The Ashanti Region of Ghana is a kingdom of gold, history and culture. Occupying a central portion of modern Ghana, the region is the hub of the ancient kingdom of the Asante, and still the heartland for all Asante, wherever the may now be.
A visit to Ashanti must include Kumasi, the ancient capital of the region founded in 1695 by the Asantehene, Osei Tut, where palaces, museums, forts and churches reveal the distinct cultural and historic backdrop for the festivals and ceremonies that are still important today. The palace of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, the festivals of Akwasidae, the Kumasi Fort and the Military Museum, and the Centre for National Culture are all essential tourist highspots.
Kumasi also boasts the largest open air market in West Africa at Kejetia, and the city is ringed by villages famous for their artisans and handicrafts. Tourists should always remember that bargaining is part of the tradition of trading in Ghana.
Funerals are spectacular events in Ashanti (usually held on Saturdays), amidst displays of drumming, dancing and pageantry, often with thousands of mourners in traditional read and black.
Ashanti is also one of the most beautiful regions of Ghana, with unspoilt natural attractions. For birdwatchers both the Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary (an important wetlands) and the crater Lake Bosomtwi are well worth a visit, while walkers will love the Bobiri Forest Reserve and its arboretum, the Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary with its seasonal waterfall, and the hills around lake Bosomtwi. Forest wildlife, including monkeys, buck and clouds of butterflies can be seen all over the region.
Ashanti is also home to the most important gold mines in Ghana at Obuasi (50km south-west of Kumasi). Surface visits can be arranged, and the town still has an air of the gold rush days of the 1890’s.
Throughout Ashanti (and especially in Kumasi) you will find welcoming hotels and restaurants, while in the main towns, nightlife and entertainment are first class. Sporting facilities are available in the urban areas, while exciting fishing can be enjoyed in our lakes and rivers.
To discover the traditional heartland of Ghana a visit to Ashanti is a must.
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