Trip Reports

 

Marcy, Leah and Shana Bernbaum

 

I and my two daughters (ages 26 and 30) just returned from a month's trip to West Africa where we visited Morocco, Mali, and Ghana. For all three trips we went through travel companies (local companies in Mali and Ghana and an Australian company - Intrepid - in the case of Morocco).  While we thoroughly enjoyed all three visits, as well as finding them very educational, the one that really stood out was the one to Ghana.  A large part of our positive experience is due to the way Ashanti African Tours organized and managed our trip.

 

The highly positive experience started with planning the trip.  I told Mark that I was a retired foreign service officer with USAID, had spent most of my life in development (including living in Kenya), that I am a frustrated applied cultural anthropologist who is very interested in the cultures of the countries I visited, and that I didn't want a typical "tourist" trip. I also told him that my daughters (a fourth year medical student and a school teacher) were also very interested in programs with an ecological focus; as well as education and health systems in Ghana.

 

Based on what we told him, Mark put together a trip that covered all of our interests.  In 7 days and six nights (unfortunately we had limited time) he organized a trip that collectively met our interests.  We went to Kumasi which is the seat of the Ashanti kingdom where we visited a Museum on the grounds of the King's Palace.  We went to craft villages near Kumasi where we saw Kente cloth being weaved. We went to a Cacao plantation (cacao is one of Ghana's major experts), which my school teacher daughter was very interested in given she had done a unit on chocolate with her students. We went to two fascinating ecotourism spots supported by USAID: a forest with sacred monkeys (including a grave yard for the monkeys) attached to two villages where the people worshipped the monkeys; a hippo reserve attached to a fascinating village (where we stayed in a compound built for visitors and had the local villagers come to dance for us, very spontaneous, they had lots of fun as did we!).  In both cases we went into family compounds in the villages and had a chance to talk to family members. We also went to a game park which is known for elephants.

 

What we particularly liked about the trip was that, with the exception of the visit to the game park, we didn't see any other tourists: we ate in local restaurants, stayed in hotels (2 and 3 star) which were primarily frequented by Ghanaians.  In addition, and a real treat, we went to Mark's home in Kumasi for dinner where -- in addition to having a wonderful Ghanaian dinner -- we met and talked to Mark's wonderful Ghanaian extended family.  The trip was definitely value for money.

 

Another plus was that accompanying us on the tour (in addition to Mark and his brother in law who is the driver) was a gentleman who had just been named Ghana Cultural Guide for the year 2006 by the government. He was terrific: we learned so much from him (we also learned a lot from Mark, it was fascinating getting his take on customs and culture in Ghana as well as the take of the cultural guide).

 

We also loved the exchange: Mark was as interested in us as we were in him and Ghana. This made, early on, for a wonderful atmosphere in the car and as the trip developed.

 

Finally, I really appreciated Mark's sincere interest in the country.  In addition to the program being a "responsible" travel program, Mark is personally very interested in becoming involved in integrated rural development through eco-tourism. He would like to support a community living near a wildlife program with opportunities for income through tourism, assure conservation of the wildlife, and assist the community with development needs (water, solar energy, education, etc.).

 

Ashanti African Tours are a terrific company, in my humble opinion

 

Marcy

 

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Holly, Richard and Liz

 

My husband and I have travelled to many out-of-the-way spots on this earth, always under the guidance of major adventure travel companies. When it came to Ghana which finds itself on no major companies’ itineraries, we knew we were taking a chance by signing on by internet for a cultural tour of Ghana with a company unknown to us.

 

What a delightful surprise it was to travel with Mark William’s Ashanti African Tours! Our group was small and we never felt as if we received less than the most attentive treatment. Tropical Ghana is not for the faint-hearted, but our team made every possible effort to ensure our safety, comfort and pleasure. With Mark, Peter and Prince’s longstanding ties with the locals, our group of six were able to see things and connect with people in a way not possible within the parameters of a larger crowd—the itinerant palm wine brewers, the dealer of West African antiques hidden away in a nondescript neighbourhood, a cheerful group of Ghanaian nurses on holiday. And you ain’t seen nothing’ ‘til you’ve seen the huge, smiling king of the Ashanti’s dance for his rapturous subjects—His Majesty’s still got that swing!

 

As a long-time resident of Ghana and with his team of the most knowledgeable national guides, Mark Williams and Ashanti African Tours deliver an authentic and stimulating experience—and create warm bonds of friendship—you will not soon forget.

 

—Mrs. Holly Pierce

Santa Rosa, California

 

A GUEST’S POEM

 

Farewell to Ghana and our three favourite lads, we gather tonight for our dinner so sad.  Goodbye to Prince to himself he does keep, but you know what they say “still waters run deep” a driver so skilled we got there in a flash, I thought it would take some stops and I guess some dash.

 

Au-revoir, dearest Peter, Ghana’s guide of the year.  With his wisdom and grace he’s a man with no peer, he filled in all details for us dim-witted folks, all he might need is a new book of jokes.

 

And finally there’s Mark, our sweet cockney boy.  With his charm and attention he brought each of us joy, with his energy smile and blue eyes so fair, he’s totally perfect except for that hair.

 

So medace to Ghana for providing us times, of chats and comedy with landscapes sublime.  For giving our daughter space to mature, we’ll never escape your exotic allure.

 

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Doris, Uncle Tommie, Millard and Sherelle (September 2006)

 

Dear Mark, Diana, Corner, Lydia, Peter, Mama, family and friends:

 

There are not enough words in the entire world that would express our sincere thoughts, love, and care that we have for each of you.  Each of you must come to visit us in the U.S.  This is an order!

 

Thank you Mark and Diana for taking all the uncertainty out of this tour for us, the scheduling and unscheduling, the yes, then - No!  Changes and re-arranging.  We owe you so,-so-,so-,so-much.

 

To invite all of us into your personal lives, your home, fed us, and made each of us to feel welcome. I, (we), will never be able (in a million years) to tell you - Thank you.
We will see you in July 2007.  We all had a great time.

 

Love you so much,

 

Doris Worlds

 

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Freddy, Pamela and Faith

 

Thank you again for such an amazing trip.  Now that I have travelled with Faith by tro-tro and STC and taxi,  I really appreciate Prince, the private car and how easy you made the travel.  Every day held more wonderful things to see and hear.  And some things just can't be planned - like sleeping on the Lobi house roof and hearing the funeral with drums and xylophone off in the distance. 

 

Green Turtle was fun and relaxing - a beautiful beach, rough but fun surf - no Guinness!!!  We tried to go on a rainforest walk, but the guide didn't show up.  (Neither did the tro-tro that was supposed to pick us up the morning we were leaving - did I say how much I appreciated your tour!)

Freddy Davis