Several international airlines, including British Airways and Delta Airlines, operate regular scheduled flights from Ghana to major cities in North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
PASSPORT
Required by all.
VISAS
Visas are required by most non-residents except ECOWAS nationals. Ghana Missions and Embassies abroad will assist in issuing individual as well as group visas.
Health Requirements‘]Yellow fever vaccination required by all except infants under one year.Please do not forget to bring your health Certificate which shows that you have a yellow fever vaccination. You are also advised to consult your doctor well in advance of your visit so that you may begin the usual anti-malaria treatment
BUSINESS HOURS
8.00 – 12.00 noon
13.00 – 17.00 hours
Banks – 8.00a.m – 2.00 p.m
8.00 – 3.00 p.m. Fridays Bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean and on the West by La Cote d”Ivoire, the East by Togo and the North by Burkina Faso. Ghana is a tropical country. The South Western part is located within the warm wet forest zone similar to the Amazon. Accra, the capital, is located in the dry equatorial cones. Kumasi is in the wet savanna. It lies between 4° and 11 ° North at the equator and has a coastline of 540 km.
Northern Ghana has a range season from about April to October. The rest,
of the year is hot and dry, with temperatures up to about 38°C. In Southern Ghana the rains last from April to June and again from September to October. Generally temperatures are between 21 – 31°C. The rains are usually restricted to specific times each day during the rainy season; they are not continuous throughout the day
Packing the Right Clothing
Since the climate is warm and tropical all year round be sure to pack light washable cotton clothing and casual wear. Do not forget your sunglasses and comfortable walking shoes. There are no restrictions on what men and women may wear. Slacks and shorts for both sexes are permissible.
Electricity
If you are bringing along any electrical appliances, they should operate on or be adaptable to 220 / 240 volts. Electric outlets in Ghana accept either 3pronged, or sometimes 2-pronged. British or Continental European type plus or converters.
Money/Currency
Ghana’s currency is the cedi which comes in denominations of GHC 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins come in denominations of 1 GHC and also 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p & 1 pesewas. Foreign currency can be freely exchanged at any Forex Bureaux in the country.
Apart from Forex Bureaux, some commercial banks also exchange foreign currency. Banks are normally open from 8:30 am to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some banks also operate on Saturdays from 09:00 – 14:00 GMT . Most large commercial banks will also have automatic teller machines located outside and available during and after hours. Most will take VISA and a few other check cards.
Traveller’s Cheques
All banks and Forex Bureaux accept Traveller”s Cheques although the rate of exchange may be slightly lower than for cash transaction.
Credit Cards
The most widely accepted credit cards are Visa and Mastercard. These cards are accepted in major hotels, restaurants, banks and businesses . Your card may be used for payment at most all airlines, leading hotels and major supermarkets. However be cautious when using your credit to avoid fraud.
Tipping
Tipping is permitted in hotels, restaurants, etc. It is rarely added to the bill. Whenever it is not added the quality of service should dictate your generousity to the waiter, taxi driver, porter, tour guide, etc.
Hotels
Ghana, offers a wide range of hotel accommodation for her growing economy and tourist industry; cosmopolitan, metropolitan, district town and country hotels and park lodges of varying comfort, elegance and convenience. Ghana”s hotels are classified according to the international star-system with 5-star as the highest and one-star being the minimum international acceptable quality. In addition, there are local budget hotels with minimum standards of sanitation and comfort. Hotel License is issued by the Ghana Tourist Board and displayed at the hotel reception.
Communications
Most major hotels also have business centres which provide secretarial and courier services. Ghana has six Telecommunications companies which provides voice and data services. with a valid Identity card/passport, one can acquire a sim from any of the telecos. You can make long distance telephone calls within the country. Collect calls to the USA, Europe and Asia are also available. USA direct dial is 019900 and UK is 0194.
Entertainment
Most cities and towns have facilities for night life such as cultural centres to theatres, cinema houses, discotheques, pubs, street cafes and casinos. Consult your hotel reception for what is on and where to go.
Medical facilities
Modern private and public hospitals and clinics are available in all cities and big towns. Tourist should contact travelers’ medical insurance companies to cover any medical contingencies while away from their home countries.
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
Emergency (general) – 999
Fire – 192
Ambulance – 193
Hospital – Korle Bu – 0302-665401, 0302-673033-34
-Ridge – 0302-228382
-37 Military hospital – 021-776111-5l
-SSNIT Hospital – 021-776787
-Tema General Hospital – 022-302094, 022-302695
-Accra Psychiatric Hospital – 0302-228688
-Nyaho Clinic – 027775341
– Lister Hospital – +233 302 812 325, +233 302 812 326, +233 244 313 883
– Omni Health Services.
Barbers and Hairdressers
They are available in Salons and most hotels.
Laundry
Available in most hotels.
Drinking Water
Safe but it is advisable for visitors to use bottled drinking water which is available for sale in hotels and super markets.
Restricted Areas for Photography and Filming
The Christianborg Castle, Osu Flagstaff House(i.e seat of Government), High Commissions / Embassies and Military installations.
Kotoka International Airport
Kotoka International Airport (KIA) is located in Accra. It is the major entry point to the country and is accessible from any part of the globe. KIA also has FAA approval for Category 1 in Safety and Security Oversight. Currently it is served by 22 carriers with over 170 weekly passenger aircraft movements to more than 36 international destinations worldwide.
Ground Transport: To and From KIA
Although most people travel to the airport in their private cars, taxis and hiring cars are available at the airport for travellers’ convenience.
Public Pool Taxi
There are other taxi services from point to point at fixed charges per individual passenger. This allows other passengers to join in the same vehicle. You can also charter taxis at negotiated rate.
