There Will Be Elephants

Mr. O's parents are quite enlightened and fairly culture-savvy. However, they also clearly stated that if they were coming to Africa, they were not leaving without seeing elephants. So, they made plans to head to the North.

Note the subtle differences in Northern Ghana.

While somewhat artificial, most separate Northern Ghana and Southern Ghana as two completely separate countries. Indeed, if the British had not claimed the land they did as the Gold Coast, they could have easily been separated as independent nations. The South is wet, jungle and dominated by Akan-speakers and Christians. The North is dry, savannah, with a very large Muslim population and several regional languages. The average resident of Bolgatanga has much more in common with their cousins over the border in Burkina Faso than to someone in Accra. So the North remains the neglected child of the nation.

In spite of this, the North has a lot going for it: unique architecture and art, disarmingly pleasant and hospitable people, fresh watermelon juice, delicious guinea fowl...

"I knew I should have taken that left turn at Ouagadougou."

Just as exciting for tourists is the chance to undertake a bona fide African safari at Mole National Park. A major caveat: the West African safari experience is quite different from its Eastern and Southern African counterparts. There is no Big Five, no luxury hotels and pampered game drives and certainly no pith helmets. That being said, there is something very cool about an ultra-cheap safari on the wrong side of Africa.

The good news is that getting there is easier than it used to be. In the good old days, Mr. O needed to take an overnight bus to get to the fledgling metropolis of Tamale, then a boneshaker tro-tro for several hours to the park. While it is still the main way to travel for the average Ghanaian, flying has become relatively cheap and convenient. One hour in the air and less than two at the airports compared to 12 hours on a bus with frigid AC and blaring Nollywood's most ridiculous films. The gravel road between Tamale and Wa is also getting a much-needed paving that is making the area significantly more accessible. So Grandpa and Grandma went for the airborne option, early on a Sunday morning. They stopped at the Gariba Lodge, whose courtyard is the ideal place to enjoy an omelet and a cup of freshly-brewed coffee.

Migrating creatures frolic at the watering hole at sunset.

They pressed onwards to Mole in a rented SUV. Notably, they saw a fellow with a camel surrounded by curious children. Somebody's uncle was apparently visiting from Mali.

On arrival at the park and eponymous Mole Motel in the mid-afternoon, they waited for lunch and observed the poolside fauna: athletic British students, not-so-athletic German forty-somethings, sunburned backpackers and - lurking just around the corner - baboons looking for an opportunity to steal a few morsels. Baboons can be quite clever, adventurous and aggressive, which is why it is best to stay near one's food and to keep their room's doors and windows locked at all times.

Cheeky monkey.

Mole is the largest protected area in the country, but it is woefully underdeveloped. There are a few regular roads for safari, but very little access into the heart of the park itself. This means both limited tourism prospects and greater difficulty for rangers to observe animals and patrol for poachers. There are also few options for viewing, although it has improved in recent years. One can go for a morning or afternoon drive in a private or park-owned vehicle, guided hikes, birding excursions and now night drives to see hyenas and civets. Accommodations are also improving: there is the nearby Mognori Eco Village homestay and after many years of talk, they are also building an upscale eco-lodge nearby.

Surprisingly difficult to see if one is not looking carefully.

Well, perhaps you DO have the right of way, sir.

The family did the afternoon safari and there was lots to see: various species of bucks, crocodiles and colourful birds -  their guide Usman had a keen eye and knew his birds, which made the birding part rather fun. They drove out for almost two hours with a convoy, staying out a bit later to look for the beautiful-yet-unassumingly-named grey kingfisher. On the way back, the group was rewarded with a private sighting of four massive elephants browsing the forest and going for a stroll in front of the vehicle. Seeing elephants at Mole is almost guaranteed, but getting that close was a real treat.

There did not appear to be an organized night drive, so the family slept. However, one of Mole's quirks is that the only public bus through nearby Larabanga comes at 04:30, so one could hear quite the ruckus of tourists packing up in the middle of the night.

The following morning, the group joined a walking tour to nearby watering holes, where elephants congregated. There were also plenty of warthog (who seem to be quite cozy with the locals) and a flock of wild guinea fowl. The walk was a nice rendez-vous before the morning sun got too hot. The pool was used afterwards to great effect.

All worth it for a photo of this adorable warthog piglet.

On the way back to Tamale to catch their flight home, Mr. O took a detour at Nyakpala to the SeKaf shea butter village and processing plant, which produces high-quality shea butter TAMA line of cosmetics for export. If Northern Ghana is to harness its economic potential, it will be in no small part due to outfits like this one that not only harvest local goods but add value, package professionally and sell internationally. In Tamale, the group also went to the craft market, which is much quieter and with less hassle than in Accra. The group also passed by Tamale's most noticeable landmark: a giant football stadium purpose-built for the 2008 African Cup of Nations, now sitting disused without a local team.

The group flew out that afternoon, making a whirlwind of a safari in 36 hours. Not a bad way to tick the quintessential box on an African trip. Grandma and Grandpa would leave a couple of days later feeling quite satisfied with their trip, between the beaches, the markets, the chop and the elephants.