THE VOLTA REGION

Regional capital: Ho

It is the most easterly region of Ghana and shares a border with Togo on the Eastern side of the country, western with the Volta River and Lake. The southern border is the Atlantic Ocean, while the north shares a boundary with the Northern Region. The region boasts of many tourist attractions, including the Keta Lagoon, Mt. Afadjato, the highest mountain in Ghana (2,095ft) and the Keta basin, the lowest point in Ghana. The region is also dominated by the Volta Lake and stretches from the coastal plains on the Atlantic coast right up to the arid lands of the north.

The lake is a source of power, and much of the water for the region; it is the water highway to the north, a great fishing lake as well as a popular recreational area. The region is lushly vegetated and relatively mountainous. The main towns in this region are Ho (The capital, largest and busiest city), Hohoe and Kpando. There are also some very good hotels in this region, which are comparable to other regions in Ghana and will meet your expectations.

The main dishes of this Region are 'Akple' with okro soup, fufu with palmnut soup, 'Abolo' with shrimps and 'one man thousand' fish with banku with okro stew or pepper, red-red or beans stew and fried plantain. Volta tilapia is a delicacy and can be enjoyed at riverside hotels such as Afrikiko, the Continental and Aylos Bay which are also good places to stay.

TRAVEL INFORMATION
How to get there
It is pretty much easy to get to this region, as Ho is a ransport hub, well connected to most parts of Ghana. There are plenty of buses and trotros that run directly between Accra and Ho on a daily basis. The STC runs two buses daily to Ho except on Sundays. To travel from Ho towards the Eastern border and ports such as Keta and Aflao requires that you change vehicles at Akatsi.

NATURAL ATTRACTIONS
Beaches
The Keta District has some of the most beautiful sandy reaches full of coconut trees in West Africa. The beaches are relatively clean. The sea is rough and shallow up to about 1 to 2 nautical miles in some places. The best beaches can be found at:Vie Volta Estuary Areas-From Azizanu to Atiteti. Woe-Cape St. Paul and adjoining areas ui-Dzelukope- Areas such as Tegbi./fofei areas,Anloga md adjoining areas

WILDLIFE AND NATURE RESERVES

More information on parks and reserves can be found here.

Kalakpa Resource Reserve
The reserve is located between the Abutia and Adaklu traditional areas in the typical Guinea Savanna vegetation »oe. It has a spectacular combination of forests on the hills found in the middle of the reserve and along drivers and grass on the plains of the reserve. It is one of the few places in the region where indigenous animals associated with the vegetation can still be found. Prior to the establishment of the reserve, the area use to be the sport hunting grounds for expatriates, mainly Italians, Greeks and Germans resident in Accra, Akosombo and Tema. This game production reserve in Ho houses buffaloes, bushbuck, kob antelopes, green monkeys, wildcats, water ducks and grass cutter.

Kyabobo National Park
Situated in the foothills of Mt. Djebobo, is this utterly unique and gripping wildlife reserve. It has lions, elephants, antelopes and monkeys. Every available evidence points to the fact that the Nkwanta district is very rich in game and wildlife. There are heads, skins and bones of animal that have been killed by hunters, especially at Kue. The heads include those of the buffalo, various types of monkeys, hyena, red-river hog and variety of birds. Consequently a national park, Kyabobo National Park, has been created near Kwanta. It is noteworthy to state that the Togolese have a national part at the other side of the Ghana-Togo ranges called Pare National de Fazao.

The Tafi-Alome Monkey Sanctuary
The sanctuary has a large number of Mona monkeys, which are considered as sacred by the people who live with them.

Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary
Agumatsa wildlife sanctuary is located in the Hohoe district of the Volta Region on the Togo-Buen ranges.The area boasts of the most spectacular geographical feature in the district. An hour's walk through cool shades of rees will lead you to Ghana's highest waterfalls. The Wis are beautiful, and is enhanced not only by the towering face of the gorge but most impressively by the - era] thousands of fruit bats clinging to its sides. These waterfalls, which consist of a series of, four falls and two cascades descending an amazing 600m height is one of ±e perennial falls in Ghana open to visitors through out the year. The falls also plays an important part in the cultural life of the communities around it. The people rgard it as a fetish protecting them in all walks of life. It :s believed among the natives that it has power of curing barrenness in women.

Volta River Estuary
It is an amazing area where the river, ocean and sandy beaches come together. The estuary is an area of great Denic beauty, with river and ocean beaches, and picnic spots shaded by palm trees. The sand bars are the nesting grounds for sea birds and endangered species of turtle are soil found here.

Keta Lagoon Complex Ramser Site
The Ramsar Site is 1200km2 including the eastern bank rf the Volta River and the Togo boarder. The surface area :: the principal lagoon and the seasonal mud flats is over " O0km2. The lagoon supports the largest inland fisheries within the coastal zone of Ghana.

The Waterfalls of the Volta Region
Although some waterfalls may be seasonal, all are set in attractive wooded or mountain settings.

Wli Falls
The water flows from part of the Akwapim-Togo hills rage 20km from Hohoe, in the Wli Natural Reserve. This waterfall is becoming very popular in the West tfrican sub-region. It is perennial as water cascades throughout the year. It is located at the edge of the ; matsa Wildlife Sanctuary, which has hundreds of trait bats and a few monkeys and antelopes. The water falls from a height of about 1,600 feet, into a plunge pool-ere swimming is permitted. The Wli area has a colony ofwild bats, butterflies and flowers.

