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DAY 2 ACCRA – ELMINA                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The castles of Elmina and Cape Coast, an imposing building on the shores of West Africa were the trading posts for the Europeans. The Elmina castle was built by the Portuguese in 1482 and it is the oldest and the largest on the tropical African coast. The fisherman town of Elmina have some animistic shrine of Asafo cult heavily decorated with symbolic sculptures   which remember the surrealistic art of De Chilco and El Dali. The Cape Coast castle was an important trading post for the British but then it was built by the SWEDES in 1652. Cape Coast was the Capital of the British Gold Coast till 1877 when it was moved to Accra

In Kumasi the capital of Ashanti we will visit the museums, rich in African art. The Ashanti king, his Palace and court continue to have a strong moral and political influence on the population. Kumasi, the historical and spiritual capital of the country, was founded at the end of the 16^th century. The urban center is divided into various quarters which have different functions.

O/N   GEORGIA

We will start the day with a visit to the famous KENTE village of Bonwire where the fabric is believed to have been born. The Adinkra fabric stamping village is also very important in the history of Ashanti so long as the fabric is uniquely used for funerals in the AKAN society.

Funerals are important social events .all the participants are dressed in accordance with the tradition. Relatives dress in RED whilst the other participants dress in black and the men in large traditional cloth. The older women wear impressive massive jewelry of Gold. After the offerings to the spirits and the ancestors, the women perform traditional dances, very pronounced in their erotic nature.

DAY 5 KUMASI – TAMALE

A drive through the country, through the heavy Teak plantations and with visits through the land of the GONJA and the DAGOMBA villages .

We travel further north to the land of the TALENSI in their rocky abode. An excursion on the high plateau of TONGO. In this mysterious place are numerous pinnacles formed by stacking enormous rocks with an incredible regularity. The local people consider these vestiges as the abode of their spirits and of the ancestors. In a deep fissure on the side of the highest mountain is found the cave with the oracle. One goes there on pilgrimage, but in order to enter, it is necessary to be accompanied by the fetish priest who come to practice their rites and to perform sacrifices. This mountain is inhabited by the TALENSI who live as a united Clan. The typical fortified home ,which can accommodate up to over 400 inhabitans, is built of mud and wood. It resembles a labyrinth surrounded by walls which can be entered through by only by one gate. The narrow stairways and passages, the covered hallways, the oval shaped rooms and the terraces forms a harmonious ensemble of great beauty. Cross the border into BURKINA FASSO.

 DAY 7 TIEBELE – OUGA

The track will cross one of the most traditional regions of the African continent where life remained unchanged for centuries within the fortified and isolated patriarchal homes. After the border crossing we reach the savanna inhabited by the GURUNSI [KASSENA] tribe. This ethnic group are the creators of beautiful African murals which decorate the walls of their Mud houses. They are situated in a harmonious round formations. The paintings carries the history of the Family from generations on wards of these * African frescoes*by the women of the tribe.

Noted for it’s lively lifestyle, OUAGADOUGOU boasts one of the best *GRAND MARCHE* [city markets] in West Africa. Burkina fasso’s Basketry is very famous and this market is one of the best places to buy them, along with items like tie-dye cloth form Mali and Guinea. Various street vendors also sell Dogon carvings and wooden Senoufou chairs.

 DAY 8 OUAGA -- BONI

An early morning start will be of an advantage. We will first visit the Sacred Crocodile pond of Sabou where fishermen and the considered Sacred amphibious Reptiles deprive the pond of it’s fish. These Crocs are very ceremonial to the and sacred to these BWA and the Gurunsi of the region. The Track will take us to the home of the Bwa in Boni where will visit A CTHEDRAL built by the Catholic church to convert the people to Christianity. In the afternoon , we will assist in a mask dance in honor of the GODS and the spirits of the land.

Going northwest, we will arrive to BOBO-DJIULASSO, where one finds nearly all the major masks in West Africa if one is a shopper. The train station built the old Sudanese style is also of interest, the central mosque and the biggest vegetable market.

We head south West this morning to the land of the LOBI. Lobi territory, a trib very famous for it’s traditional labial disks worn by their old women. Half of the day will be dedicated to the discovery of these people, their architecture, and the ever-present signs of their animist beliefs. Their houses, small fortress if mud protected by a wall erected without openings, are made up of rectangular wells which are surrounded by successive rooms. The head of the family is the only authority, responsible for everything including the council of elders or the government. He is in charge of the shrines and the wooden statues essential for the practice of the cult of the ancestors which is a very important part of the LOBI way of life.

 DAY 11 GAWA

Today will be dedicated for the discovery of LOROPENI. The stone age ruins of loropeni is still not visited by many tourists. The origin of these people are still not known but it is believed that the migrated from Ghana. We will continue to the water fall of BANFORA.

 DAY 12 GAWA – HAMELE

 Leaving the LOBI this morning , we will head down south to the land of the Dagarti who are the cousins of the LOBI. The Dagarti’s were the first to have occupied this land before the arrival of the Lobi.

We will cross the border into Ghana again this morning. This dusty rugged road used to be at one time the caravan route from the Legendary TIMBUKTU where the Arab traders were conveying their goods on Camels and Donkeys to trade with the people of the tropical rain forest. A free afternoon for a rest

A morning hike to NAKORE to visit the impressive MUD-POLE mosque that is about 600years old. The town of WA and her surroundings have evidences of the ISLAMIC religion passage, and this is reflected in the buildings. In the afternoon , we will visit the rest of the town.

Leaving WA this morning the track, still the caravan route , will take us down to Techiman with more Islamic evidences .

 DAY 16 TECHIMAN – ANOMABU

The Ashanti’s in their hay-days, used the same caravan route used by the Arabs as their slave route from the Northern part of the country to the south. The powerful Ashanti Kingdom conquered nearly the whole of tropical Africa in the days of slavery [trans Atlantic]. We will transfer ourselves to the coast through the same slave route. After some few hours drive , we will arrive to Kumasi , the capital of the Ashanti and then down to the coast.

The castle of Elmina ,an imposing building on the shore was a trading post for gold and slaves. The Elmoina castle was built by the PORTUGUESE in 1482 and it is the largest and the oldest European building on the shores of Africa..

Cape Coast was the former capital of the British Gold Coast and the castle was initiated by the Swedes in 1652and it became an important trading post for Gold dust and slaves.

Accra is the country’s capital today ,the capital combines African traditions and modernization. The museum displays items of art from all over the country and the continent as well. Points of interest are the district of the carpenters who’s craft is making elaborate, colorful coffins in forms of AIRPLANES, FRUITS, FISH,ANIMALS etc, the old town and the colonial buildings