Situated in between some of Africa’s smaller countries, Ghana lies on West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea.
Famed for its wildlife, rich culture, and heritage, Ghana has turned adversity to advantage, making our geography-based expeditions some of the most outstanding and captivating educational trips ever.
Ghana background
Ghana had a fairly unremarkable history, up until the mid-15th century when many European countries, including most notably, the Portuguese, Swedish, and Dutch, started trading in gold and slavery. For the next 400 years, many countries ruled different regions, and the country became known as the Gold Coast.
As the British moved in, many conflicts between the Ashanti nation states and the British Colonial powers were fought across a 100-year period, before finally coming to an end in the early 1900s. But seeking to break free from British Colonial rule in 1947, it was a decade before the Gold Coast finally became the first sub-Saharan nation to achieve independence.
Following coups, ever-changing Governments, and economic instabilities, it was only in the late 80s that Ghana began an economic upturn. Since then, the country has seen gold, together with cocoa and oil, becoming their main exports, together with a big increase in tourism.
Many of Ghana’s remaining colonial buildings and castles still stand, serving as museums to the past and expanding on their history. But beyond the heritage, Ghana is famed for its rich and diverse habitat. Giving a plentiful array of wildlife, flora and fauna among its hot, grassy plains, extensive river systems, tropical jungles, and national parks, playing host to many endangered species.
Ghana is also a multicultural home to some 29m of the friendliest people, spread across its 10 regions. So while they provide an incredible introduction to West Africa, everything is set for a real educational adventure with The STC. And we know it will be as memorable for you as it for them - and us.
Our local guides
The STC provides unique educational trips for schools that are designed to enhance your students learning. When it comes to planning and scheduling your trip, we’ve got you covered. But our trusted partners in Ghana will be your ‘local leaders’ with all the expertise and knowledge you’ll need.
Each expedition leader has been born and raised in Ghana, so they’re experts in the local language, environment, and culture. And they’re experienced in the day to day running of our adventures, keeping your expedition on track, and you in one piece. It’s safe to say we couldn’t run our trips without these locals, so we trust them completely.
Our educational trips
While The STC offers a limited number of educational trips to Ghana, each one packs the biggest culture-filled punch you could wish for. Just one of our trips is the Crater Lakes and Cocoa Co-ops tour - an 11-day African fiesta that delivers a crammed itinerary unlike anything you’ll have experienced before.
After flying into Ghana’s busy capital, Accra, you’ll have an early start and a 3-hour westerly drive to Elmina. Here, you’ll get your first taste of wonderful Ghanaian food, eating under the stars and round a campfire.
You’ll get to visit Global Mama’s, learning how this fair trade organisation helps African women become financially independent, before heading North to the wonderful Kakum National Park. Hopefully, you’ll have a head for heights, as you’ll be 40m up, on a treetop canopy walkway.
After visiting another local charity, the Sabre Trust, to learn how their work creates a brighter future for children in local schools, you’ll visit St. George’s Castle. A UNESCO World Heritage monument and museum, this place is a stark reminder to Ghana’s past history in the slave trade.
From here, you’ll head north to Ghana’s cultural heart, Kumasi. Besides visiting the fair trade Kuapa Kokoo cocoa cooperative, you’ll spend another night under the stars on Lake Bosomtwe around Ghana’s ancient meteoric crater. You’ll also explore the Ashanti Kingdom and Kejetia Market, before heading east to lake Volta, the largest man made lake in the world.
Your trip’s final days are spent attempting to climb Mount Afadjato, the highest mountain in Ghana and visiting the sacred Mona monkeys in Tafi Atome village, before visiting a fair trade banana cooperative, and the bead capital of Ghana, Krobo, for a visit to a fair trade bead assembly line.