As my day in the coastal city of Elmina, Ghana continued, I got my first taste of some truly exotic African street food called bush meat before I headed out to explore Kakum National Park! Come with me as I continue my incredible road trip through Ghana!
My afternoon began with me and my guide Isaac from Jolinaiko Eco Tours riding one hour north to Kakum National Park! The park is famous for its seven suspension bridges, which give you a bird’s-eye view over a forest. It was a forest preserve from 1931 to 1992, when they converted it to a national park.
Kakum National Park is home to tons of wildlife, including endangered species as well as elephants, monkeys, and birds. The scenery on the way to the park is very diverse and ranges from bush to villages. The road was recently paved, so it was nice and smooth!
The lush, thick forest as we approached the park reminded me of El Yunque National Park in Puerto Rico, which I visited back in 2018. It was beautiful and bright green! It only took us 30 minutes to get to the park.
It costs 2 cedi per person to enter the park. They offer two activities: a canopy walk and a nature walk. I’d only be doing the canopy walk for 60 cedi. There’s also a hotel, a restaurant, and a gift shop there.
We headed out on an uphill walk along a stone path through the forest. You should be in good shape if you want to attempt it!
We entered the primary forest and continued on to the canopy walk. The bridges were built in 1994 and sway when you walk across them. Between the bridges are wooden platforms. If you want to walk all seven bridges, take a right at each platform. They’ll take you in a big loop!
The bridges are about 40 meters above the forest floor. The surrounding trees are massive, and the forest is gorgeous. This area reminded me of a zip-line I went to in Hawaii and another forest I visited in Malawi. Surprisingly, there were lots of flies this high up!
What a beautiful place! After you do the canopy walk, you can continue on with a nature walk. But instead, I went to get some food!
Five minutes later, we arrived at a blacksmith’s shop in a nearby village. He was making a farming tool used to cut the roots of trees! Then, we headed on to Tourist Spot Restaurant, where they serve fufu, fish, ampesie, rice package, bush meat, and more!
First, I washed my hands as I listened to the music playing. Inside was a small bar serving a strong, bitter medicinal drink. There’s seating both inside and outside. They have two types of bushmeat: grasscutter and antelope. I’d be eating the antelope with a rice ball called emotuo in a peanut sauce!
The antelope meat was fatty and gamy but tasty, and Isaac let me try some of his grasscutter. I liked it a lot! The emotuo and peanut sauce was outstanding. The emotuo reminded me of Japanese sticky rice. I liked it better than the banku and fufu I’d been eating! Everything was so flavorful!
The ribs are always the best part of any animal, and the antelope was no exception. It’s my favorite dish I’d had in Ghana so far! After the meat and emotuo was gone, I drank the sauce. It was like a yummy peanut soup! Three drinks and three bowls cost less than $2 USD!
Best of all, the people at the restaurant were so friendly and let me film everything!
Next, we drove to a village where people were roasting cassava flour (gari). I tried some. It was nice and crunchy. The people there were too nice!
My name is David Hoffmann. For the last 12 years, I have been traveling around the world in search of unique culture, food, and history! Since starting David’s Been Here in 2008, I have traveled to over 1,200 destinations in 82 countries, which I welcome you to check out on my YouTube channel, travel blog, and social media sites.
I focus a great deal on food and historical sites, as you probably have seen! I love to experience the different flavors that each destination has to offer, from casual street food to gourmet restaurant dining. I’m also passionate about learning about the local history and culture.
P.S. Thank you for watching my videos and subscribing!
This actually reminds me of like sticky rice, the Japanese sticky rice, you know?
It's like, bathe it.
Good afternoon everyone, I hope you're all doing well.
This is David Hoffman from David's Bin here, coming at you from right outside of Elmina, Ghana.
Today I'm so pumped because I'm driving to Kakum National Park.
This is one of the best places in Ghana to get a bird's eye view over a forest
because they have seven suspension bridges.
It's like 350 meters in length, which is like 1,150 feet long.
And this is located around one hour drive north from Elmina.
On the way, as you can see, this is like real Africa.
Bush, right? So we're literally entering the forest.
Kakum National Park was a forest reserve from 1931 until 1992 when they converted it to a national park.
There, there's a lot of different species of wildlife, you know, elephants, monkeys.
They also have lots of birds.
Ready? Let's go. Let's do it.
Oh, and we're going to eat some food.
We're going to see what else we can explore on this road. Let's do it.
