Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary Tourist Information / Receptive Centre

The Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary and Cultural Village Tourist Information / Receptive Centre is the arrival point for visitors to the sanctuary and cultural village in Tafi Atome, Afadzato South District, Volta Region. It was commissioned as an upgrade of the sanctuary under the Ghana Tourism Authority's Tourism Development Fund, and the works included a new tourist receptive facility, a modern seven-seater washroom, three visitor pavilions, wire mesh and bamboo perimeter fencing, paved grounds, a car park and repainting of existing structures.

The centre matters because it is where a visit actually begins. Guides are arranged here and directions given, including to the nearby Tafi Abuife kente village. A small craft and souvenir shop at the visitor centre sells local kente cloth and carvings. A rustic six-room guesthouse sits adjacent to the centre, with flush toilets and showers; sheets are provided but towels are not, and rooms are reserved through the Information Center on arrival. A community cook serves meals at a circular open-air shelter, with breakfast and dinner included for guesthouse guests. Bottled water, soft drinks and beer are sold in small village shops, and moto-taxis are available in front of the Information Center.

The sanctuary itself is a sacred grove and community forest around the village, home to mona and patas monkeys, established in 1993 under the direction of a Peace Corps volunteer. Local people consider the monkeys sacred messengers of the gods, a belief that protected the animals and their forest habitat for generations. Tourism revenue has funded village electricity, school improvements and a community clinic.

Visitors arrange a guide at the reception centre and take a guided walk of roughly one to one and a half hours into the forest to see the monkeys, which are habituated and often come close. Village tours, pineapple farm visits and kente weaving at nearby Tafi Abuipe can also be arranged.

The sanctuary is about 230 km northeast of Accra and 43 km south of Hohoe. From the main Ho–Hohoe road at Logba Alekpeti, turn at the Monkey Sanctuary sign onto the dirt road for about 5 km to the visitor centre. Opening hours are given as 6 am to 6 pm daily. Monkeys are generally out at any time of day except from November through January, when they leave the village forest to forage roughly 6:00–8:00 am and 3:30–6:00 pm; early morning is described as the best time to see them.