Road Trippin’ from Lagos to Ghana – III

Our final stop on our Lagos to Ghana road trip was Cape Coast, Ghana. The first was Grand Popo, where we spent the first two days of the tour and the next was Ghana’s capital city, Accra.

Lagos to Ghana by Road - Benin Republic
I love accra

Lagos to Ghana by Road: Getting to Cape Coast

For our journey to Cape Coast, we travelled with STC, one of Ghana’s bus services. The trip, which lasted for about 2.5 hours, was extremely comfortable and pleasant. (Different from our return journey into Nigeria using the ABC bus service. Ghana 1 – Nigeria 0.)

Our departure time was 8:30 am. By 8:34 am, the bus was getting ready to pull out of the park but there were already complaints about the service being late. I thought to myself, this must be nice. In Nigeria, a bus leaving 30 minutes late was considered a punctual bus!

Anyway, we eventually left at 8:37 am and got to Cape Coast at about 11:30 am, just before the rains started.

STC Accra
STC Cape Coast

For most of this trip, we’ve been blessed with sunny weather even though the rainy season has fully kicked off. It rained heavily the night before our trip and during our transit into the Benin Republic and Ghana. The rains somehow managed to stop every time we arrived at our destination and I was hoping for the same luck in Cape Coast.

Upon arrival, we took a taxi to our hotel. After getting checked in, the skies opened up and it began to rain heavily. We decided to take the time to rest and have brunch with the hopes that the rains would stop before it was time to head out. Luckily, by 2 pm, it did and we grabbed a taxi to visit Elmina castle.

Lagos to Ghana Road Trip: Visiting Elmina Castle

We can’t change the past BUT we can learn from it and change the future…

elmina castle

Oh, the history in this place! I’ve followed the slave trade routes in a few African countries (including Nigeria) but there’s just something about the Elmina and Cape Coast castles in Ghana. Our guides didn’t make things any easier for us either as they spared no gruesome details of the inhumane conditions humans were kept and traded.

There were all kinds of emotions during this tour. From sadness to anger and frustration to fear. We felt everything. (I’ll write more about the tour in a separate post)

Elmina Castle Ghana

After our tour, we returned to our hotel and had dinner at a local chop bar. The next day, we set out early to visit Kakum National Park and the Cape Coast castle.

Lagos to Ghana Road Trip: Visiting Kakum National Park

Our first stop was the park – whose main attraction is the canopy walkway. It was some distance away from where we stayed, so we hired a taxi for half the day. He took us to the park and helped us get discounts on the entry fees.

kakum national park
kakum national park cape coast

Next, we visited the Cape Coast Castle. This one was much smaller than Elmina but no less incredible. Again, the tour was quite emotional. We were glad we took all our ‘happy’ pictures before it began…

Lagos to Ghana Road Trip: Visiting Cape Coast Castle

Cape Coast Castle Ghana
cape coast castle
capecoast castle
Cape Coast Ghana

Once we were done, Baba, our taxi driver took us to a park close by where we got tickets for a mini bus (not STC) heading to Accra.

With that, our little West African tour came to an end. We returned to Accra and spent the next day with new friends – Meyiwa & Juliana. It was a great ending to our visit as they hosted us in their lovely hotel apartment and even taught me to swim! Hehe…

We love Accra

We loved our time in Grand Popo and Accra, I hope you enjoyed following our journey too 🙂

PS: Here’s a list of all the articles in this series;

Road Tripping from Lagos to Grand Popo

Grand Popo to Accra

Accra to Cape Coast (The Castles & Kakum National Park)

Travel Cost Breakdown

A Review of Services.

22 comments

  1. Hi, like how much do you think it will cost, if I’m taking bus from Accra to cape cost I want

  2. Hello! I’m Nnenna and I am coming from Germany with my hubby and want to road trip from Lagos to Accra then continue to Dakar, Senegal. Can you help me with the best bus service to take from Cotonou to Accra? Reliable with great service….would you recommend that we hire a personal taxi to get around Accra and see the various slave forts? How much do they cost? Thanks for your help!

