Nzulezo

Nzulezo stands on stilts above Lake Tadane in Ghana's far south-west, a village of raised wooden walkways and houses reached only by dugout canoe through an hour of reed channels and swamp forest. Around five hundred people live here, with a school, a church and shops all built above the water, and oral tradition holds that their ancestors were led to the site by a snail deity after migrating from Oualata, a city of the ancient Ghana Empire in what is now Mauritania. The canoe journey through the Amansuri wetland is half the experience, gliding under raffia palms with kingfishers overhead, before the village appears standing on its posts.

History

The name Nzulezo means "water surface" in the Nzema language, and by local legend the village was built by people from Oualata, a city of the ancient Ghana Empire in present-day Mauritania, who came here following a snail. It was built over Lake Tadane for protection in times of war, five miles inland from the coast, and in 2000 it was put forward for UNESCO listing (Wikipedia, Nzulezo).

What you'll find

• The stilt village - the main walkway and houses raised above the lagoon.
• The canoe journey - an hour through reed channels and swamp forest.
• The Amansuri wetland - one of the best-preserved swamp forests in Ghana.
• Community life - the school, church and shops built on the water.

When to go

The dry season from November to March gives easier road access to Beyin and calmer water. Water levels are higher after the rains, which makes canoeing easier but the road worse. Mornings are cooler for the paddle.

Before you go

This is a living village, not an attraction - residents have mixed feelings about visitors, and the community fee, guide and respectful behaviour matter. Photography of people requires asking. The canoe trip is long and seats are hard wooden benches; bring water and sun cover. Access from Accra is a long drive, so it usually pairs with a night on the Western coast at Busua or Axim.

Nearby

Beyin's Fort Apollonia, Axim and the beaches of the Western coast.

Key facts