Lake Bosumtwi

Bosumtwi fills a crater about eight kilometres across formed by a meteorite impact roughly a million years ago, the only natural lake of significant size in Ghana, held in steep walls with around thirty villages around the shore. It is sacred in Asante belief as a place where the souls of the dead come to take leave of the god Twi, and traditional prohibitions have applied to the water, including a restriction on the use of ordinary boats, which is why fishermen have long worked from padua, flat planks paddled by hand. Some restrictions have relaxed. The lake has no outlet and its level has risen over recent decades, drowning shoreline buildings. Guesthouses sit on the western shore near Abono.

What you actually see

• The crater lake - the round sheet of water in its steep walls.
• Padua fishermen - the plank craft worked by hand on the water.
• Shore villages - the settlements around the crater rim.
• Rising water - the flooded buildings along the changed shoreline.

When to go

November to March in the dry season for the best roads and clearest air. Weekends bring visitors from Kumasi to the western shore. Mornings are calmest on the water.

Honest expectations

Traditional restrictions apply on certain days and around particular practices; ask locally before swimming or taking a boat. Access roads down to the shore are steep and rough. Guesthouse standards vary. Community fees are levied informally at some access points.

Nearby

Kumasi lies northwest; Bobiri forest is northeast.