    1. Hey Nnenna, from Cotonou, there are many bus services that go to Accra. ABC goes there (service is erratic though). GUO, etc. You can also get a STC bus from Aflao border into Accra. Maybe they also go from Cotonou as well.

      You can tour Accra by yourselves. Just use Uber to get to where you need to go to. As for the forts and Castles (in Cape Coast), depending on whether or not you’re on a budget, you can take a taxi to these places. This will cost more than riding a bus but it will be a more comfortable experience. Taxis/private tours to Cape Coast will cost anything from $200 upwards

    1. Hey! I’ve got that up already, I’ll link it to this post so it’s easier to find. I am also going to review all the services we used so it can better inform your decision, in case you plan to go for a trip like this.

    1. If I can, you can! Started from the kiddies pool (30 inches) and graduated to the shallow part of the adult pool (about 4feet). My teacher (Juliana) was brilliant!

      Thanks for reading, IJ

  3. Ghana on my top list. Thanks girl; I thoroughly enjoyed this one.!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Thank you for sharing Amarachi. This post makes me proud to be Ghanaian. However reading about the slave forts always fill me with misery. I remember visiting both castles a few years back. Can you imagine the stench in the women’s dungeon is still so pungent?

    Madeline
    http://www.madelinewilsonojo.com/

    1. I can’t begin to imagine what they went through. There was this room that had such a foul smell, we couldn’t even go in. Plus it now inhabits only bats! The tour of both castles was truly moving… I enjoyed visiting Ghana, I can’t wait to go back.

I love to hear from you, Leave a comment here!

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Aesthetically pleasing spaces in Kenya 🍂🦒
Aesthetically pleasing spaces in Kenya 🍂🦒
16 hours ago
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Kenya had dropped the paid ETA requirement for most Africans, including Nigerians. 💃🏾🎉

And in celebration of that, I'm sharing some of my favourite places to include in your Kenyan holiday itinerary!

Will you be visiting or have you been to any of these places?
Kenya had dropped the paid ETA requirement for most Africans, including Nigerians. 💃🏾🎉 And in celebration of that, I'm sharing some of my favourite places to include in your Kenyan holiday itinerary! Will you be visiting or have you been to any of these places?
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This lodge in Taita-Taveta was such a great last-minute find for me!
___________________

I needed a quick break from Nairobi and thought to visit Diani and Tsavo. While finding accommodation in Diani was fairly easy, I struggled to find a place that fit my schedule, budget, and preference in the Voi/Tsavo area.

When I stumbled upon The Hildana Lodge, I couldn't be happier. Luckily, they had availability for the exact dates I wanted, a resident's rate, and no single supplement!

I stayed here for 2 nights but could have easily stayed longer! This place is magical, and I can't wait to return! ✨️
This lodge in Taita-Taveta was such a great last-minute find for me! ___________________ I needed a quick break from Nairobi and thought to visit Diani and Tsavo. While finding accommodation in Diani was fairly easy, I struggled to find a place that fit my schedule, budget, and preference in the Voi/Tsavo area. When I stumbled upon The Hildana Lodge, I couldn't be happier. Luckily, they had availability for the exact dates I wanted, a resident's rate, and no single supplement! I stayed here for 2 nights but could have easily stayed longer! This place is magical, and I can't wait to return! ✨️
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As someone who enjoys travelling and pursuing a fulfilling career, I don't believe that you have to give up one for the other. ✈️🍂✨️

You can maintain a healthy travel life without forfeiting a career you love, and here's one of the best ways to do so ⤵️

Taking advantage of public holidays, combined with your vacation days. For example, there's a public holiday coming up next month.

