Ghana Beads Lovers Tour
Duration: 8 days and 7 nights
Flight Arrivals: Morning, afternoon and evening
Package Type: All-inclusive
Accommodation: Hotel or Guesthouse
Pricing: Varies based on selected dates of travel and group size
Available upon requests for FITs and Groups
Price includes
- Transportation between the program
- Meals
- Services of the guide of the program
- Museum tickets
Price does not include
- Other costs not offered in this program
- Tip for your tour guide
Itinerary
Day 1: Friday
Morning flight arrival
Arrive at Kotoka International Airport, Accra in the morning on a transcontinental or direct flight. Complete Customs and Immigration formalities and retrieve your baggage.
Proceed to the airport exit where you will see a tour manager/guide holding a placard with your name for identification. Board the tour bus and transfer to your hotel for check in.
After completing the check in process, have lunch at the hotel restaurant (included).
Spend the rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure (currency exchange transactions will be addressed during this period)
Enjoy your dinner at the hotel restaurant. (Dinner on own account)
Or
Evening flight arrival
Arrive at Kotoka International Airport, Accra in the evening on a transcontinental or direct flight. Complete Customs and Immigration formalities and retrieve your baggage.
Proceed to the airport exit where you will see a tour manager/guide holding a placard with your name for identification. Board the tour bus and transfer to your hotel for check in.
After completing the check in process, have dinner at the hotel restaurant (included). Retire to your room to recuperate from your flight.
Overnight: Hotel or Guesthouse
Day 2: Saturday
Have a hearty breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Depart to the Eastern Region of Ghana to spend the day viewing the bead making process and to shop for beads. The day will be spent visiting the following 4 townships; Agomanya, Somanya, Krobo and Odumase, which form a main production and marketing center for glass beads.
5 types of glass beads are produced here including transparent and opaque beads made of chipped, powdered or recycled glass and painted beads. The artisans also melt and reform chipped and broken beads. Artisans at the Cedi Bead Industry will show you how tools of the trade are made.
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Kilns constructed from termite mound clay with a base formed with recycled automotive leaf springs and axles.
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Circular terracotta clay reusable molds with several depressions of the same shape and size
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Circular terracotta clay reusable molds with a single depression of a selected shape
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A steel mortar and pestle used to crush opaque and transparent recycled glass bottles into fine powder. Recycled glass windows are also utilized.
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A stone mortar and rock used in chipping glass instead of crushing it into powder.
The bead making process involves filling the depressions in the terracotta molds with layers of either crushed or chipped glass of a single or multiple colours depending on the design of the bead. The leaf stem of the Cassava plant is inserted into the layered glass to form the hole in the beads. The filled molds are then place in the kiln and heated up to extreme temperatures.
Tour participants will view the entire bead making process and depending on an advanced confirmation of interest by a requisite number, can participate in a class.
After lunch at an area restaurant, spend the rest of the afternoon shopping for beads during the bead market day.
Late afternoon departure to Accra. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel head to your room for rest and to refresh yourselves. Dinner will be at restaurant in the city.
After dinner, transfer to the hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.
Lunch included, Dinner on own account, Overnight: Hotel or Guesthouse
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Day 3: Sunday
After and early breakfast and check out of hotel, depart for Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti Region.
Your northbound road trip takes you through the farming belt of the country. The Ashanti Region is a major growing area for cocoa which is the largest export crop of the country. Arrive at Ejisu in the mid-afternoon and transfer to your hotel for check.
Utilize the rest of the day shopping at the Kente and Wood Carving craft villages. The first craft village visited is Bonwire - the Kente Village where beautiful Kente cloth is hand woven on looms. Different styles and colours of Kente cloth are used for graduation stoles, to make dresses and to accentuate different types of clothing and accessories.
Ahwiaa, the Wood Carving village where wooden chest, stools, drums and statues are carved will the second and last stop on this short shopping trip. Take the opportunity to shop for yourself or purchase gifts at both craft villages.
Early evening return to the hotel. After dinner at the hotel restaurant, retire to your room for the night.
Lunch on own account, Dinner included Overnight: Hotel or Guesthouse
Day 4: Monday
The day will spent visiting the Ashanti villages of Daabaa, Asufua and Pasoro where the production of glass beads is centered.
The bead making process in the Ashanti Region is very similar to the process seen in the towns and villages in the Eastern Region. You will have the opportunity to view how Horizontal stripped beads are made. Unlike the process seen in Krobo Odumase for circular beads, layers of different colours of powdered or crushed glass extend above the top surface of the mold. These molds are designed for the horizontal placement of cassava leave stems.
