Touring Volta
Daniel Neilson
Daniel Neilson

Touring Volta

Heading through the highlands of east to the riverside communities of the Volta, Daniel Neilson takes an unforgettable tour of the real Ghana

Advertising

It’s the sound of the ceiling fan flapping the mosquito net against the bedhead; it’s the refreshing temperature of the river water you wash with in the morning; it’s the early morning light highlighting the stuttering stream of families filling water in buckets, pans, bowls and jugs, loading them on their head and getting ready to start their day. It’s the little things that have stayed with me – the minutiae of daily life in Atsiekpoe, a small riverside community in Ghana’s Volta Region. The deep clunk of a blacksmith’s hammer striking through red hot metal onto an English-made anvil; the second basket an 11-year-old Moses made for us, determinedly making another after he deemed the first not good enough; my slightly embarrassing attempt on goal from a perfect cross on a dusty pitch. I spent 24 hours among the beautiful people of Atsiekpoe, and it became one of my top five Ghanaian memories. It may even be my favourite.

From our hotel in Accra, we (me and my mum) jumped into a 1992 Nissan Safari with bull bars and a roof rack. At the wheel was James Amusu, an affable, kind-hearted man with beads on his wrist, an easy smile and a ready supply of jokes. He would be our driver and guide for the next three days, on behalf of Jolinaiko Eco Tours, a Ghanaian-Dutch-run tour company with a passion for eco-tourism and community development, such as in villages including Atsiekpoe. The itinerary ahead of us included a stay at Ghana’s highest village, an ascent of the country’s second tallest mountain and a couple of days in Atsiekpoe.

East we headed, away from the busy streets of the capital and past Ghana’s industrial belt of Tema, steering around a convoy of trucks coming down from landlocked Burkina Faso. At busy junctions, hawkers sold water in bags, mobile phone top-ups, fried plantain crisps (delicious) and boiled maize (not so tasty). Further east, the traffic became sporadic and the hills became clearer and more common through the humid mist. We passed the Shia Hills and saw a family of baboons feasting under a mango tree by the side of the road. A baby was feeding on its mother’s breast as its parent chomped on a ripe mango.

James pointed out the mahogany trees that line some of the roads by small villages, planted largely for shade but also because the bark can help with malaria. At a young teak tree, he showed us how paint is made from the young leaves. The ‘watermelon tree’, meanwhile, turned out to be something else (I said James likes a joke). We
 saw mango orchards, banana plantations and paddy fields. Occasional hawks dipped into the thick bush.

Back in the car and onward. We stopped to look at the wonder that is Akosombo Dam, which holds back the world’s largest manmade lake. It was built just after independence, completed in 1963 with help from the US government, who took cocoa in return. The low water levels of Lake Volta means the dam can no longer support the full energy needs of Ghana, Togo and Benin – natural gas in the south and solar in the north is now helping.

East and east. The road rose and began to wind. The vegetation here, only a couple of weeks after the first rains of the season, was even greener and thicker. The trees were taller. It also seemed, if at all possible, even more humid. Butterflies swarmed across the roads and into the flower-filled bush. In one village we passed through, the roadside stalls were all selling cushions. “There’s lots of kapok trees around here,” explained James. We stopped to opened a seed, and found it filled with soft, spongy material.

Later that day we arrived in Ho, the regional capital, and bought some fruit: mango, and the most delicious pineapple I’ve ever tasted. It’s a pleasant little town, and on that day it was buzzing in anticipation of the arrival of the president, John Dramani Mahama, who was on a three-day tour of the Volta region to drum up support in his heartland for the upcoming election on December 7, 2016.

From Ho, we set off north and headed higher still, towards the Avatime Mountain Range with its seven communities surrounding Mount Gemi, Ghana’s second highest peak. The presidential motorcade sped past – we waved, he beeped (well, his driver did) – and we arrived as all the village chiefs of the area were leaving with their musical entourage. 

