Discover Bawku West District: Nature and Culture

Bawku West District offers several distinct travel interests: nature along the Red Volta, hills and river landscapes, as well as cultural heritage. This makes a good starting point when choosing a holiday rental: would you like to focus primarily on wildlife, landscapes or festivals? These local themes can be considered in turn, without reducing the district to a single experience.

Forest Reserve, Hills and Water

Along the Red Volta, a forest reserve is home to wildlife, including elephants, as well as a variety of rare tree species. Wildlife and botanical diversity are equally part of its natural appeal. The reserve will appeal to travellers who want to consider a place not only for its landscape, but also for the plants and animals that live there. If nature is your main reason for choosing the district, the forest reserve is a specific point of interest; hills and waterfalls add other landscape features.

Tourist attractions in Bawku West District include the Teshie Hills, the Soogo Hills, the confluence of the Red and White Volta, and the waterfalls at Zongoire. They also include the forest reserve along the Red Volta, the Widnaba Eco-tourist Site and the Apotdabogo Eco-tourist Site. For a first comparison, the hills offer a different kind of landscape from the river confluence or the waterfalls; Widnaba and Apotdabogo are classified as eco-tourist sites. The district’s tourist sites have so far seen little development. If you are planning a specific visit, check in advance whether the site is currently accessible.

Festivals and Choosing Accommodation

Yourg is a festival associated with cultural practices in Bawku West District; Yong and Zintas are also festivals in the district. This means that, alongside nature and landscapes, cultural themes are another option when planning your trip. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these festivals, check the latest dates and visitor information in advance.

If you are travelling with family, first agree on whether nature, landscapes or culture should be your shared focus.

More to Explore in the Wider Upper East Destination

The wider Upper East destination offers further distinct nature and culture experiences. At the Tongo-Tengzuk Cultural Landscape, the Harmattan wind can produce a whistling sound as it blows through the rocks between December and February. For travellers interested in seasonal natural phenomena, this period provides a specific point of reference.

Architecture offers another way to experience regional culture in Upper East: the Old Navrongo Catholic Cathedral in Navrongo combines European architecture with local building techniques. It is made entirely of mud bricks plastered with mud mortar. The materials and construction make this combination tangible in the building itself.

The Upper East Regional Museum in Bolgatanga displays local pottery, paintings, musical instruments, jewellery, weapons, chiefs’ possessions, carved dark-wood stools and bronze ancestral pots. If you plan to visit the museum, check the latest exhibition information, as the displays may change.

Discover more destinations: Teshie.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Upper East.