Horizontal beads are heated in the kiln in a 2 step process. After the first heating, fired beads are reheated in the kiln to form the other side. Complete formed beads are left to cool and later rubbed by hand on a wet abrasive stone to grind off any rough edges. Tour participants will also view how Barrel shaped beads are made.
The rest of the day will be spent shopping for different and unique beads at the 3 villages.
Early evening arrival at the hotel.
After refreshing yourselves, head to a restaurant in the Kumasi for dinner.
Lunch on account, Dinner included, Overnight: Hotel or Guesthouse
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Day 5: Tuesday
Enjoy breakfast and complete the hotel check out process. Before departing to Accra, we will visit Ntonsu where the Adinkra craft village is located to view the traditional ink dye stamping technique used to make Adinkra cloth. Adinkra symbols espouse traditional wisdom based on Asante history and culture. “Gye Name” (Accept God) and “Sankofa” (Go back and take or learn) are two well-known examples.
Upon completion of the artisan exhibition, start the southbound road trip to Accra. Arrive in Accra in the late afternoon – early evening and transfer directly to your hotel. After completion of the hotel room check in process, spend some time recuperating from the journey.
After dinner, spend the rest of the evening at leisure.
Lunch on own account, Dinner included, Overnight: Hotel or Guesthouse
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Day 6: Wednesday
The entire day will be sent shopping for beads in Accra and the Eastern Region to take advantage of the Agomanya Bead Market day which falls on Wednesday.
Our first stop will be at TK Beads Industry located in the north eastern part of Accra. Spend the morning perusing their selection of beads and purchasing those you like.
Continue the road to the Eastern region for a walk through the Agomanya market at a leisurely pace and take your time shopping. Spot unique beads you may have missed during the half day spent shopping during your first visit. Inquire from the traders if they have unique beads which are not on display but for sale.
Upon completion of the shopping expedition, embark on the return journey to Accra in the late afternoon.
Arrival in Accra and transfer directly to your hotel. After a brief respite and refreshing yourselves, head to a restaurant in the city for dinner.
Lunch on own account, Dinner included, Overnight: Hotel or Guesthouse
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Day 7: Thursday
After breakfast, head to the city for a full day shopping tour. Stops will be made at several of the unique stores and boutiques in Accra selling a wide variety of Arts, Crafts, Fashion, Jewelry and Home Décor.
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Our first stop will be at Sun Trade Beads where a variety of unique jewelry made out of beads, bronze, bull horns are sold. Handmade greeting cards, shawls, scarves, home accessories, bead spreads and painted wall art are also sold here.
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Visit Colours of Africa a small boutique selling souvenirs, crafts, paintings, home decorations and antique furniture.
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Stop over a Global Mamas to shop for handmade products of the highest quality made by women entrepreneurs participating in community works programs to transform their lives
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Head to Vidals Boutique to shop for Afrocentric fashions
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Visit Epreuve in East Legon for the Garden Experience and to shop for Bamboo products including smartphone cases, tea sets, trays and root baskets.
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Head to Nubuke Foundation to shop for Afrocentric gifts like earrings, necklaces, purses, sandals, handbags and postcards
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Visit Wild Gecko Handicrafts to shop for a large variety of unique locally manufactured products along others sourced from many countries in Africa.
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Stop by Happy Art Academy to shop for contemporary ceramic pieces such as vases and gourds as well as beautiful wooden lamps and chests.
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Visit Joninod Crafts to shop for decorative wooden plates, Afrocentric framed mirrors, stylish vases and beautiful bowls.
Upon completion of the shopping expedition, return to the hotel in the early evening. Enjoy a delicious dinner at the hotel restaurant. After dinner, spend some time packing for your return flight home.
Lunch on own account, Dinner included, Overnight: Hotel or Guesthous
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Day 8: Friday
Morning flight departure
After a very early breakfast, complete the hotel check out process and have your luggage packed onto the tour bus. Transfer to Kotoka International Airport for check in for your morning flight home. After saying our good byes, enter the passenger only section of the airport to complete the check in process and board your return flight.
Evening flight departure
Spend the early morning finalizing your packing for your return flight home. After breakfast, re-visit 2 of the shopping venues (Based on group consensus) to conduct your last minute shopping.
Early afternoon return to the hotel. Complete your hotel or guesthouse check out process. After lunch, transfer to the airport for check in for return flight home.
Upon completion of the airport check-in process, transfer to Marina Mall for rest and relaxation. Window shop or purchase your dinner at the Food Court.
Final transfer to the airport to board your flight. After saying our heartfelt goodbyes, we wish you a safe journey back home.