We've been driving like 20 minutes and as you can see, it keeps changing, right?
So it's all bush, palm trees, banana trees, and then it's a village.
Bush again, village.
So how many villages are there?
There's a number of villages when traveling from Cape Cod or Elmina to Kakum.
And basically these villages are into farming.
It depends on farms.
Women will process the palm nuts into oil.
Men tap wine.
And they have cacao plantations as well.
And by the way, we're really lucky because this road, he was telling me, right before the election,
it was a really, really bumpy road and they recently paved it.
I've been to some other places in Africa where you literally turn and then you have like two or three hours
on a long stretch because it's a dirt road and lots of potholes.
This is actually perfect.
Paved road, super smooth, really clean.
I've been on those African massage roads, man.
Don't be surprised to experience some of this bumpy.
I'll show you some massage before you leave.
I like it, dude. I just don't like how long it takes.
Sometimes you have to go super slow because there's huge potholes.
So right here in front of us is the Kakum National Park where we are going to visit.
It reminds me of El Yunque in Puerto Rico.
Just the lush, the density, super thick trees, very green.
Man, dude, this is beautiful.
We just passed through the gate of the park.
It costs two CDs per person to enter.
They offer two different activities, canopy walk and nature walk.
You have to pay for each of those separately.
I'm just doing the canopy walk.
And here's the reception, right?
And guys, we actually got here really, really fast.
It wasn't an hour. It was more like 30 minutes.
And that's because the road has been recently paved.
That's good news, dude.
To go on the canopy walk, it costs 60 CDs per foreigner, 25 for somebody from Ghana.
And they also offer nature walks and there's a hotel here.
So if you want to stay here for a night, you can do that.
Here in the waiting area, there's a restaurant, there's a TV and there's a gift shop.
So if you want to buy some stuff, you can do it right here.
If you're hungry or you want to get a beer, you can do that.
It's one o'clock. Let's go.
Hey, I'll see you soon.
All right, so we're walking in.
So how far is it to the canopy?
Roughly, it's an hour tour.
One hour tour?
It's an hour roughly, but it's like we'll be climbing some more here before we get to the destination.
Oh, intense, huh?
It's nice.
I mean, it's a big stairway.
Definitely have to be fit for this one.
Super steep, right?
So it's like almost a foot per step.
Oh, man.
It's noisy.
Noisy, I mean.
You're exercising.
Amazing air.
And he was telling me, lots of different endangered species here.
Yes, we have more than four globally endangered animals.
Oh, yeah?
Oh, wow.
So it hasn't been deforested ever, right?
So it's been protected since 31.
Yes.
So we're entering the canopy walk now.
Need to breathe.
Fresh air.
Birds chirping.
It's actually cooler here.
And this is the first bridge.
Amazing.
Built in 1994.
So if you want to do all seven bridges, you make a right and you go all the way.
Wow, look at this.
Oh, it's swaying.
Careful.
It's actually a little hard with a camera.
Just grab on.
Wow.
So here's the first platform.
It's not so bad.
This is actually easier.
So I made a right because I want to do all seven bridges.
Woo.
Because we're with a group, every time somebody steps onto the bridge, it sways even more.
So definitely just hold on.
Obviously, it would be almost impossible to fall off.
And there's never been an accident, guys.
Never been an accident here.
And the bridges were built in 1994.
Here we go.
Beautiful.
Look at this.
So we're 40 meters above the forest.
Lots of trees.
Lots of flies in the air.
They're bugging me.
It's in my ear.
Wow.
So you just got to keep going, right?
Whoa.
Incredible.
Look how huge these trees are.
Massive trees.
That one's easily like 70 meters over there.
So many more.
I mean, I understand why there's so many monkeys here.
Wow.
So this, it reminds me of a place I went to on the big islands of Hawaii in the north.
We didn't do suspension bridges, though.
We did zip line.
And it also reminds me of Enchisi.
I think it's Enchisi in Malawi.
I've been to a lot of forests like this, guys.
I've been to a lot of suspension bridges.
Let's get low.
Oh my gosh.
You don't want to go against it.
I feel better here.
It's better to get on the bridge before anybody else gets on so it doesn't keep swaying because
the second people get on, it's like woof, woof, woof.
It keeps going back and forth.
Nervous?
Yeah?
So many flies, right?
So many flies.
Oh, this is great.
It's not so scary.
