Ghana 2019 - Elmina Castle and National Park: Kakum

We continued our theme of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade by visiting Elmina Castle. Built in 1482, it’s the oldest European-commissioned structure outside of continental Europe. It was the final African destination for so many of the souls stolen and bathed at yesterday’s location, Assin Manso.

Our group had a wonderful guided tour that painted a grim but full picture of this landmark’s history.

Following Elmina, we made the drive an hour inland to Ghana’s very first National Park: Kakum. At Kakum, we traversed the rainforest canopy on rope bridges suspended hundreds of feet above the forest floor. Some of us moved more quickly and confidently than others (to say the least), but we all completed the challenge and got a rare vantage point of those beautiful old growth trees.