Attraction · Tamale
Dakpema Chief's Palace
The Dakpema Chief's Palace is the traditional palace of the Dakpema, chief of Tamale, in Ghana's Dagbon traditional area, and a focal point for Dagbon festivals.
Photo: Samaru Samaru · Source
Explore Ghana
Things to do in Northern Region
Tamale is the beating heart of Ghana's Northern Region, and the places gathered here show why the north rewards a slower, curious kind of travelling. Almost all of them sit in or close to the city, so you can move between living tradition and contemporary art in a single day. The Dakpema Chief's Palace is the traditional home of the Dakpema, chief of Tamale, in the Dagbon traditional area, and a focal point for Dagbon festivals. Nearby, the Centre for National Culture, Tamale, the Northern Regional office of Ghana's National Commission on Culture, holds a crafts village, sewing centres, bars and a restaurant.
What they share is people: makers, traders, artists and hosts. What differs is the mood. Tamale Central Market is busy and everyday, with its Aboabo and Dakurili sections selling food, crafts and clothing. Kukuo Pottery Centre, a traditional pottery-making community near Tamale, is quieter and hands-on. Red Clay Studio, an open art studio, education campus and exhibition complex founded by Ibrahim Mahama, and the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art, an artist-run exhibition, research and residency centre also founded by him, bring the region's boldest contemporary work within easy reach.
Good to know
Before you go
Base yourself in Tamale and group the city sites together, leaving a half-day for Kukuo Pottery Centre just outside town. Ask at your accommodation about the best way to reach each place, and agree any transport arrangements before you set off. Markets are liveliest in the morning; palaces and cultural sites are best visited respectfully, with a greeting for your hosts and a request before taking photographs. SCCA Tamale is open to visitors free of charge, but opening arrangements at smaller sites can change, so check ahead before travelling. Carry water, wear comfortable shoes, and keep small change for market purchases and craft workshops.
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Places to explore
Attraction · Tamale
Red Clay Studio
Red Clay Studio is an open art studio, education campus and exhibition complex founded by Ibrahim Mahama near Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana.
Photo: Christian Yakubu · Source
Attraction · Tamale
Tamale Central Market
Tamale Central Market is a major market in Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana, with Aboabo and Dakurili sections selling food, crafts and clothing.
Photo: Ghana Decides · Source
Attraction
Attraction · Tamale
Centre for National Culture, Tamale
The Northern Regional office of Ghana's National Commission on Culture, in Tamale's Central Business District, with a crafts village, sewing centres, bars and a restaurant.
Attraction
Attraction · Tamale
Kukuo Pottery Centre
Kukuo Pottery Centre is a traditional pottery-making community near Tamale in Ghana's Northern Region, listed by Visit Ghana among the region's key attractions.
Attraction
Attraction · Tamale
Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art
SCCA is an artist-run exhibition, research and residency centre founded by Ibrahim Mahama in Tamale, Ghana, open to visitors free of charge.