In 2019, Ghana invited the African diaspora home. The Year of Return marked 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619. More than 1.1 million visitors arrived that year, up from about 956,000 in 2018. Ghana followed it with Beyond the Return, a ten-year programme running to 2030. This guide is for anyone planning that trip now: the history first, then the practical plan.
What the Year of Return Is, and Why It Still Matters
The Year of Return was launched by Ghana's government and run by the Ghana Tourism Authority under President Nana Akufo-Addo. It was a year of more than 80 events, from investment forums to concerts and PANAFEST, the biennial Pan-African theatre festival. The point was connection: Ghana positioning itself as the first stop for people of African descent tracing their roots.
That framing changes how you should travel here. The castles at Elmina and Cape Coast are the centre of the trip, and they deserve a full day each. The dungeons and the Door of No Return land harder when you know what you are walking into. Read our guides to the Door of No Return and the history of Elmina Castle before you go.
Accra adds the other half of the story. Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to win independence in 1957, and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where the independence leader is buried, is the natural starting point. Kumasi, seat of the Asante kingdom, completes the picture. See our history of the Denkyira empire for the region's pre-colonial politics.
When to Go, and When to Book
December is the peak: Detty December fills Accra with concerts, parties and returning diaspora. November to March is the dry season, with the most reliable weather along the coast. The rainy season runs roughly April to October. Book early for December, when flights and Accra hotels sell out weeks ahead. For any other month, booking two to three months out is plenty. For December, read our Detty December first-timer's guide too.
Getting There and Where to Base Yourself
Fly into Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana's main gateway, with direct flights from London, New York and Amsterdam.
Visas changed in 2026. Since 25 May 2026, Ghana runs an online e-Visa system. Citizens of ECOWAS states enter visa-free. Other African passport holders apply online for a free Electronic Travel Authorisation. Visitors from the US, UK, EU and Canada need a paid e-Visa, currently $260 for a single entry with processing of up to 96 hours. Check the Ghana e-Visa portal for your passport before you fly. The UN Africa Renewal account of the Year of Return gives the programme's background.
Base yourself in Accra for the first half of the trip, in Osu or Airport City, then move to Cape Coast or Elmina for the castle days. The drive from Accra to Elmina is about 130 kilometres, roughly two hours. Hire a private driver, or take a coach to Cape Coast for around GHS 50 to 80.
A 7-Day Year of Return Plan
Day 1, Accra. Land, settle in, and walk Osu in the evening. Eat jollof and listen to highlife.
Day 2, Accra. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in the morning, then Independence Square and the Black Star Gate. Finish at Makola Market, where bargaining is expected.
Day 3, Cape Coast. Drive to the coast and spend the afternoon at Cape Coast Castle, with its museum and the Door of No Return.
Day 4, Elmina. Elmina Castle in the morning, built by the Portuguese in 1482 and the oldest European building in sub-Saharan Africa. Walk the fishing harbour afterwards and climb to Fort St. Jago for the view.
Day 5, Kakum and Assin Manso. Kakum National Park's canopy walkway, seven rope bridges through the rainforest, then Assin Manso, where captives took their last bath in the Slave River.
Day 6, Kumasi. Drive inland to the Asante capital. Visit the Manhyia Palace Museum and Kejetia Market, one of West Africa's largest.
Day 7, Accra. A slow last day: Jamestown's lighthouse and harbour, the art galleries of Osu, and live music.
What It Costs
Entry fees are small. Elmina and Cape Coast Castles each cost roughly GHS 80 to 150 for foreign adults, about $6 to $11, with a guided tour included. The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park charges GHS 100 for non-Ghanaian adults. Kakum's canopy walkway runs about GHS 90 to 130. Cedi prices move with inflation, so confirm at the gate.
For the trip as a whole, a recent six-day guided itinerary along the same coast was priced from $1,050 per person, excluding international flights. Independently, budget guesthouses start around $30 a night, Accra hotels run $100 and up, and a private driver costs roughly $40 to 60 a day. A mid-range traveller should plan on $80 to $150 a day on the ground, excluding flights, and more in December.
What to Know Before You Go
The castles are heavy. Go early, take the guided tour, and leave time afterwards. Ask before photographing people, and dress modestly at the castles and in villages.
December is crowded. Book hotels and guided tours well ahead, and expect Accra traffic to double around the big concerts.
Cash still rules outside Accra. Cards work in Accra hotels and larger restaurants, but carry cedis for castle fees, market stalls and tro-tros.
Health and safety. Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry, malaria prophylaxis is recommended, and bottled water is the rule. Ghana is one of West Africa's most stable countries, but check your government's travel advisory before booking, as advice changes.
The Year of Return began as a date on a calendar. Years on, it is a standing invitation. Go with the history in mind, and the trip will give you more than a holiday.
Sources: UN Africa Renewal; Ghana Immigration Service e-Visa portal; Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park rates. Fees change over time, so confirm before you travel.
