Listed by National Geographic as one of the world’s most thrilling hikes, Kakum National Park is truly a delight and worth a visit if you’re in Ghana.
History of Kakum National Park
Kakum was initially set aside as a forest reserve in 1931, mainly for logging, particularly mahogany. In 1989, the land was turned over to the Wildlife Department and the United Nations Development Program helped to created a five year management plan to turn the place into an ecotourism destination.
In 1992, Kakum was announced as an official national park, thought the land was split into two sections: Kakum National Park and Assin Attandanso Forest Reserve. This was done because surveys showed that villages in the surrounding area still relied on the forest for some timber and potable water from the Kakum River, now provided for by the forest reserve. In 2000, the Museums and Monuments Board of Ghana proposed Kakum as a World Heritage Site to UNESCO and is currently on the tentative list.
Ecology and Attractions of Kakum
Kakum is considered part of the coastal rainforest region and is home to a wide variety of birds and animals. If you’re lucky, you can find in Kakum forest elephants, civets, leopards, druikers, hogs, pangolins, porcupines, crocodiles, monitor lizards, tortoises and five different kinds of monkeys. More than 260 species of birds have been cataloged in the park, including several that are of concern to conservation efforts.
However, despite the ecological diversity, what the park is most well-known and visited for is the Canopy Walk. With seven bridges strung between the tree tops, between 40 and 50 meters (130 to 160 feet) off the ground. The walk is 350 meters (1,150 feet long) and allows visitors to reach parts of the rainforest that are otherwise inaccessible. As nerve-jangling as the swinging bridges can feel, they are very secure, being made of steel cables, ropes and netting. And many school children make the crossings throughout the year.
Planning Your Visit
To visit Kakum, charter a taxi from Cape Coast; it’s about 20 miles from the city. Entrance fees for Ghanaians and foreigners are significantly different 20 GHS as opposed to 50 GHS, but the revenue from the park is shared with local communities and pays for the upkeep of the park, so know that your money is going to good things.
Taking pictures and videos will cost you extra as well. You’ll be accompanied by a guide who is well informed and can explain the flora and fauna to you on your visit.