Kakum National Park

Kakum National Park is a protected area in Ghana's Central Region, in the Cape Coast Metropolitan District, near the village of Abrafo and roughly 33 km north of Cape Coast and Elmina along Jukwa Road. It covers about 375 sq km (145 sq mi) of moist evergreen and semi-deciduous tropical forest. The land was declared a forest reserve in 1931 and gazetted a national park in 1992 under the Wildlife Reserves Regulations (LI 1525), separated from the adjoining Assin Attandanso Forest Reserve. The park takes its name from the Kakum River, which rises within it.

The park's best-known feature is the Kakum Canopy Walkway, a series of seven hanging bridges suspended above the forest floor and built from wire rope, aluminium ladders, wooden planks and safety netting. The walkway is the main reason many visitors come, and it is the park's principal viewpoint over the forest.

Kakum is recognised as an Important Bird Area, with 266 recorded bird species. Its recorded fauna includes forest elephants, bongo antelope, Diana monkey, forest buffalo, civet and duikers. The visitor centre opened on Earth Day in 1997, and the park received the Global Tourism for Tomorrow Award the following year. The park is managed by the Ghana Heritage Conservation Trust together with the Wildlife Division.

Facilities listed by the park include the canopy walkway, hiking trails, an exhibition hall, a picnic area, camp sites, tree houses, rest stops, a reception and waiting area, washrooms, a restaurant, gift shops and a photo shop, with a checkpoint for tours. The park is described as family friendly. The tree house is used for overnight camping and guided night walks.

Practical planning notes: the park is reached from Cape Coast or Elmina by road via Jukwa Road, near Abrafo. Contact details published by the operator are [email protected], reception on +233 50-129-1699 and a programmes officer on +233 54-252-1050. Opening hours, entry fees and walkway access rules are not confirmed in the available material and should be checked with the operator before travelling. The coordinates held for the park describe the general feature location rather than a verified visitor entrance.