After our lunch of pineapple (did I mention how good it was?) in the village of Biakpa, we joined local guide Frances Setrot who led us through the dense, sweltering tropical forest up to Amedzofe, Ghana’s highest village. As we trekked along the narrow, sometimes steep path, Frances pointed out cocoa and medicinal plants as he described mountain life in these villages. “Before the roads came, these were the paths we used,” he explained. In a puddle of sweat, we met the people at the Eco-Tourism Centre in Amedzofe, a lovely, breezy, relaxed mountain-top village. We paid GHc10 to climb the final half-hour to the cross at the peak of Mount Gemi. It was a friendly community, and everyone greeted us with a smile. A turned-up calabash outside a house, I was told, signifies that the potent Ghanaian moonshine, palm wine, is sold here. It didn’t seem a good idea in this heat, so we continued, across what must be the most scenic football pitch on earth, with 360-degree views over the mountain ridges, and up to Mount Gemi’s peak. No one seems to know its exact height (answers on a postcard?) – only that it is just over 800 metres.

Despite the heat, the views from the top were expansive. Lake Volta shimmered in the west, and the hills that surround Mount Gemi faded into the evening haze. The cross at the top was installed by German missionaries, in the Alpine style. We took pictures then returned to our guesthouse to watch the sunset over the mountains, cold beers in hand.

After a brief breakfast (omelette of course), we were back in the car, driving south to Atsiekpoe, a village clinging to the side of the Volta River. A couple of hours later we arrived at the water’s edge, parked the Nissan and threw our bags in a wooden canoe – the taxis of the Volta. With us were two children returning from a shop on the other side of the river. There was a motor on this canoe about twice the length of a car, although not all vessels we see on the brief crossing have them – the outboard motor hasn’t been around long in Atsiekpoe. Through reeds and lilies, we landed at the village to be met by a group of kids. It was the school holidays here and they were in playful mood, showing their moves as they jumped into the river. The appearance of my camera only encouraged them.

Cashew Village is a handful of little rooms around a leafy courtyard. We took both lunch and dinner under a shady roof overlooking the river – an incredibly relaxing setting. The little complex, owned and built by Jolinaiko Eco Tours themselves, with the aim of bringing livelihood and development through tourism. For example, tourism money goes to the community development fund in turn helping the building of a clinic and ensuring the power stays on. In one hut, a machine was making a real racket – inside, people were queueing to mill produce, having come from surrounding villages specifically for the purpose. Walking around the village, our guide Godwin introduced us to the lovely people who make Atsiekpoe their home. Time and time again, we were met with a big smile and a handshake.

We were shown shrines, and a blacksmith at full throttle. We chatted to the village wise man, who at 101 regaled us with stories about the changes in the area, and the appearance of Christianity. An ill-advised football knockabout was thankfully over soon, and we moved on to explore the museum – another project helped by Jolinaiko Eco Tours – where old photos and farming equipment helped us learn about the natural resources. As the sun continued to blaze in the afternoon, we took a cooling boat ride along the riverbanks. Fishermen dived into the deep as ferries purposefully crossed the river back and forth. 

As the sun descended – which happens early in these parts – children played in the shallows against the riverbank. 

It had been an eye-opening trip that had showed a more tranquil, peaceful side to Ghana’s often frantic day-to-day life. Back at Cashew Village, we sat under a mango tree and made baskets with Moses and his brother, hoping that, out here by the river, the day might never end.

---------

The tour was organised by Jolinaiko Eco Tours (www.joli-ecotours.com). It has personally-tailored tours across Ghana, Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso. 

