Volta Region Trip

Volta Region and the Many Adventures 

This past weekend we went to the Volta Region that was planned by the students here. We first took a tro tro to Tama Station where we got a large bus the the region. We sat at the station for 2.5 hours before we even left Accra and than another 4.5 hours to get where we were going. The ride was the longest and most miserable ride I have been on in a long time. Zoey (a girl from my trip) and I were sandwiched between 4 other women in the very back row of the bus. Every person on the bus has a billion and one bags that did not go in the luggage container below the bus but rather in the isles and laps of everyone on the bus. One guy in front of us had a flat screen T.V. on his lap the entire way. The lady sitting next to Zoey was super nice and even bought us some grounded maze on the side of the road for us to try. The other ladies either didn't talk or laughed and made jokes about us the entire 4.5 hours which got very old very quickly. We finally reached the town where the monkey sanctuary was and ran off the bus like a bat out of hell (hahaha). We asked around and got a tro tro to take us to the sanctuary not too far down the road.

Tafo Atome Monkey Sanctuary 

The monkey sanctuary was a lot of fun because the monkeys were not like they were in Bali where they were running around giving off a freighting vibe. The guide started giving monkey calls and eventually we reached a place where an entire family lived and we fed them bananas on bananas. They way they reached for the bananas was very gentle but assertively and attached their tales to the tree as they reached as far as they could. One of the girls got stuff thrown at her from the head monkey of the family which was pretty funny to see.

 After the monkey sanctuary we went to Ho Hoe where we stayed in a really nice hotel named Galaxy. The road to the hotel is a long dirt road with little to no stores around but a few houses around. Once we got to the hotel we ate dinner at the hotel and than hit the sack cause we had an early morning. The next morning we took a tro tro to Afadjato Mountain and Wli Waterfall. The driver and mate of the tro tro agreed to stay with us all day to take us every where we wanted to go. The roads around the area are so full of pot holes that they ride is a constant swerving all over the roads to avoid them. 

 Afadjato Mountain

We climbed up the highest mountain in Ghana which was such a trek to get up but so worth the view. The climb (Yes it was a climb not a hike) took us about 1.5 hours and once I reached the top I screamed knowing that I had just accomplished a huge mountain in Ghana. The view was amazing because you saw green mountains for miles and miles and Togo was on our left while a small town in Ghana was on our right! We just stood there and took in all the beauty that was at our finger tips and couldn't believe that we actually climbed the mountain and received such a breathtaking view. 

On our way down it started to rain so the path was really wet so we had to take it easy but my friend and I tried to jog it down where the flat parts were and it worked out pretty well. They placed rope on some parts of the mountain so we could use it as leverage to stay up since those parts were pretty sketch. Overall the mountain climb was amazing and the most exercise I have had since being in Ghana. 

Lunch 

After the climb we went to lunch at a brand new restaurant on the side of a road near the waterfall. Since it was new we all had one dish which was fried rice and chicken which to be honest was a perfect dish for after the climb. The resturant view was also the best view of the waterfall you can find around the area without being right in front of it. So our lunch was very relaxing and perfect for cooling us down and getting energy for the waterfall. 

Wli Waterfall 

On our walk to the waterfall we walked through the forest of Ghana that was so pretty. With trees on both sides of us and every so often there was a peak of sunshine through the canopy. There are a total of 8 bridges you cross to get to the waterfall which was cool because each bridge is unique in their appearance and even though each bridge had some sort of water beneath it, each river was full of life. Once we turned the corner and saw the giant waterfall that lied in front of us my jaw dropped. There were hundreds of people there but it didn't take away from the beauty. I didn't get into the water but standing there with the water crashing into the little lake was enough to make me happy. My friend and I just took photos of the ones that got into the water and took in the view. We only went to the lower falls so I can only imagine what the upper falls look like. 

 The Ride Back to Accra

The same guy that took us around the day before took us back to Accra in his tro tro which was amazing because I can only imagine having to take another bus back to Accra and the amount of annoyance that it gives. Our ride was amazingly relaxing and the view was what I was waiting for when I came to Ghana. The endless amount of greenery and trees made me feel so peaceful. Since we filled an entire tro tro we were able to talk amongst one another and spread out more. Overall I had an amazing weekend and the best day yet. I am having a great time in Ghana and can't wait for next weekend!