Tamale

Tamale is Ghana's third city (and second largest in area) and the capital of Northern Ghana. Tamale has been voted three consecutive times by the Ghana Tourist Board as the cleanest city in Ghana and is proud of its well organized road networking in comparison to other cities and regions through Ghana. There are many things to do inside the city. Many visitors also use Tamale as a launching point for visits to Mole National Park, Tongo Hills, and the Paga Crocodile Pond.

The city has grown a conglomeration of villages with architectural blend of traditional mud houses to one with modern buildings, international airport, and several offices of multinational organizations and companies.

Get in


Public bus from Accra or Kumasi is cheap and safer than the many private bus drivers. It takes 11 hours from Accra, leaving around 8AM so make sure you make a bathroom stop on the lunch stop as you might not be able to otherwise.

You can also take a direct flight to Tamale from Accra using Fly540Africa.

Private car from any medium sized town with driver is only about GH₵30 a day.



Get around
Yellow-yellows (motorised cycle rickshaws) are ubiquitous, and for a shared ride you can get from "town" (the centre) to anywhere in Tamale for GH₵6 or less. If you're new to the system, confirm the price before getting in. Make sure you tell the driver that you want a shared ride, otherwise prices will skyrocket. You can also take the red-and-yellow branded taxis.

See
Good point from which to visit Bongo (Moon Landscape) Tongo and Congo or if heading to Burkina Faso (neighboring country). Visit the Paga crocodile pond and all the slave camps near Paga. Also visit Sirigu Art Village to learn about all the arts and craft of the northern people of Ghana.

It is possible to do a day trip from Tamale to Mole National Park, where you can see elephants, warthogs, several types of monkeys, and other animals. You can book a tour from Tamale township or Tamale Airport, and cost approximately $130 per day plus fuel. There are also several places to stay in Mole. Near Mole National Park, you can visit the Larabanga mosque, the oldest in Ghana.



Do

 * Greet the people as it is the only opener to a conversation especially when you need help.
 * Avoid talking about the conflicts in Dagbon and about the supremacy of chieftaincy over others
 * Top up on supplies if you are heading out into the smaller towns or countryside.
 * Chat to the locals, very friendly bunch and you will find the best travel info this way.



Buy

 * Market on Main Street: The best of products can be found on the main streets of Tamale especially during weekends. However it takes a lot of energy to walk around for specific items and also having to negotiate. Make it a point to ask the locals the price range of products before entering the market since prices could be high at times for perceived strangers. If you ever have to bargain, don't be desperate because there is another seller somewhere who can give you a better option but be sure not to get a reduction in price after wandering and returning to the earlier seller you bargained with. Sometimes you have to behave like someone who is walking away to get a better price. You can find Cobblers, textiles and lots of food joints dotted around. Worth going into for the look of it alone and you may be hassled to 'buy Yam!' especially if you are a woman.
 * Wander around a bit and you will find music shops selling tapes of the current Ghanaian charts, worth bringing a few home to remind yourself of the sunny, almost Jamaican style music being played everywhere.

Eat
Koose is a local snack made from deep fried bean flour dough which can be bought just off the main street across from the taxi station. Note that there is a risk of food poisoning from roadside food stalls. As always, make sure the food you buy is hot.

There are a few western-style restaurants on the main street.



Drink
Gidipass bar on Main Street, across and down a little from taxi rank where all the 'whites' and a few locals go. Has a few types of beer and sodas. Also serve good meals. Other small bars located around the main area (taxi rank and market)

Meet Me There Drinking spot is a few km north along the main road towards Bolgatanga (called Bolga Road). Set in a tall canopy of palm and date trees, drinks are at cost or below (meaning GH₵0.25 for a mineral/pop bottle), where as at Gidipass or other tourist centres, they cost GH₵0.60 or more. You can pick up some food from the street, and they'll bring you dishes to eat with and soap to wash with! Don't get too comfortable though. They'll kick you out at 10PM regardless of how much business you're giving them

Sleep
There is no shortage of accommodation options in Tamale. Because of the ubiquity and affordability of yellow-yellows, even accommodation options far away from the centre of town should be considered. That said, it does help to choose one located close to a main road.

Go next

 * Tolon
 * Kumbungu
 * Yendi
 * Savelugu
 * Karage
 * Nanton
 * Zabzugu
 * Saboba
 * Tatali
 * Bimbila
 * Wulensi
 * Kpandai
 * Venture out to the nearby riverine port town of Yapei