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Sights and Sounds

The Crown Forest Experience Redefining Tourism in Ghana

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A giraffe walks calmly past the window while an electric buggy glides through the open savanna without a sound. There are no fences in sight, no roaring engines, no rush from city traffic.

Just wind moving through tall grass and the strange, thrilling realization that this is still Ghana.

That moment has become the defining experience at Crown Forest, a private safari eco-park located in Gamoa and Zouem in Ghana’s Central Region, roughly two hours from Accra.

In a country more globally known for its coastlines, castles and vibrant urban culture, Crown Forest is building a different image of Ghanaian tourism — one shaped by wildlife, stillness and immersion in nature.

Spread across 500 acres, the park offers something rarely associated with West Africa: an open safari landscape where zebras, impalas, hippos and giraffes roam freely while guests move quietly among them in electric-powered vehicles designed to minimize disturbance.

The silence changes everything. Visitors are not simply observing animals; they are sharing space with them.

Adventure Beyond the Game Drive

The safari may draw people in, but the experience stretches far beyond wildlife viewing. Crown Forest is designed as a full-day escape from urban life, where every activity pulls visitors deeper into the landscape.

Quad bike trails cut through dusty terrain and wooded paths, adding bursts of speed and adrenaline to the calm rhythm of the park.

Elsewhere, guests kayak across the Hidden-Sab Beach area, where the water slows the pace and the surrounding quiet settles in almost immediately.

A swimming pool hidden among the trees offers relief from the afternoon heat, creating the feeling of discovering a private retreat in the middle of the wilderness.

What makes the experience particularly striking is how quickly the outside world disappears. Phones stay in pockets longer. Conversations soften.

Even visitors arriving from Accra’s constant movement seem to adjust naturally to the slower tempo of the reserve.

For international travellers unfamiliar with Ghana’s tourism landscape, Crown Forest represents a growing shift toward experiential travel — places that combine recreation, ecology and cultural reflection rather than offering entertainment alone.

The Road That Changes the Mood

Yet the most powerful part of Crown Forest is not the safari. It is Assamansi Road, a preserved ancestral slave route located within the grounds.

Walking the route changes the emotional weight of the visit. The beauty of the savanna suddenly carries deeper meaning, reminding visitors that these landscapes witnessed centuries of movement, suffering, and survival long before tourism arrived. The quiet there feels intentional and deeply human.

Day passes range from 600 to 990 Ghana cedis per person, covering the safari experience, lunch, and up to 8 hours in the park. Guests wanting more time can stay overnight at the resort hotel, where rooms range from $350 to $500 per night.

But long after the price is forgotten, most visitors leave remembering the silence: a giraffe in the distance, the crunch of gravel beneath an electric buggy, and the feeling of discovering a side of Ghana many never expected to exist.

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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Sights and Sounds

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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