Bobiri Forest Reserve

Bobiri covers around fifty square kilometres of moist semi-deciduous forest east of Kumasi, managed by the Forestry Research Institute, and it holds a butterfly sanctuary with a recorded list running past four hundred species, which is the reason most visitors come. Trails cross the reserve through tall forest with an arboretum of planted native timber species, and a colonial-era resthouse in a clearing offers basic accommodation, which makes an overnight stay possible and the dawn chorus accessible. Birds are numerous and include forest species hard to find elsewhere. Butterflies are most abundant after rain, when they gather at damp ground and along the tracks in numbers.

What you actually see

• Butterflies - the sanctuary list of over four hundred species.
• Forest trails - the tracks through tall semi-deciduous woodland.
• The arboretum - the planted collection of native timber trees.
• The resthouse - the forest lodging in a clearing.

When to go

May to July, after the main rains begin, is peak butterfly season. November to March gives easier walking but far fewer butterflies. Early morning is best for birds.

Honest expectations

Outside the butterfly months the forest is quiet and the visit is a walk. The resthouse is very basic with intermittent power and water. Trails are muddy and leeches and biting insects are present. Guides need arranging in advance.

Nearby

Besease shrine lies west; Kumasi is southwest.