  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals
Paris is about to lose one of its best art galleries for five whole years, but the Centre Pompidou isn’t going out without a bang. The Centre Pompidou is famous for its inside-out architecture, and has been home to the very best contemporary art in the French capital since its opening in the late 1970s. In its 50 years of life, it’s seen hundreds of millions of visitors and, naturally, accrued a bit of damage. It was announced back in 2023 that the Centre Pompidou would have to close for half a decade – starting this year – in order to carry out essential maintenance, refurbish the library, and generally ensure the future of the building. The Pompidou, known colloquially as the Beaubourg, closed its doors on September 22, but it’s coming back for one last hurrah before its five-year hiatus. As part of a collaboration with Because Music, the building will reopen for a huge party on the last weekend of October. And when we say huge, we mean huge. Eight floors of dedicated exhibitions, DJ sets, and artist takeovers huge. There will even be live performances from French bands and musicians such as Christine and the Queens, Ed Banger, SĂ©bastien Tellier, and more. Due to the museum already being closed, all of the artwork will have been removed and stored away safely before this event, meaning the organisers are free to go crazy with decorations and installations. One floor is being turned into a roller disco, another a cinema. There will be spaces for children to play,...
  • Things to do
  • City Life
Every city has its good bits and bad bits. Some areas date back centuries, some are just a bit naff, and some are the sorts of places that force you to consider uprooting your life and moving tomorrow. At Time Out, our team of editors and writers know their cities inside and out – the good, the bad, and the ‘I can’t believe I’ve never been here before!’ Our annual list of the coolest neighborhoods in the world is curated by writers across the globe, and – now on its eighth year running – the 2025 ranking has just revealed that the winning neighbourhood this year is in Japan. In order to gain a spot on the list, each neighborhood had to be personally nominated by a local expert. Then, they were all ranked against a variety of criteria including culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, street life and ‘that hard-to-define sense of nowness’ according to Time Out’s travel editor Grace Beard. And although there’s a huge spectrum of cities represented, each neighbourhood shares ‘a DIY spirit – and an unshakeable proclivity for ingenuity and fun’. Last year, Nortre-Dame-Du-Mont in Marseille came out on top for its artsy charm and host of great places to eat, and the year before that was Laureles in Medellín, Colombia.  And the coolest neighborhood in the world for 2025 is (drumroll, please...) Jimbƍchƍ in Tokyo! This little corner of the city is an escape from the nearby urban metropolis, described by Time Out Tokyo writer Shota Nagao as the ‘hangout of choice...
Advertising
  • Things to do
  • City Life
Libraries are some of the most gorgeous manmade places on Earth. Books piled floor to ceiling, comfy chairs ready for you to sink into for hours at a time, and glorious silence – what more could you want? 1000 Libraries is a magazine and online platform dedicated to spotlighting the best and most beautiful spots for literature lovers worldwide. And now, following on from their ranking of the world’s most beautiful bookstores, the platform has turned its attention to the humble bookshop cafĂ©.  Recommended: The Dutch bookstore named the world’s most beautiful More than 200,000 readers and experts voted on their favourites; spots they feel best ‘exemplify the evolution from simple retail to essential social infrastructure’, going above and beyond to create essential third spaces for local communities.  Minoa Pera, a multi-storey bookshop/cafĂ© in Istanbul, claimed the crown. It brings ‘over 45,000 books written in Turkish and English to our customers’ in every genre from ‘literature to art, photography to graphic design’, and many, many more, according to 1000 Libraries. 1000 Libraries describes it as having a ‘chic style’. Its ‘sleek stone flooring and crisp, modern design’ makes it feel cosy without being claustrophobic, and gorgeous hanging lanterns provide warm, atmospheric lighting. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Minoa Pera (@minoapera) Plants dangle from the ceiling and climb up stairwells, and the second-floor cafĂ©...
  • Things to do
  • City Life