My friends back here, I don't know why they're so scared, but it's good.
It's really enjoyable.
Nice breeze.
The only thing I don't like are little mosquitoes.
Not mosquitoes.
Little flies.
But overall, incredible experience.
Look at this.
To get all in.
Just look, breathe, enjoy the wildlife.
Love it.
Oh, are you scared?
Yes.
Too many people on this bridge.
Just got to hold on.
Whoa, it's swaying.
Really hold on.
All right, guys.
So this is the second to last bridge.
We're doing basically a loop, right?
Big loop.
Look, it sways.
Don't be so scared, Cecile.
You're scared.
This is very long.
And it's at an incline.
We're going up.
I was wrong.
That was the third to last.
There's two smaller ones now.
Beautiful.
All right.
One more to go.
Highly suggest doing this when you come to Ghana.
You have to do it when you come to Ghana.
It's definitely worth it.
Here we go.
Last one.
Sounded like something cracked.
Got to go slow.
Oh, man.
This is awesome.
So, guys, we did it.
Seven suspension bridges.
Oh, man.
Really enjoyable.
Beautiful place.
Want me to do something cool?
Watch.
Oh, sorry.
All right.
Did it.
You are creating your own scenario.
Yeah.
My man, thank you so much.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
You're awesome.
I hope you enjoyed the tour.
I loved it, bro.
Okay.
Thank you.
Take care.
Thank you.
And that's it, my friends.
I did it.
I can continue on Nature Walk from there another hour, but I'm good.
We're going to go back on the road.
We're going to see if we can find some food, and maybe we'll see some crocs.
Maybe.
I survived.
You survived.
Let's go eat some food.
Five-minute drive later.
We're in a small village.
What are we doing here?
We're going to see the blacksmith shop.
Oh, yeah?
Yes.
I love this.
This is like going back into medieval times, bro.
I'm sorry.
Because it's Sunday, there's only one blacksmith here.
Usually, there's a few, right?
He just came back from church, and he's putting this one together.
So, what is this?
What is this piece of metal?
Well, it's a tool that we use on the farm generally to uproot palm tree or a root of any particular tree.
We want to take it from the ground so that we can farm there.
So, this is a tool they use to cut the roots of the tree.
So, he's just sharpening them.
That's basically what he's doing right here.
He's doing like three or four.
These are ready right here.
You're the man.
Thank you.
Well, that was a nice surprise.
Really cool experience there.
Seeing a blacksmith here, some random village.
I love this stuff.
I really do.
And that was crazy hot in there.
I don't know how he's in there all day.
Let's go find some food.
Ben, you missed it.
It was awesome, man.
In the same village, we found a small restaurant called Tourist Spot.
They have fufu, they have rice packages, and they have fufu with bush meat.
Okay.
Exotic.
I think we have to try it.
First things first, put your hands.
And they always have music bumping, always.
It is so hot.
So, it's like another bitter, right?
Another bitter drink.
And this is their small bar.
Lots of drinks.
Lots of local drinks.
You good?
Ghana.
My friend, cheers.
This is Alompo Bites.
Alompo Bites.
Yeah.
Alompo Bites.
Strong.
Another herbal, healthy drink, right?
Medicinal.
I don't know why they love these bitters.
They're a little intense.
Flagrant.
Lots of alcohol.
But good.
It's a nice way to start.
Cheers, my man.
Cheers.
This is a local restaurant.
There's many different dining halls.
There's outdoor sitting over there.
There's indoor.
Less music, obviously, over there.
There's blasting music.
They love that here.
And they have a few different dishes.
They have fufu with fish.
And fufu with bush meat.
The bush meat is what we saw the other day.
It's like a big rodent.
The guy was telling me it's delicious.
And you know what?
I have to try it.
I'm here in Ghana.
I'm not gonna not try it.
Gotta try it.
Bush meat.
Two type of meat.
Bush meat.
They have grass cutter and they have antelope.
So actually I'm taking the grass cutter.
And you are taking the antelope.
Yeah, so I'm not eating grass cutter.
I'm eating antelope.
Thank you.
All right, guys.
We have our fufu with our bush meat.
I got antelope.
He got grass cutter.
Let's eat.
Look.
What?
Fufu with grass cutter and palm nut soup.
We're going to show me if it's okay,
the quantity of soup I'm pouring on the food, all right?
Okay.
So I don't have fufu.
I have omutu, which is a local rice ball.
