Volta Village Life and Service

An immersive homestay experience that introduces you to Ghanaian life in a remote village and in the big city.

From Adaklu Abuadi to Kumasi
Picture yourself walking along a dirt path lined with flowers under a canopy of banana trees to a small village preschool where smiling children await you each morning. Now, imagine yourself in the bustling Kejetia Market, the largest in West Africa, surrounded by many acres of market stalls selling everything from housewares and foodstuffs, to dried chameleons and snake skins. If you want to have these experiences, join us on this program, which takes you from a quaint village in the jungle to a lively urban metropolis allowing you to have a broad understanding of the lives of the Ghanaian people.

Volta Village Service
The Volta Region is a lush green mountainous region in eastern Ghana home to the friendliest people in the country. Very few visitors to Ghana are adventurous enough to travel to this region but those that do enjoy stunning natural beauty and warm hospitality. Our trip begins in the village of Adaklu Abuadi, where the Queen Mother of the district has asked us to help support her goal of increasing the educational resources available to children. Over the course of the next week, we will help to build a library, offer support to community development projects, and work with children in the local preschool. During this time you will have the chance to live with a local family to learn first-hand about their way of life. We will also participate in a number of workshops to learn local skills such as cotton spinning, bee keeping, and kente-cloth weaving providing you with further insight into village life.

Monkeys and Mountains
We will travel north from our village for the weekend to enjoy some of the sites that the Volta Region has to offer. On Friday night, we will be entertained by traditional fables around a campfire. In the morning, we wake up to feed sacred Mona monkeys who will eat bananas out of your hands while our local guide tells us the history of the people's relationship with the monkeys. Afterwards, we hike to the top of a peak overlooking the town of Amedzofe, the highest town in Ghana, with views out to Lake Volta. The following day, we will hike through the rainforest to Wli falls, the highest waterfall in West Africa, where a dip in the cool shallow pools is exactly what's needed after a humid trek. In the evening, we will return to Adaklu Abuadi to continue our service work.

Cruising to the Coast
After saying farewell to our friends in Adaklu, we will head to the beachside city of Cape Coast. Arriving in the afternoon, we will explore a local craft's market and climb an old fort for a spectacular sunset over the city. In the morning, we will tour St. George's Castle for a solemn yet powerful portrayal of the history of the slave trade in this region. Afterwards, we will spend the afternoon at a secluded beach lined with palm trees strung up with hammocks to rest up before heading to the city.

Heart of the Ashanti Kingdom
Leaving the coast, we will drive north to Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana, for a few days experiencing big city-life. We will be spending our mornings exploring and learning about the city by visiting the Ashanti Museum and seeing the palace of the royal family. We will also venture into the Kejetia Market for an eye-opening experience seeing how much of the developing world shops. Additionally, we will get to try the local craft of batik tie-dye and make our own patterned cloth. Meanwhile, our afternoons will be spent volunteering at an orphanage providing stimulating activities for the children and helping to improve their facilities. Our last day will be spent in Accra, where everyone will have the chance to buy great souvenirs in the Arts and Cultural Center, which sells a huge range of Ghanaian crafts such as hand-made drums, carved masks, and beaded jewelry. After a final farewell dinner, we will make our way to the airport for the trip home. This is a journey you will never forget!

Who Should Come?
This program is for students who are excited about having an authentic village experience with rustic accommodations. A student who is looking for an in-depth cultural exchange and is up for adventure is a great candidate. We hope you join us for the Volta Village Life and Service program!

Questions? please e-mail us at ghana@rusticpathways.com.

Volta Village Life and Service

Tuesday (Day 1): Depart USA from Washington DC Dulles International Airport for overnight flight to Accra, Ghana

Wednesday (Day 2): Arrive at Kotoka International Airport in Accra in the afternoon and drive to our beachside accommodations. Enjoy your first taste of the local food while we have our cultural orientation to prepare you for this exciting journey.

Thursday (Day 3): Depart after breakfast for the welcoming village of Adaklu Abuadi in the Volta Region. After we arrive and have lunch, we will take a tour of the village and meet the local people. Our hosts will have their own orientation for us and after dinner will put on an entertaining cultural display.

Friday (Day 4): We will spend the day at the pre-school in the village helping to teach and guide activities. We will also work on school improvement projects including the construction of a new library facility. In the afternoon we will depart for Tafi Atome where we will enjoy an evening of storytelling around a bonfire.

Saturday (Day 5): Wake up early to find the sacred Mona monkeys of Tafi Atome. While our guide tells us the history of the village’s relationship with the monkeys, we will walk the trails in the protected forest and feed the monkeys bananas from our hands. In the afternoon, we will travel to Amedzofe, the highest town in Ghana. After exploring the town, we will hike to the top of Gemi Mountain for a panoramic view of this striking landscape.

Sunday (Day 6): This morning, we will venture out to Wli for a hike to Agumatsa Falls which is the highest waterfall in West Africa. In the afternoon, we will return to Adaklu Abuadi so that students can meet their homestay families.

Monday (Day 7): Return to the preschool in the morning for a continuation of lessons and the library project. In the afternoon, we will have a lesson from some local women in farming and spinning the local cotton.

Tuesday (Day 8): Work at the preschool in the morning. Then we will run an afternoon of sport activities for the kids. Afterwards, we will learn about the practice of bee keeping in the village and how to make honey.

Wednesday (Day 9): We will start the day by participating in a local kente-weaving class run by a cooperative whose mission is to preserve this important traditional craft. In the afternoon, we will hike up Adaklu Mountain with all of our new friends and have a final farewell dinner and exchange.

Thursday (Day 10): After breakfast, we will depart for the city of Cape Coast. In the afternoon, we will explore the crafts market, take a walk along the beach, and climb an old fort overlooking the city for a spectacular view of the sunset.

Friday (Day 11): In the morning, we will tour St. George’s Castle in Elmina which stands as a sobering monument of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. After the tour, we will head to a remote palm-lined beach for a relaxing afternoon.

Saturday (Day 12): We will drive to the city of Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana and the home of the Ashanti Empire. We will move in to our accommodations and then visit an orphanage that was established by the Queen Mother of Adaklu Abuadi. We will spend the afternoon getting to know the kids.

Sunday (Day 13): In the morning, we will visit the Ashanti Museum and see the palace, which is still home to the ruling family of this region of Ghana. In the afternoon, we will return to the orphanage.

Monday (Day 14): We will learn about the practice of creating batik tie dye before getting the chance to try our hands at preparing our own cloth. After the activity, we will return to the orphanage for a final farewell.

Tuesday (Day 15): We will explore the fascinating Kejetia Market (the largest market in West Africa) in which over ten thousand stalls sell everything from dried chameleons to household appliances. In the afternoon, we will make our way back to Accra for our last night’s activities

Wednesday (Day 16): Today we will enjoy a drumming and dancing performance before going to the Arts and Cultural Market which sells every imaginable souvenir. In the evening, we will make our way to the airport for the overnight flight back to Washington D.C.

Thursday (Day 17): Arrive in the USA and connect to domestic flights.

Departs Tue	Returns Thu
3 Jul	19 Jul
17 Jul	2 Aug

TOURING + ADVENTURE

COMMUNITY SERVICE

LANGUAGE PROGRAMS

LIFE SKILLS

Volta Village Life and Service

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TRIP DETAILS