It’s that time again. Each year, Time Out asks experts across the world for their intel on the coolest neighbourhoods on Earth based on a range of factors like food, arts, culture and community. From this global rundown, which spans offbeat districts to up-and-coming food spots, we’ve pulled out the top ten coolest neighbourhoods in Europe. So if you’re plotting a big move or planning your next Interrail trip, consider this your shortlist. Recommended: The 14 best city breaks in Europe right now Top of the list for Europe is Borgerhout in Antwerp, which came second globally, just behind Jimbƍchƍ in Tokyo. While most flock to the Belgian city’s historic centre, those in the know skip the crowds for Borgerhout. It’s Antwerp’s multicultural creative heart, where you’ll meander along streets lined with galleries from Base-Alpha to Lichtekooi, vegan coffee bars, inviting terraces and Turkish and Moroccan grocers. Borgerhout, Antwerp | Photograph: Ella Doyle for Time Out Next up is Camberwell, number four in the world and number two in Europe. This southeast London enclave, long the haunt of art students, thrives on its independent spirit and tight-knit community. You can dig for records at Dash the Henge, drink pints at excellent pubs like The Camberwell Arms, and eat at any number of next-level restaurants. On Camberwell Church Street, options are as varied as Xinjiang restaurant Silk Road and Kurdish cuisine at Nandine. Camberwell, London | Photograph: Chris Bethell ...
Advertising
  • Things to do
  • City Life
What makes a place ‘cool’? Is it coffee shops that charge ÂŁ12 for eggs on toast? Or maybe it’s actually the absence of those overpriced brunch spots? That’s the question that Time Out editors across the world set out to answer with our list of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world for 2025. Time Out has been recognising the planet’s most trendy places for several years now, so we’ve gotten pretty good at it. Our editors and local experts know their cities inside and out, each nominating a spot in their hometown that locals love but visitors might not yet be aware of. Every nominee is then ranked in terms of its culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, street life, and an ineffable sense of ‘nowness’, and voila – a definitive list of the coolest neighborhoods on Earth is created. In 2024, Marseille’s Notre-Dame-du-Mont took the crown, but this year the gold went to Jimbƍchƍ, a cute little corner of Tokyo brimming with bookshops and excellent curry houses. The top three spots span three continents: Jimbƍchƍ is followed by Borgerhout in Antwerp, and in third place is Barra Funda, the ‘alternative soul’ of Brazil’s SĂŁo Paulo. Photograph: Caracol / Lucas Rubini Barra Funda was described by Time Out’s Rio de Janeiro editor LĂ­via Breves as a place ‘where industrial history meets an undeniably cool and creative vibe’. Old and new intertwine as warehouses are repurposed as art studios or bars and cafĂ©s pop up in old car repair shops, or as Breves puts it, ‘in...
  • Things to do
  • City Life
Across Europe, overtourism is getting out of hand. Over the last few weeks, Spain removed 53,000 ‘illegal’ holiday rentals from booking websites, and Venice decided to bring back its entrance fee for 2026. But it’s not just the south of the continent that’s struggling. Amsterdam has spent the past couple of years trying to reduce its visitor numbers and change the type of tourists visiting the city – but after years of little change, a group of locals have decided to take legal action against the city they love. But how did we get here? Amsterdam tells partygoers to ‘stay away’ Plenty flock to the city every year to visit its museums and enjoy its architecture, but they’re not the problem – it’s the millions that come over to partake in the city’s renowned cannabis culture, disrespect sex workers in the Red Light District and generally cause a nuisance that locals are sick of.  A couple of years ago, the city launched an entire campaign targeted at rowdy young people, which asked them to simply ‘stay away’. Since then, smoking weed in public has been banned from the Red Light District, and then came the online quizzes, designed to ‘debunk associations that party tourists have about letting loose in Amsterdam’. That’s only some of the measures the government has taken to improve quality of life for locals. Nevertheless, the parties continued, and restrictions on visitor numbers were ignored. At least, that’s what campaign group Amsterdam Heeft een Keuze – Amsterdam Has A...
Advertising
  • Things to do
  • City Life
When it comes to pretty little towns, you simply can’t beat Europe. It’s no surprise that the top eight places on a new Forbes list of the world’s top 50 most beautiful villages are on the continent. The team at Forbes curated their list with help from Unforgettable Travel Company, which it describes as ‘curators of journeys that venture far beyond the tourist trail’. Every spot has been carefully chosen for its ‘old-world whimsy and lived-in charm’. These are places you can lose yourself among brambles and bracken, stay in a tiny stone cottage, and fall asleep listening to a babbling stream. Bliss. Recommended: The most beautiful places in Europe, according to travel writers who’ve seen them all So, which wee villages landed a spot on the ranking? In first place is Bibury, a tiny town nestled into the English Cotswolds countryside. Once described by William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in England’, Bibury is well known for its rows of postcard-perfect homes and vibrant natural life. Photograph: Shutterstock It’s so popular, in fact, that some locals want to ban coaches bringing tourists in their droves, as these winding roads weren’t built for 100-seater buses. But as long as you are willing to walk, rather than drive, around the town centre, residents will welcome you. Read more about Bibury and its place on the ranking here. In second place is Hallstatt, an Austrian village set beside the glittering Lake Hallstatt. It’s a place where ‘centuries-old timbered...
