Ankasa Conservation Area

Ankasa protects around five hundred square kilometres of wet evergreen forest in the far southwest corner of Ghana near the Ivorian border, the highest-rainfall and most species-rich forest in the country, with over eight hundred plant species recorded across the reserve. Forest elephants, bongo, Diana monkey and forest buffalo are present, though sightings are rare and most visitors experience the forest through its trees, birds and insects rather than its mammals. The bamboo cathedral, a stretch of trail where bamboo arches over the track, is the site's best-known feature, and the Nkwanta river and Bamboo camp are the usual bases. Facilities are basic camping and a few simple rooms.

What you actually see

• The bamboo cathedral - the arched bamboo tunnel over the trail.
• Wet evergreen forest - the tallest and richest forest in Ghana.
• Forest birds - the species restricted to this corner of the country.
• River sections - the Nkwanta and the crossings on the trails.

When to go

December to March is the shortest dry period and the most practical time; the forest is wet almost year round and tracks become impassable in the rains. Early morning is best for birds and primates.

Honest expectations

Mammal sightings are very unlikely; elephants are present but rarely seen. Facilities are basic camping with limited water and no electricity. Internal tracks require four-wheel drive or long walks. Rain falls even in the dry season.

Nearby

Beyin and Nzulezo lie east; the Ivorian border is west at Elubo.