5 Best Day Trips From Accra in 2026 (With Real Costs and Travel Times)

Accra is a great base. The city itself has plenty going on. But within a 3-4 hour radius you have some of the most interesting, historically significant, and scenically beautiful places in West Africa. Here are five day trips that are worth the drive - and what you need to know to do them well.

1. Cape Coast Castle and Kakum National Park

Distance from Accra: ~165km Drive time: 2.5–3.5 hours depending on traffic

Cape Coast is the one trip most diaspora visitors say they regret not doing sooner. The castle - built by Europeans in the 17th century, used as a holding point during the transatlantic slave trade - is a genuinely affecting place. The Door of No Return facing the Atlantic. The dungeons beneath the chapel. The weight of what happened there.

It's not a comfortable visit. It's an important one.

Kakum National Park is about 20 minutes from Cape Coast. The canopy walk - suspension bridges through the treetops of a rainforest - is one of the more unusual experiences you can have in Ghana. Go early. The forest is coolest in the morning and the views are better.

Honest advice: This is a long day trip. You're looking at 5–7 hours of driving round trip, plus 3–4 hours at the sites. If you want to do both Cape Coast and Kakum properly, consider making it an overnight. But if you have one day and you want to go, go. Just leave Accra early.

Why you need a driver: The road from Accra to Cape Coast is mostly good, but there are stretches that are not. Your driver knows the route, knows the tolls, knows where to stop. And when you come out of the castle after a heavy couple of hours, the last thing you want to do is navigate back to Accra yourself.

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2. Elmina Castle

Distance from Accra: ~175km Drive time: 3–4 hours

Elmina is 15km west of Cape Coast. If Cape Coast is the one most people know, Elmina is the one that tends to stay with you longer. It's older - the Portuguese built São Jorge da Mina Castle in 1482, making it the oldest European building sub-Saharan Africa. The town around it is beautiful in a worn, layered way. The fishing harbor, the faded Dutch colonial architecture, the boats coming in.

Most visitors combine Elmina and Cape Coast into a single day. It's long but doable if you leave Accra by 7am. The two castles are a 20-minute drive apart.

Honest advice: Give yourself at least 2 hours at each castle. Don't rush the tour guides - they carry a lot of knowledge about these places and the histories are connected. Budget a full day.

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3. Aburi Botanical Gardens

Distance from Accra: ~35km Drive time: 45–75 minutes

This is the easy one. Aburi is in the Akuapem Hills, about 400 meters above Accra. The temperature drops noticeably. The air feels different. The botanical gardens - established in 1890 and still beautifully maintained - are a genuinely peaceful half-day.

You're not going to see the most dramatic gardens in the world. But after a few days in the heat and traffic of Accra, sitting in a shaded garden in the hills is exactly what you need.

What else is in Aburi: The town itself is worth a slow walk. There are woodcarving workshops you can visit. The road up through the hills is scenic.

Honest advice: This is a half-day trip. Leave at 9am, be back for lunch. Don't overthink it.

Why even a short trip benefits from a driver: The road from Accra to Aburi winds through the hills. It's fine. But navigating Accra traffic to get there, and then the winding roads, is much easier when someone else is driving.

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4. Boti Falls

Distance from Accra: ~80km Drive time: 1.5–2 hours

Boti Falls is a waterfall in the Eastern Region that most tourists haven't heard of and most Ghanaians think of as a weekend trip. The falls are genuinely impressive - two streams that merge, the larger drop about 30 meters. The surrounding forest is cool and quiet.

Getting there involves some unpaved road near the end. Nothing dramatic for a capable vehicle. But a car with good clearance makes it easier.

What's there: The falls, walking trails, a small picnic area, and very little else. Bring your own food and water. The local vendors sell things but options are limited.

Honest advice: Boti is a beautiful natural site that hasn't been over-developed. That's the appeal. Go expecting nature, not amenities, and you'll love it.

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5. Shai Hills Resource Reserve

Distance from Accra: ~50km Drive time: 45–60 minutes

Shai Hills is one of the most underrated half-day trips from Accra. A wildlife reserve with baboons, antelope, ostriches, and a variety of birds. Guided hikes. Ancient caves used by the Shai people before the 18th century.

It's not the Serengeti. But it's a legitimate wildlife and cultural experience 45 minutes from Accra, and most visitors don't know it exists.

Honest advice: Go with a guide - they're required and worth it. The cave visit is the highlight. The baboons are photogenic but behave accordingly around food.

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The logistics of doing day trips right

Here's the honest version of how to handle day trips from Accra:

Leave early. Accra rush hour starts around 7am. If you're heading to Cape Coast, leaving at 6am gets you there by 9am. Leaving at 8am might get you there by 12pm. Same road.

Have a flexible itinerary. Things run on Ghanaian time. Tours start when the guide is ready. That's fine. Don't plan back-to-back things on a tight schedule.

Eat before you leave, or have a plan. Food options outside Accra vary. There are good spots if you know where to look. Your driver will.

Trust your driver. A driver who knows Ghana knows where the good roadside fufu is, where the tolls are, and when to detour. Let them do their job.

Every one of these trips is dramatically better with a reliable, comfortable car and a driver who knows the roads. See our day trip location pages for exact pricing, or book directly and spend your time on the experience, not the logistics.