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It is time to get excited about volunteering in Ghana. We have curated some clips to give you a feel for life and travel in Bolgatanga and in Ghana. Have a look at life in Bolgatanga and surrounding towns below. Scroll down further for two stunning, professional documentaries about life and travel in Ghana.
Life in Bolgatanga and surrounding villages is very safe, laid-back and easy. You get a feel for the pace of life and easy-going nature of the main ethnic group, Fra-fras or Gurunisis, from these clips. You can learn the basics of Fra-fra during your placement!
You might like to travel during the final two weeks of your volunteering project or add travel on to the end of your project and stay a couple of weeks longer or more. We have designed mini tour itineraries for IDEAS Ghana volunteers, too, which we give you as part of your Volunteer Preparation Toolkit, which you receive when we confirm your application. The itineraries incorporate all of our knowledge and experience of traveling across every region of Ghana.
Here is a short clip focusing on SWOPA, located in the painted village of Sirigu. You can get here in about 40 minutes from IDEAS Ghana. It is very peaceful and relaxing and the meals are delicious.
IDEAS Ghana is also very closely connected to the babies and children’s home a few minutes up the road from SWOPA, run by the Catholic Church in Ghana. Two much loved elderly sisters run the babies home and if you would like to visit the babies home during your stay, you will be welcome to do so.
A typical morning in the life in town in Bolgatanga and is exactly how life is here. This is Bolga market, just 15 minutes by “Can-do” (tuk-tuk) from the IDEAS Ghana office down one, straight road. You can’t miss it. Ghana is definitely vibrant and exciting and you never know what you will find on market day, but you can rest assured it is safe, friendly and people will go out of their way to help you.
Here is another traveller’s clip on Bolgatanga and the Upper East.
The 1.17 mark takes you to the oldest mudbrick cathedral in Ghana, located in Navrongo, about 30 minutes from Bolga. Crocodiles are sacred to this area and you can feed crocodiles if you like. 6.17 onwards is around Bolga – a typical day. You can see there is very little hassle and traffic, making it attractive for visitors.
This is basket weaving, the craft Bolga is famous for nationally and internationally. When you volunteer with IDEAS Ghana, you can visit any number of villages to experience basket weaving in person. You can do a workshop, visit weavers and learn all about the craft and history of this important cultural tradition.
Here is another beautiful clip of basket weaving. All of IDEAS Ghana staff originate in villages that weave baskets and we will be happy to take you and show you our village and basket weaving.
A typical village festival in Bolgatanga. These happen frequently throughout the year and if there is one during your visit, we will take you along if you like.
Here is a wonderful documentary of life in Ghana that gives you an overview of the entire country.
Minutes 2.15 – 6.06 concentrates on the area in which IDEAS Ghana is located. If you want to join any of the cultural activities you see here, like pounding Baobab fruit, we will take you to the villages where you can join women and children engaging in this age-old activity.
About the 4.28 mark shows you Sirigu, the painted village. Sirigu is about 40 minutes by share taxi from Bolgatanga and is a perfect weekend getaway from Bolga. The trip one-way costs US$2 and overnight in SWOPA costs US$20 per room.
The 6.20 mark takes you close to Mole National Park, home to herds of elephants which you can view on what is dubbed “the world’s least expensive safari”. The 10.20 mark shows you elephants as you will experience them in Mole. Mole is a weekend trip from IDEAS Ghana, being just 3 hours to Tamale and then another 2 hours to Mole. Take Friday off from volunteering to travel there and arrive Friday afternoon. Stay until Sunday morning and be back in Bolga by the afternoon!
Our volunteer application form shows you how inexpensive a 3-day weekend at Mole is.
Lake Volta is at the 16.18 mark. You can cross Lake Volta by canoe for as little as US$2 or hire a canoe to take you around the lake for a day.
The 21.55 mark takes you to Kente weaving in Kumasi. This is easy to find in your travels and IDEAS Ghana has created mini itineraries with all the details you need to go from A to B across Ghana and experience the best of the lake, mountains, the coast and arts and crafts while you are here.
The 24.18 mark is Lake Bosumtwi, outside of Kumasi, where cocoa is grown and a fantastic place to relax.
42.48 are the famous Ghana coffins in Teshie, Accra.
44.49 takes you to the coast around Elmina and the Elmina slave trading castle, a highlight of any visit to Ghana. From here, you can beach hop for a few days to any number of beaches.
Here is a wonderful overview of Ghana, especially good for first time visitors or those wishing to recall what they loved about Ghana.
If you do plan to travel in Ghana, we will help you plan your whole trip before you set off so you can travel around Ghana and stay at safe, clean lodgings and understand how to go from A to B.
We have friends all across Ghana in towns and cities and will enlist them to help you, should you have any hassles when you spend time traveling around Ghana during or after your volunteer project.