It'll be a 2-day holiday, and if you take only 2 days off work, you'll get 6 vacation days! - perfect for this "Beach and Bush" holiday in Kenya! 🐚🐘🌊

Work-life balance is key, so find ways to do the things that are important to you now that you can!💙
As someone who enjoys travelling and pursuing a fulfilling career, I don't believe that you have to give up one for the other. ✈️🍂✨️ You can maintain a healthy travel life without forfeiting a career you love, and here's one of the best ways to do so ⤵️ Taking advantage of public holidays, combined with your vacation days. For example, there's a public holiday coming up next month. It'll be a 2-day holiday, and if you take only 2 days off work, you'll get 6 vacation days! - perfect for this "Beach and Bush" holiday in Kenya! 🐚🐘🌊 Work-life balance is key, so find ways to do the things that are important to you now that you can!💙
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Weekends in Kenya that look like this! 🐘💙🦒

How wonderful!
Weekends in Kenya that look like this! 🐘💙🦒 How wonderful!
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Here's what you can expect when you ride the premium class train from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa 🚅

It's a slow but scenic ride to the coast, but I love it and rather prefer it to flying. ✨️

PS: If you want great views of Tsavo National Park as you pass through (Nairobi > Mombasa), sit on the left side of the train (i.e., even numbered seats)

But be aware that some seats have partial window views. Seats 26, 21, 25, 15, and 6 are great!(Nairobi > Mombasa)

Seat on the opposite side on the Mombasa > Nairobi train. I couldn't keep track of all the good seats on this train 🥹.

The train also has a first and economy class coach, which are significantly cheaper than premium class. And once you're back in Nairobi, all "premium services end" 🤭😋

Have you gone on this train before? What was your experience like? 💬

Are team train 🚆 or flight ✈️?
Here's what you can expect when you ride the premium class train from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa 🚅 It's a slow but scenic ride to the coast, but I love it and rather prefer it to flying. ✨️ PS: If you want great views of Tsavo National Park as you pass through (Nairobi > Mombasa), sit on the left side of the train (i.e., even numbered seats) But be aware that some seats have partial window views. Seats 26, 21, 25, 15, and 6 are great!(Nairobi > Mombasa) Seat on the opposite side on the Mombasa > Nairobi train. I couldn't keep track of all the good seats on this train 🥹. The train also has a first and economy class coach, which are significantly cheaper than premium class. And once you're back in Nairobi, all "premium services end" 🤭😋 Have you gone on this train before? What was your experience like? 💬 Are team train 🚆 or flight ✈️?
5 days ago
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The most relaxing staycation ever! Coastal vibes in Diani Beach and a wonderful safari in Taita-Taveta county! 🐚🐘

This trip was so easy to plan and embark upon from Nairobi. I travelled by rail from Nairobi to Mombasa and then to Diani. 🌊

On my return leg, I stopped in Voi and transferred to a super gorgeous lodge, where I spent the weekend enjoying massages, spotting elephants 🐘 and giraffes 🦒, and just having a swell and relaxing time!

Sharing details on my blog and IG stories!✨️
The most relaxing staycation ever! Coastal vibes in Diani Beach and a wonderful safari in Taita-Taveta county! 🐚🐘 This trip was so easy to plan and embark upon from Nairobi. I travelled by rail from Nairobi to Mombasa and then to Diani. 🌊 On my return leg, I stopped in Voi and transferred to a super gorgeous lodge, where I spent the weekend enjoying massages, spotting elephants 🐘 and giraffes 🦒, and just having a swell and relaxing time! Sharing details on my blog and IG stories!✨️
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The Best of Both Worlds! 🥰

Just took the SGR again, and I got to try out the Premium Class coach - I loved the experience!

I'll be sharing all about this experience in my next blog post on www.travelwithapen.com -  what to expect from this train ride, the best seats for unobstructed views and elephant sightings in Tsavo National Park, and notable changes in the journey from Nairobi to Mombasa and Diani!

#diani #dianibeachkenya #sgr #railtravel #tsavo #tembeakenya
The Best of Both Worlds! 🥰 Just took the SGR again, and I got to try out the Premium Class coach - I loved the experience! I'll be sharing all about this experience in my next blog post on www.travelwithapen.com - what to expect from this train ride, the best seats for unobstructed views and elephant sightings in Tsavo National Park, and notable changes in the journey from Nairobi to Mombasa and Diani! #diani #dianibeachkenya #sgr #railtravel #tsavo #tembeakenya
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Bougainvillea in full bloom in Nairobi 🌸, always a highlight of our strolls!
Bougainvillea in full bloom in Nairobi 🌸, always a highlight of our strolls!
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