  • Things to do
People who don’t live in cities will tell you they’re busy, lonely and expensive places. But there’s a reason so many people choose to live in them: with world-class art and culture, unbeatable food and nightlife, buzzing neighbourhoods and a dizzying amount of stuff to do and see, there’s simply no better place to be.  Every year, we take the pulse of city living by quizzing thousands of locals across the planet about life in their hometowns. This year, more than 18,500 city-dwellers shared their insights on everything from food, nightlife and culture to affordability, happiness and the overall city vibe. When urban living can sometimes feel isolating and costly, this year we wanted to get a sense of what, exactly, makes a city feel like home. Sure, the nightlife is great, but is the city safe and walkable? Is good quality food and art available at a reasonable price? Is it easy to make friends, find love, and access nature?  Livability was a key factor in our ranking this year. But a great city to live in is, naturally, a great city to visit. So, along with the thousands of responses from locals around the world, we asked Time Out’s global network of city experts to vote on the places they think are particularly exciting right now. After crunching all that data, here we are: Time Out’s definitive ranking of the world’s best cities in 2025. Read on to see how your hometown fared
 RECOMMENDED:đŸ›ïž The coolest neighbourhoods in the world right now🌎 The best things to do in...
Advertising
  • Things to do
  • City Life
Spas are a huge part of Budapest’s cultural fabric – and the GellĂ©rt, a legendary art nouveau spa richly decorated with Zsolnay tiling, is one of the most iconic venues in the city. However, as of today (October 1), you won’t be able to visit the GellĂ©rt until 2028, as the century-old spa – first opened in 1918 – is closing for three years of renovation. Reconstruction work will now run alongside the overhaul of the equally venerable hotel of the same name, which has been closed since November 2021. In a city known for its spas, the GellĂ©rt is arguably the most significant, usually attracting some 1,500-1,800 visitors a day. The last major renovation took place in the early 1980s, and the state of the equipment, changing rooms and service areas has deteriorated significantly. Thermal water, steam and chemical cleaning have put a lot of strain on the infrastructure, necessitating the current undertaking. Photograph: Shutterstock Budapest Thermal Baths and Spas (BGYH) has been preparing for the project for years, aiming to overcome the GellĂ©rt’s mechanical, technological and structural problems, restore its iconic spaces and elevate the guest experience to a new level. The primary consideration in the project is the preservation of the historical heritage: the restoration of the art nouveau interiors, tiling and aesthetic appearance. In addition, sustainability and energy-efficient solutions will be introduced, by modernising the use of thermal water and heating. ...
  • Things to do
  • Events & Festivals
Festival season 2025 is over. You know what that means? It’s time to start thinking about next summer – and Primavera Sound, one of Europe’s biggest and best music festivals, has already dropped its line-up. The festival has been a mainstay on Spain’s festival calendar for almost 25 years, and will take place as usual at Parc del FĂČrum in Barcelona next summer. Check out the full line-up, dates and advice on getting tickets below. RECOMMENDED:Europe’s best music festivals to book in 2026The best music festivals in the world When and where is Primavera Sound 2026? Primavera Sound Barcelona will return to Barcelona’s Parc del FĂČrum between June 3 - 7, 2026 (main acts will take place June 4 - 6). The Porto edition will take place the following weekend, but the line-up (which is usually smaller than the Barcelona edition) has not yet been announced for Porto. The Primavera Sound 2026 line-up A whopping 150 music acts are on the full Primavera Sound Barcelona line-up for 2026. In 2025, three of the biggest names in pop – Chappell Roan, Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter – took to the stage. 2026 will see legendary English rock band The Cure, American rapper Doja Cat and indie legends The xx headline the festival. Here are some of the biggest names from the 2026 line-up: The Cure Doja Cat The xx Gorillaz Massive Attack Addison Rae My Bloody Valentine PinkPantheress Skrillex Peggy Gou Lola Young Wet Leg Mac MeMarco Kneecap Little Simz And here’s the full line-up. ...
Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising