Kumasi and the Ashanti Court

Kumasi is the capital of the Ashanti, whose kingdom was one of the most powerful states in West Africa and whose monarchy continues today alongside Ghana's republic. The Manhyia Palace Museum, in the former royal residence, explains the court, the Golden Stool that embodies the nation's soul, and the wars with the British; guides here are excellent. Around the city lie the craft villages - Bonwire for kente weaving on narrow strip looms, Ntonso for adinkra stamping with symbols that each carry a proverb, and Ahwiaa for woodcarving. Kejetia market, one of the largest in West Africa, sprawls at the centre of it all.

What you actually see

• Manhyia Palace Museum - the royal court's history and regalia.
• Bonwire kente weaving - narrow-loom strip weaving in the source village.
• Ntonso adinkra stamping - symbol printing with carved calabash stamps.
• Kejetia market - the vast central market and its lanes.

When to go

The dry season from November to March makes travel easier. The Akwasidae festival, held roughly every six weeks on the Ashanti calendar, brings the court out in full regalia with drumming and processions - worth planning around and confirming dates locally.

Honest expectations

Kumasi is hot, busy and traffic-choked, and Kejetia is overwhelming for first-time visitors - going with a guide makes it navigable. Craft villages involve firm sales pressure; prices are negotiable and buying directly from weavers is the point. Photography at the palace and during festivals is restricted, and permission from chiefs matters. Roads from Accra are long; the domestic flight saves most of a day.

Nearby

Lake Bosumtwi crater lake, the craft villages ringing the city and the road north to Tamale.