Tagbo Falls - Liati Wote.
This waterfall is incredibly beautiful. It Hows from the Ghana-Togo mountain range, k is covered by green vegetation and has cages forming a the sides. It does not have a big plunge pool as the Wli cue but is beautiful in its own way. Visitors are charged a inimal fee. With over 300 species of butterflies, laiti lore's forest is home to one of the largest butterflies rami in Ghana.
liatsadu Falls 
10km from Hohoe. There are seasonal iiterfalls at Alambo near Leklebi Agbesia; Likpe Todome and a few others.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Adaklu Mountain Hike
This challenging mountain Hike is led by a Tour guide right up to the topmost part of Adaklu Mt. Located 12kms from Ho. You will encounter colorful birds, butterflies, monkeys and the natural surroundings whilst climbing. Camping is allowed on the mountaintop.

Dedukorpe Ostrich Farm
The farm is one of the peculiarities of the region. A host of products are made from this bird at the farm.

Prinzenstein
Located in Keta, this fort was built by the Danes. This fort played a significant role in the slave trade involving Europeans in West Africa, the Caribbean and southern USA. Apart from a small fort in Benin and Senegal, the fort at Keta is the only ancient European built fort of its kind east of the Volta River, which is close to the slave coast of Benin (Dahomey). Parts of it have been destroyed by the angry waves of the sea, but a significant portion remains to tell a sad story.

Kente Weaving
Agotime-Kpetoe is one of the two capitals of Kente weaving in Ghana. In this rural village, the skill of Kente weaving has been passed on from generation to generation.

Antique Ceramics
Vume a small village near Sogakope, produces large volumes of antique ceramics known as 'Soga Soga'. Large tracts of clay in this village have helped the pottery industry in this area to grow.

Grottos and Caves
Etched out of limestone, The grottos and caves of Volta Region are dramatic. Not to be missed are: The ancestral caves ofLikpe - 14km from Hohoe The grottos ofKpando - Agbehoe and Aziavi The caves ofNyagbo and logba Caves and ironmine workings  Alepaf.

FESTIVALS

Hogbetsotso Festival
On the first Saturday of every November, a grand durbar of chiefs and people is held at Anloga, the traditional home of the Anlo-speaking Ewes. The durbar forms a significant part of the week-long Hogbetsotso festival which commemorates the migration of the Anlo-Ewes from the ancient walled city of Notsie in present day northern Togo, to their present abode in Ghana. They claim they escaped the tyranny of a wicked chief, Agorkoli, by walking "backwards" amid drumming and iancing to war songs. Agbeliza

Cassava Festival Avenorpedo

Avenorpeme and Akatsi are noted for a novel festival - the Agbeliza or cassava festival. The festival is celebrated in August at Avenorpedo. An essential aspect of the festival is the exhibition of the rious cassava products such as agbelikaklo, yakayake, cassava cake, etc.

Agbamevoza (kente festival) of theAgotime people
The chiefs and people of Agotime traditional area, a few kilometers east of Ho, who are indeed Ga-Adanbges, .r.ebrate their annual Kente festivals in August every year. This is a unique festival by all standards. The 'time people claim they introduced the art of Kente »eaving to present-day Ghana and consequently have xen marking this event with a colourful festival. The festival culminates in a durbar of chiefs and subjects and.nous types of Kente cloth are put on display. A unique aspect of the festival is Kente-weaving competition and :>ne that brings about the best in crowned. In the evening :: Saturday. Miss "Agbamevor" (Miss Kente) is selected. This unique festival attracts thousands of people from far and near including tourists.
Amu (Rice) Festival of the people of vane in the Ho District
the name implies, the festival is a harvest festival. It is celebrated at Vane.

Sasadu Festival
In October, any of the four communities forming the Sasadu i.e. Saviefe, Akrofu, Soviet and Alavanyo (on rotational basis) celebrate what is now known as the sadu festival It is a festival of pomp and pageantry meant to rekindle the fraternal relationship that exists between the four communities who are said to be of the same stock. A grand durbar of chiefs crowns the festival.
Dzawuwu Festival of Agave-Ewes Every February, the chiefs and people of the Agave traditional area celebrate their annual Dzawuwu festival at Dabala, their chief commercial centre. It is essentially a thanksgiving festival where special portions foods are sprinkled to the gods. It also commemorates the bravery of the Agaves of the past who fought and won several wars. It is the time to pay tribute to departed ones and to pour libation for the people to renew their loyalty to their rulers. It has an impressive durbar of chiefs to climax it. Drumming and dancing feature prominently.

Keta Sometutuza Festival
Two weeks after the Anlo-Ewes celebrate Hogbetsotso festival, their cousins, the Some-Ewes celebrate their Keta-Sometutuza at Agbozume. which is their traditional home.
This colourful festival of pomp and pageantry is rounded off with a grand durbar of chiefs and their subjects on a Saturday. Chiefs pay homage to their paramount chief and renew their allegiance.The Some area is noted for Kente weaving.

Glimetotoza of the Adaklu people

The chiefs and people of Adaklu traditional area celebrate Glimetotoza to commemorate their exodus from Notsie in present-day Northern Togo to their present abode. During the celebration, the bravery for their ancestors is put on display in forms of war dances, songs and drums.

Wli Falls Festival
The chiefs and people of the three communities forming the Wli Tradition Area - Agoviefe, Afegame and Todzi -celebrate their waterfall festival in September.
Fievie Kpor Legbeza Festival It is celebrated by the chiefs and people of Fievie-Dugame in March, on a bi-annual basis.

For More Information Contact
The Ghana Tourist Board Volta Region. Ho. SIC Building P.O. Box 568, Ho

 Information on this page was taken from GhanaNation.com