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How Accra’s Artisan Shopping Tours Are Giving Visitors a Taste of Ghana’s Creative Spirit

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Most travellers leave a destination with a suitcase full of souvenirs. The lucky ones leave with stories behind every purchase.

That is the promise of Accra’s guided souvenir shopping tour, an experience that transforms a simple shopping trip into a journey through Ghana’s thriving creative economy.

Instead of wandering unfamiliar markets or guessing which handcrafted items are genuinely local, visitors are introduced to the city’s artisan culture with the guidance of someone who understands both the products and the people behind them.

The experience offers flexibility from the outset. Travellers can choose a fully chauffeured tour that takes care of transportation throughout the day or opt for a “Meet Me There” package for those who prefer to make their own way to the starting point.

Whichever option they select, guests are welcomed with complimentary Ghanaian chocolate and a refreshing local drink, setting the tone for an outing that celebrates the country’s craftsmanship as much as its hospitality.

For many international visitors, shopping in Ghana can be both exciting and overwhelming. Accra’s markets and artisan centres are filled with colourful textiles, hand-carved wooden sculptures, beadwork, leather goods, woven baskets, jewellery, and contemporary African fashion accessories.

Without local knowledge, however, it can be difficult to distinguish handmade treasures from mass-produced imports or to understand the cultural stories behind each item.

A guided shopping experience bridges that gap. Visitors gain insight into traditional craftsmanship, the symbolism woven into many Ghanaian designs and the techniques that have been passed down through generations of artisans.

Every purchase becomes more meaningful because it carries a connection to the maker and the community where it originated.

The tour also reflects a growing shift in global travel. Increasingly, tourists are looking beyond famous landmarks in search of authentic experiences that support local businesses and create lasting memories.

Rather than collecting generic souvenirs, many travellers now seek products with cultural significance and a clear sense of place.

For Accra, this trend presents an opportunity to showcase one of its greatest strengths: creativity. Ghana’s capital has become a dynamic centre for art, fashion, design and entrepreneurship, where traditional craftsmanship comfortably exists alongside contemporary innovation.

Guided artisan tours introduce visitors to that creative energy while encouraging responsible tourism that benefits local makers.

The tasting element adds another layer to the experience. Ghana is one of the world’s leading cocoa producers, making locally produced chocolate a fitting introduction to the country’s agricultural heritage.

Pairing it with a traditional local beverage creates a warm welcome that appeals to the senses before the shopping even begins.

In the end, the most valuable souvenir may not be the handcrafted basket or beaded necklace tucked into a travel bag. It is the understanding that every item tells a story—one shaped by Ghanaian culture, creativity and the skilled hands that keep those traditions alive.

Sights and Sounds

Mind Craft Camps Accra Turns School Holidays into Adventures in Creativity and Discovery

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For children, a school holiday is an invitation to explore, imagine and play. For parents, finding activities that keep young minds engaged while providing a safe, supervised environment can be a challenge.

In Accra, Mind Craft Camps offers a way to bring both needs together, turning school breaks into opportunities for creativity, discovery and practical learning.

Organised by Cheeky Monkey Club, a provider of holiday camps in Ghana’s capital, Mind Craft is a multi-activity, outdoor-based programme built around invention literacy and skill development.

Its approach gives children room to enjoy their holidays while engaging in imaginative activities designed to encourage curiosity and new skills.

The camps run around school holidays throughout the year, with the summer programme taking place from July through August. Sessions run from 9am to 3pm and welcome children aged three to 12, offering families a structured option during the long school break.

A key feature is the way children are grouped according to age. Participants aged three to five, six to eight, and nine to 12 are placed in separate groups, allowing activities to be suited to their different stages of development.

This arrangement helps ensure that younger children and older participants can engage with programmes appropriate to their abilities and interests.

Located in East Legon and Cantonments, Mind Craft also offers parents flexibility when planning their children’s holiday schedules. Depending on availability, families can choose drop-in sessions, half-day or full-day attendance, bookings for the entire summer, or weekly packages.

