2 days of coastal fortresses and Nzulezo - the village on stilts
We'll pick you up from your hotel in the Cape Coast area between 6 and 8 am. It's about a 2-hour drive west through Sekondi-Takoradi, the capital of the Western Region. We'll make a stop for a swim in Busua, on a gentle bay of the Atlantic. Then we'll head to Fort Metal Cross in Dixcove. It's a 17th century by the British, which in the 18th century also had to defend itself against the Prussians stationed in the neighbouring Fort Groß Friedrichsburg. We'll then visit this Prussian fortress in Awiabo Aiyinase. Then it's a 2-hour drive to Beyin. From Beyin, the village of Nzulezo, located on a lake, can only be reached by a small boat. The life of the community of about 500 people takes place almost exclusively on boats and wooden planks of raffia palms, which were rammed into the lake bed on stilts. For centuries, people have lived here in harmony with nature, fishing and farming, but modern life hasn't passed by without a trace. You can get to know the everyday life of the people here, enjoy a drink in a pub or have a freshly fried fish served. You can visit the local primary school or one of the churches. We'll stay overnight in a guest house on the lake.
After breakfast, we'll visit the small fortress of Apollonia in Beyin and learn about the culture of the Nzema people. Fort Apollonia, built by Sweden and later used by the British and Dutch for the slave trade, is one of the World Heritage Sites on the coast of Ghana.
In Axim, which is 2 hours away, we'll check out the fortress of St. Anthony, built by the Portuguese in 1515 as the second fortress on the Gold Coast. Anthony. The current name already indicates that the owners have changed several times over the centuries. But you can see a well-preserved, mighty fortress, where, as in the other trading posts, century, slaves were an important commodity on the triangular voyages to America and Europe. We're already on our way back to Cape Coast. You'll surely find an opportunity to take a dip in the Atlantic on the way.
After about 32 hours, we'll bring you back to your hotel.