Description of the attraction
Kakum National Park is located in the Central Region of Ghana, about 20 kilometers north of Cape Coast, and encompasses 360 square kilometers of rainforest. Although the area along the Kakum River was declared a protected area in 1931 and transferred to the management of the Forestry Department, poaching continued until 1989. During this period, valuable trees were cut down, including mahogany, and vegetation was replaced by deciduous trees, vineyards and vines. Development and management plans for the reserve were developed and adopted in 1991, taking into account the recommendations of biologists, forestry and wildlife specialists, local communities, Ghanaian universities and other concerned individuals.
To date, seven species of primates, more than 500 species of butterflies and about 250 species of birds are registered in the National Park, among them rare ones are Fraser's eagle owl, African gray and Senegalese cranes, white-breasted guinea fowls. The endangered species of fauna in the park are home to Diana's monkeys, giant bongo antelopes, yellow-backed duiker and African elephant; civets and forest cats, turtles and porcupines, monitor lizards, a pygmy crocodile, etc. are common. As of 2012, in Ghana, the largest number of forest elephants lives in the Kakum Park.
A special attraction of the reserve is the Comfo Boateng shrine - a round rock near Aboabo, approximately 100 meters in diameter. In addition, the park has a long series of suspension bridges, known as the Kakum Canopy Wolfway, located at the height of the tree crowns to provide access to the forest. This trail is unique throughout the African continent. Being at a height of 40 m, visitors can get as close as possible to plants and animals, inaccessible from another point of view. The suspension road consists of 7 bridges with a total length of 330 m. Canopy Wolfway was built by two Canadian engineers from Vancouver on the initiative of biologist Joseph Dudley, who coordinated the development of the national park's management and development plan.
The reserve is located near the small village of Abrafo and is easily accessible by taxi from the city center, as well as by sightseeing buses. There is a restaurant in the center of the park, recreational bungalows, a camping site, and a wildlife department education center.
