Paga Crocodile Ponds

At Paga, on the northern border, the crocodiles in the town ponds are regarded as sacred, held in local belief to embody the souls of ancestors, and they have never been hunted; the tradition holds that harming one brings death to the person whose soul it carries. Guides call the animals out of the water with a live fowl, which visitors purchase, and the crocodiles come up onto the bank to take it, after which visitors are invited to sit beside or touch the tail of a large animal for a photograph. The species is the West African crocodile, smaller and less aggressive than the Nile crocodile, and the local population has coexisted with the town for generations.

What you actually see

• The sacred ponds - the water bodies the crocodiles live in.
• Crocodiles called out - the animals brought onto the bank with a fowl.
• The touching custom - visitors invited to sit by a large crocodile.
• The border town - Paga at the crossing into Burkina Faso.

When to go

November to March in the dry season, when the crocodiles bask on the bank most readily and roads north are easiest. Mornings and late afternoons are when the animals are most responsive.

Honest expectations

A live fowl is bought and fed to a crocodile as part of the standard visit, which some visitors will not want. These are wild animals despite the tradition and the close contact carries risk. Fees, guide charges and camera charges are levied separately and negotiated.

Nearby

Navrongo lies south; Sirigu is southeast.