Fees are charged in Ghanaian cedis, with options starting from GH₵100, making it possible for parents to consider different arrangements based on their schedules and budgets.

By combining outdoor activities, supervised play and skill-building, Mind Craft Camps presents school holidays as more than a pause from classroom learning.

They become an opportunity for children to experiment, make discoveries and develop their abilities while enjoying the freedom of play.

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Sights and Sounds

From Fresh Sushi to Korean Bulgogi: Discovering Ninano in Ghana

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Step inside Ninano Korean and Japanese Restaurant, and the atmosphere offers a welcome escape from the familiar.

With its distinctive wooden interiors, freshly prepared sushi and traditional East Asian dishes, the restaurant brings a taste of Japan and Korea to Ghana, creating a dining experience that has attracted both international attention and expatriate diners.

For Japanese and Korean nationals living and working in Ghana, Ninano offers familiar flavours far from home.

For other diners, it presents an opportunity to explore two celebrated Asian culinary traditions under one roof.

Japanese cuisine takes centre stage through freshly prepared sushi and udon noodles. Thick and satisfying, udon is a Japanese wheat-flour noodle commonly served in a hot broth, offering a comforting alternative to lighter dishes.

Sushi, meanwhile, provides a fresh, carefully prepared option that has helped the restaurant gain recognition beyond Ghana, including a feature on Japanese television.

Korean food brings a different character to the menu. Bulgogi, a popular Korean dish whose name translates roughly to “fire meat”, features thin slices of beef or pork marinated before being grilled.

Its savoury, richly seasoned flavour makes it a natural companion to the restaurant’s Japanese offerings.

Yet Ninano’s appeal extends beyond the food. Live music adds to the atmosphere, while large-screen televisions occasionally show live sports and other events.

The bar serves cocktails, wines, soft drinks and Japanese and Korean favourites, giving guests another reason to linger after their meal.

Service and ambience also contribute to the experience. Previous diners have praised the speedy service and quality of the food, describing the restaurant’s wooden setting as an environment that can momentarily make them feel as though they have travelled beyond Ghana’s borders.

Ultimately, Ninano offers more than a menu of Asian specialities. It provides a meeting point for familiar tastes and new discoveries, making it a distinctive destination for sushi lovers, Korean food enthusiasts and anyone seeking an East Asian dining experience in Ghana.

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EPP BookShop at Legon: A Destination for Students, Families and Book Lovers

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A child searching for their first picture book, a university student hunting for a prescribed textbook or a reader hoping to find their next favourite novel can all begin their search at the same place: EPP BookShop at Legon City Mall.

Located at 7 Lagoon Street, off Giffard Road, the Legon branch brings together books for different ages, interests and stages of learning.

Its appeal lies in the range of titles available, making it a useful stop for families preparing children for school, students pursuing higher education and readers looking beyond the classroom.

From a Small Accra Shop to a Growing Book Business

EPP Books began in 1991 as a modest bookshop in Accra, occupying a space of no more than 20 square metres.

Over the years, it grew into a chain with branches across the West African sub-region, expanding its reach beyond its original location.

That journey reflects the continuing need for accessible books in homes, schools and educational institutions.

For many learners, textbooks and supplementary readers are essential tools, while novels and self-help books offer opportunities for entertainment, personal growth and discovery.

Books for Different Stages of Life

At the Legon branch, the selection spans preschool materials, children’s readers, school curriculum books, secondary-school textbooks and university-level titles. Customers can also browse bestselling novels and books on personal development.

EPP BookShop serves both retail and wholesale customers, giving individual readers and organisations options for purchasing books. If a particular title is unavailable on the shelves, the shop can also arrange to order it.

For residents, students and visitors in the Legon area, the branch offers more than a place to buy reading materials. It provides a practical starting point for the search for knowledge, whether that begins with a child’s first schoolbook or a reader’s next literary adventure.

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