Kakum National Park is in the Coastal Plain region, the best preserved region of virgin rainforest in the country. It provides the easiest access to the rainforest along with its famous canopy walkway.
Viewing undisturbed rainforest from the ground and from 40 m up in the canopy is a fantastic experience. See abundant birds and insects, and for the sharp-eyed, the Mona monkey.
- Traverse Kakum's canopy walk. Go early in the morning to avoid groups arriving later in the day.
- Take a guided walk through the forest at ground level. The guides are knowledgeable about plant and animal life.
- View a display giving information about rainforests, which children may enjoy.
A reasonable range of souvenirs (T-shirts, etc.) are available at the visitor's center.
The cafe onsite offers reasonably-priced Western and local food, though some of the menu offerings are only sporadically available. The best way is to bring your own food because food there is expensive, and you will not find local foods such as fufu with light soup or banku with okra stew or soup in the area. Cocoa is normally found in and around the park. Palm trees are normally found at Cape Coast, which are used for palmwine and other local drinks.
Mineral water, mineral drinks and occasionally fruit juices are available at the cafe. There are also African drinks such as palmwine.
- The Domana Rock Shrine, about a 40-minute drive from Kakum, is a little-visited but worthwhile destination. You may want to charter a taxi for this trip, as public transport in the area is very infrequent. Find the visitor's center (this is a community eco-tourism project) in the village of Domana where you can obtain a knowledgeable guide to take you to the shrine. The shrine is about a 45-minute walk through forest and farmland, a lovely walk but go early or late, as it is hot at midday. You also have the option of taking a canoe trip on the river Pra. Allow 3 hours for both the shrine and the canoe trip.
- Monkey Forest Resort, Kakum National Park Road (km 45 on the right), Frami, +233 244 11 83 13. For those who want to see animals up close. This animal sanctuary and zoo is 3 km from Kakum National Park. Various local animals can be seen, such as the rare white antelope, birds, African civets, grasscutters, porcupines, monkeys and more. The European owners also provide drinks at Mrs. Doolittle's Restaurant, which has a nice view over the area from its Daktari terrace.
The Domana Rock Shrine, about a 40-minute drive from Kakum, is a little-visited but worthwhile destination. You may want to charter a taxi for this trip, as public transport in the area is very infrequent. Find the visitor's center (this is a community eco-tourism project) in the village of Domana where you can obtain a knowledgeable guide to take you to the shrine. The shrine is about a 45-minute walk through forest and farmland, a lovely walk but go early or late, as it is hot at midday. You also have the option of taking a canoe trip on the river Pra. Allow 3 hours for both the shrine and the canoe trip.
Monkey Forest Resort, Kakum National Park Road (km 45 on the right), Frami, +233 244 11 83 13. For those who want to see animals up close. This animal sanctuary and zoo is 3 km from Kakum National Park. Various local animals can be seen, such as the rare white antelope, birds, African civets, grasscutters, porcupines, monkeys and more. The European owners also provide drinks at Mrs. Doolittle's Restaurant, which has a nice view over the area from its Daktari terrace.