So two rice balls.
Here I have the ribs of the antelope.
Yes.
Right there I have another piece of flesh.
And this is like a peanut sauce?
Oh, that's good.
Oh, it's going to be fire.
What I'm going to do is pull out this toothpick.
Look at the flesh.
This is exotic.
It's wild.
It's like gelatin.
I personally love peanut sauce.
Oh, this grass cutter right here?
Look at this.
Oh, wow.
It's really good.
So I have to get in here, grab this rice ball.
So good.
Best thing to do is let it absorb that yummy peanut sauce.
It's like a peanut soup, right?
Oh, man.
It's so good.
This actually reminds me of sticky rice,
the Japanese sticky rice, you know?
It's like bathed in.
Everybody here has been so nice.
The whole staff, they let me film everything.
This is a really nice bowl.
Phenomenal.
So I'll pull out some of the ribs, right?
Get some of that flesh.
Get some.
It literally falls off the bone.
Best thing to do is combine them both, right?
Like that.
I love the rice ball.
I actually like it better than the baku and the pupu.
The ribs is the best piece of any animal.
Look at that, right?
Look at all that.
Mmm.
Of the grass cutter.
Yeah.
The rice soup, they mix it with the intestine of the grass cutter.
I highly recommend eating everything peanut in Ghana.
Just round that rice ball.
Oh, yeah.
Mmm.
Obviously, bush meat is very gamey.
The best dish I've had in Ghana.
One last bite and I'm going to show you how you end this.
We go in and we drink.
Mmm.
Wow.
It's like a peanut soup.
Guys, I love peanut.
Peanut dressing is the main reason why I love Indonesian dishes.
And this is just like out of control.
It's very different, you know, eating from a soup with your hands.
You usually use a spoon, right?
But when in Ghana, do it like the Ghanaians.
Oh, man.
It's too good.
I have to clean my hands.
Yes.
So, it's always like this.
Not because of COVID, right?
Just always.
Thank you.
Like less than two bucks for like three drinks.
And then 66 to 12 for three big bowls.
Good deal.
Thank you.
Thank you, bro.
Thank you.
Friendliest people in Ghana right here at this restaurant.
Too friendly.
They let me film everything.
One experience, the food was phenomenal.
Delicious.
With your food?
Oh.
Good.
Ben's very shy.
Let's go.
Where the crocodiles at?
Another stop, guys.
I don't know what we're going to see here.
Alright, let's cross.
You know, whenever you are eating the red bread,
they add some white flour.
And I said it's from cassava dough.
So, this is the cassava dough.
And they are roasting it.
Roasted cassava dough is what we call gari.
It goes with almost all the food.
Today we add wache.
On top of the wache,
they add gari.
Basically, they turn the cassava into powder.
Right?
So, it's like powder.
And then they heat it up.
And that's it.
Cassava flour.
They roast the cassava.
Incredible.
So, this is it.
So, they have the fire here.
Really hot.
The woman here and the man here.
So, the gari is ready.
Oh, it's so hot.
Very crunchy.
Nice and crunch.
It's so hot.
It's ridiculous.
Yeah, it's too hot.
If you get on that side, it's boiling.
But how do they know when it's ready?
It's so hot.
Put my hand here.
Thank you.
Thanks guys.
Thank you all.
Thank you.
I'm like on fire.
Hey, you're the best.
You're the best.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Let's go.
Thank you.
Everybody in this village is too nice.
Wow, where's our guy?
There he is.
Let's go.
And after a 20-minute drive, we're back in Elmina.
We're in front of the church, fort, castle over there.
Lots of people.
Very easy day trip.
This is an afternoon day trip.
You know, we started at like 1230, made our way all the way over there.
Saw the canopies in Kakum National Park.
Seven different incredible suspension bridges.
Beautiful view over the forest there.
Then we saw grass work.
Cassava flour we made.
We had delicious rice bowl with peanut soup and bushmeat.
I had antelope.
He had grass cutter.
Grass cutter.
Grass cutter was phenomenal, dude.
I mean, I'll try it again.
Next time.
Next time I can, I'll eat that.
And yeah, guys.
I hope you enjoyed the video.
That was the trip to Kakum National Park from Elmina.
You have to do that when you're in this town.
And yeah, guys.
Please give me a thumbs up.
Leave me a comment below.
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We'll see you in the next Travel Food Adventure.
Somewhere in Ghana.
Let's go.
