Rivers in Ghana: Volta, Ankobra and Oti Boat Trips

Vehicles and people waiting for the ferry to cross the Oti River at Dambai. — Oti River · Photo: Mykojo · License: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

Ghana's rivers are the country's quietest great attraction. The Volta and its arms shape the east, the Ankobra and Amansuri wetlands water the west, and the Black and White Volta run through the north, so a river journey here can mean a ferry crossing at Dambai on the Oti River, a canoe through mangroves to Nzulezo, or a slow afternoon on the water below the Adomi Bridge at Atimpoku.

What these places share is water you can actually use: boat trips, crossings, riverside resorts and sacred streams. Where they differ is character. The Akosombo Dam and Adomi Bridge are feats of engineering on the Volta; Ada Foah Beach and the Anyanui to Ada Foah boat trip show the river meeting the Atlantic; Wechiau Hippopotamus Sanctuary and the White Volta at Daboya are about wildlife, birdlife and salt-making; Tagbo River and Antoa Nyamaa Shrine carry spiritual weight. Riverside stays such as The Royal Senchi Hotel and Resort, Afrikiko Riverfront Resort and Cisneros Villa Hotel in Sogakope make it easy to linger.

Good to know

Before you go

Plan around water levels and rainfall, as some crossings and boat trips run best in the drier months. Distances are long, so group places by region: Akosombo, Atimpoku and Sogakope sit close together on the Volta, while Axim, Beyin and Sanwoma belong to a western trip, and Daboya, Dambai and Wechiau to a northern one. Shared taxis, tro-tros and private cars are the usual way between towns; ferries such as the Dambai crossing carry passengers and vehicles. Before setting out, confirm boat departures, ferry times and whether a guide is needed, especially for community-run sites like Wechiau and the Amansuri Wetland. Carry cash, water and sun protection, and ask locally before photographing shrines or sacred streams.

Start here

Places to explore

Resort

Resort · Anyanui

The Chill River Resort

The Chill River Resort is a riverfront leisure resort on the Volta River at Tunu near Anyanui, in the Anloga area of Ghana's Volta Region, close to the river's estuary.

Resort

Resort · Sogakope

Waterfront Paradise Resort

Riverside accommodation on Hotel Avenue in Sogakope, Volta Region, listed as a hotel-type stay with rooms from about $60 per night.

Attraction

Attraction · Xavi

Xavi Bird Sanctuary

Community-run bird sanctuary on the Lotor River in Xavi, Akatsi South District, Volta Region, known for river canoe rides and birdlife; operating status uncertain.

Rivers in Ghana