For those that want to experience real Ghana in all it's beauty and splendour - this is the place to go. The northern region of Ghana is the region which has not been influenced by Colonialism and other European traditions. Here time has turned very slowly and as such has preserved tradition, culture and most of all the land and it's people.

In the beginning of the Colonial Era, the area to the north of the Ashanti Region did not belong to the Crown Colony Gold Coast. It was during the years when Britain, Germany and France started competing in conquering as many African countries as possible that each country sent out people to the Kings of these areas to sign Protection Papers and through that join one of the three Western Countries of Power. George Ekem Ferguson , a Ghanaian originating from Anomabu in the Central Region born to a Ghanaian mother and British father was sent to the North and won the Kings over to the side of the British. Burkina Faso joined the French and Togo the Germans. In 1954 the Northern Territories were formally added to the other regions of Ghana but was more or less ignored by the Foreigners as this region did not have resources in Gold, Cocoa, Diamonds, Ivory and Wood. Maybe this is one of the explanations to the fact that the region and it's people have remained true to nature.

Actually the north of Ghana is divided into three - The Northern Region with Tamale as it's capital city, the Upper West Region with it's capital city Wa and the Upper East Region with it's capital city Bolgatanga. Once you leave the south of Ghana and it's rainforest areas and densely populated landscape you enter a different world. The first thing you will notice are the vast empty landscapes with occasional trees doting the horizon. The Sahel has great influence here. The architecture also changes from that of the south and takes on the forms of the Kraal. The next thing to change is the weather - during the day it is really hot and in the evening the temperature drops drastically, the sun is more intensive and the air becomes very dry. During the dry season between November and June the only vegetation to survive are shrubs and trees like Kola Nut, Shea Butter, Baobab and Neem Trees. The Savanna is home to many species of plants and animals never seen in other parts of Ghana.

The Volta Rivers are natural borders between the regions. The Black River reaches down to the beginning of the Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions, the Volta Lake stretches its eastern arms to Yapei along the White Volta about 52 km away from Tamale and its western arm reaches to Buipe at the edge of the Black Volta 100 km away from Tamale. The only mountains in this otherwise flat landscape are the Gamba Highlands which are 300 - 400 meters above sea level and a smaller one of 180 meters in the Sawla Area which connects to the Wa Plateau. Apart from the Volta River and the Volta Lake there are no larger rivers in the north as they all dry up during the dry season.

As the north does not have natural resources like Gold or Wood and did not have enough water sources to farm, they have not been too lucky concerning their economy. This has changed for the better in the past years due to better water systems. Cotton Plantations and Rice Fields were started and are a great success. Beside this the northern region provides Kola Nut, Shea Butter, Tobacco, Maize, Sorghum, Wheat and other Agricultural products like Yam and Beans. Here again the Volta Lake is a connection to the south as the goods are transported down on the Yapei Queen during a two day trip down the Volta Lake.

From the Northern Region we select some sightseeing's.