines. Tap water in Ghana is of moderate quality. You can wash with it and use it to clean your teeth, but don't drink it unless it's been boiled. Bottled mineral water is available almost everywhere. If you have diarrhoea, make sure you compensate for all the moisture lost by drinking sterilised water or (weak) tea. To compensate for the loss of salt use bouillon, Oral Rehydration Salts or add a small teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of sugar to your drinking water.

Health facilities are good in the large towns and cities. In smaller towns and villages there are usually mission or government run clinics where western and local doctors provide a good medical service. Most of the doctors speak fluent English and charge prices that match western standards.