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An empty rope-and-plank canopy walkway stretching between tall trees in the Kakum forest

House 03 · Central Region

Kakum & the Central forests

The canopy at first light

Kakum & the Central forestsCentral Region, Ghana
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Above the forest before the school buses

Kakum National Park protects a block of tropical forest north of Cape Coast. Its best-known feature is the canopy walkway: a chain of rope-and-plank bridges strung between platforms high in the trees.

Most visitors arrive mid-morning in groups. We aim for opening time, with a birding guide, when the forest is cooler and quieter and you are more likely to hear hornbills before you see them. to verify to verify to verify

Dense green forest understorey with broad leaves in shade at Kakum
Visitors crossing a rope canopy walkway high in the trees at Kakum National Park

Why go

It is the easiest way to stand inside a West African rainforest, and it sits naturally between the coast and Kumasi. Birders can add guided walks on the forest floor, and nearby Assin Manso, the ancestral river site, can be visited on the same road north.

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An empty rope-and-plank canopy walkway stretching between tall trees in the Kakum forest

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Plan Kakum & the Central forests into your journey

  • A specialist who writes back by hand
  • Days ordered one house at a time
  • Time left free after the heavy days
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Step into Kakum & the Central forests

  • An empty rope-and-plank canopy walkway stretching between tall trees in the Kakum forest

    1/3The canopy walkway at Kakum, before the morning groups. Kakum national park

  • Dense green forest understorey with broad leaves in shade at Kakum

    2/3Forest understorey at Kakum. Kakum national park

  • Visitors crossing a rope canopy walkway high in the trees at Kakum National Park

    3/3Crossing the canopy at Kakum. Kakum National Park, Cape Coast, Ghana

What to see and do in Kakum & the Central forests

Good to know

Best time to go

Year-round. The walkway can close in heavy rain; the drier months from November to March are most reliable. to verify

Usually driest here: January, February, March, August, November, December. See when to go.

How long to stay

A morning, or one night nearby for an early start.

Suggested on the planner: 1 night.

Getting there

About 30 to 45 minutes by road from Cape Coast.

Where you will stay

Most people stay in Cape Coast or Elmina. There are simple lodges near the park for an early start; we will tell you exactly how simple.

On our list for this region (to be confirmed): lodge near Kakum. See stays.

Best for

Birding, Families, A green morning between heavier days.

Routes through here
The coast and the court

“Be on the walkway before the school buses and you'll hear the hornbills before you see them.”

How we plan

Nearby houses

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