Detty December – the time of 12 months when Ghanaians and guests come collectively to have a good time African tradition has turn out to be a must-see within the West African nation. While Detty December might be utilized to different African international locations, together with Nigeria and South Africa (and counting), the expertise has taken off in Ghana following its momentous “Year of Return” and “Beyond the Return” campaigns. These campaigns invited African diasporans to discover, settle, and put money into Ghana.
This time of 12 months has led to a big improve in tourism in Ghana, particularly within the capital metropolis of Accra. On common, a couple of million guests trek to the “Gateway to Africa” annually. To put that in perspective, a median of 750,000 individuals visited Ghana annually earlier than the campaigns. Detty December is now synonymous with Ghana, which has reworked into an end-of-year hotspot for the Diaspora with nonstop events, festivals, occasions, and cultural exploration.
However, the draw back of its rising reputation is overcrowding in native sights and overwhelmed infrastructure. Visiting Ghana throughout Detty December is price experiencing not less than as soon as in your lifetime, however there are different instances of the 12 months price visiting Accra all year long. Here are eight causes to go to Ghana outdoors of Detty December.
Average Temperatures in Ghana
Weather
During Detty December, Harmattan ramps in throughout Ghana. Harmattan is the dry and dusty season and lasts from November till March. It’s brought on by the Harmattan wind, which blows from the Sahara desert all through West Africa and reduces the humidity. While manageable, it will increase the possibilities of dehydration and respiratory sicknesses, in accordance with a medical report by Professor Basil N Okeahialam.
Visiting outdoors of Ghana’s dry season will probably put you within the nation throughout one in every of its two wet seasons. In the south, the place Accra is positioned, the heaviest rain is from April till June, however the wet season lasts till November. There’s a lighter rain season throughout September, October, and November. The wet seasons convey Ghana’s pure landscapes to life, and you’ll discover lush vegetation and vibrant inexperienced surroundings in locations equivalent to Aburi Botanical Gardens. Boti Falls and Wli Waterfalls are price visiting through the wet season as a result of the waterfall is essentially the most spectacular, with greater water ranges.
Travel Tip: The cooler months are in July and August when the temperatures hover within the decrease 80s.
Fewer Crowds
Detty December is each a present and a curse. It’s a present to be in a rustic the place Black persons are not the minority and are celebrated in each house. It’s a curse as a result of there are such a lot of those who it’s exhausting to maneuver round.
One of the largest complaints amongst locals is the crowds that Detty December brings in. There is much less overcrowding in must-visit sights and experiences, equivalent to Labadi Beach, the Independence Arch, Kwame Nkrumah Museum, or the somber Cape Coast Castle.
Travel Tip: Travel Noire’s information to Accra breaks down the place to eat, sleep, and play in Ghana.
Cheaper Flights And Hotel Accommodations
The Detty December tax could be very actual. It’s noticeable as flight and lodge costs dramatically improve throughout this time of 12 months. With the inflow of vacationers, there’s a excessive demand for motels, lodging, flights, and leisure tickets, main to cost hikes. It’s additionally not unusual for native companies to make the most of the busier instances with their very own value will increase.
According to Google Flights, ticket costs for a 16-day journey to Ghana from Dulles International Airport (one in every of few airports providing nonstop flights to Accra) greater than doubled in comparison with March, April, and May.
Travel Tip: May by November is taken into account the “off-peak” season, so guests can anticipate lodging and flight costs to drop considerably in comparison with December.
Independence Day Activities
March 6 is Ghana’s Independence Day. It’s a nationwide vacation celebrating its independence from British colonial rule. During this time, there are a ton of parades, cultural shows, and public occasions. Outside of Detty December, this can be a nice time to expertise nationwide delight and unity up shut. There’s no higher time to go to the Black Star Gate – a big landmark symbolizing Ghana’s independence.
Visit the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum to be taught extra concerning the “father of Ghana” and the way he led the nation to its independence. Nkrumah turned Ghana’s first prime minister and later president. There are additionally inventive and musical performances taking place throughout Independence Day.
Travel Tip: Be positive to e-book your tickets for any theatrical efficiency or musical efficiency forward of time.
Kwahu’s Easter Festival
Another incredible time to go to Ghana is throughout Easter. Ghana takes Easter to an thrilling subsequent stage with the Kwahu Easter Festival. An approximate four-hour drive from Accra, the Kwahu Easter Festival is a big celebration in Ghana centered round Kwahu. It’s price visiting primarily for the Paragliding Festival.
Seasoned pilots from world wide journey for the competition to assist fly lots of of spectators off Odweanoma Mountain. Paragliders start their expertise by working off average slopes with the glider inflated till they’re lifted from their ft.
Travel Tip: You will want sturdy, non-slippery footwear or climbing sandals to run or work in. Closed footwear will shield your ft higher. Comfortable clothes is a should, and pilots suggest that persons are in good well being general for the expertise.
Homowo Festival
Visiting Ghana in the summertime is one other various to Detty December as a result of there’s a lot happening, such because the Homowo Festival. In August, the Ga individuals have a good time the Homowo Festival. It’s a celebration of thanksgiving and remembrance and represents marking an finish to a famine interval within the nation’s historical past.
Homowo Festival is widely known with meals and road parades with drumming, singing, and dancing. The celebration often takes place in August. One of the preferred dishes is Kpokpoi, made out of steamed and fermented corm meal, palm nut soup, and smoked fish.
Travel Tip: The greatest place to expertise the Homowo Festival is in Accra –– the heartland of the Ga individuals, who historically have a good time the competition.
Juneteenth Festival
While it stays unclear how the Juneteenth celebrations will happen within the United States, Ghana is all in for Juneteenth. People from all around the nation have a good time the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
As extra individuals throughout the diaspora acquire citizenship in Ghana, bigger Juneteenth celebrations are taking place annually. Organizers with the African American Association of Ghana (AAAG) host the annual Juneteenth Festival in Ghana. There are festivals, native marketplaces, open mic classes, and different actions. The competition begins with a parade from the W.E.B. DuBois Center for Pan-Africanism to the Accra Tourist Information Center.
Travel Tip: Besides the parades, music, and enjoyable, organizers host panel discussions specializing in transitioning to residing in Ghana for diasporans. These are price attending.
Chale Wote Street Art Festival
The Chale Wote Street Art Festival is another platform that brings artwork, music, dance, and performances to the streets of Ghana in the summertime. Chale Wote interprets to “Friend, Let’s Go” within the Ghanaian language, Ga. The competition happens in Accra’s historic group, James Town, and is a superb occasion to understand artists from Ghana and different African international locations.
More than 200 Ghana-based and worldwide artists attend the occasion annually, remodeling Accra right into a cultural hub. The competition is on a mission to interrupt inventive boundaries and push artwork in public areas.
Travel Tip: Chale Wote is greater than a day. It often lasts for a couple of week, and there are different occasions that happen to enhance the road artwork competition.
There’s definitely no such factor because the incorrect time to go to Accra, however there are occasions of the 12 months with fewer crowds, which makes for a greater, extra enriching expertise. Spring and summer time months in Accra show that there are nonetheless enjoyable instances available for a fraction of the value of Detty December.