Ashanti Region: Kumasi and Ghana's Cultural Heartland

Manhyia Palace Museum, Kumasi — image via Wikimedia Commons

Manhyia Palace: the seat of the Asantehene

Manhyia Palace, home of the Asantehene (Ashanti King), houses a museum covering the Ashanti Kingdom's history through royal artefacts, regalia and photographs. Timing a visit to coincide with the Akwasidae Festival — held every six weeks on the Ashanti calendar — offers a rare chance to see vibrant celebrations of Ashanti culture, complete with drumming, dancing and royal regalia on full display.

Kejetia Market: West Africa's great market

Kejetia Market, one of the largest open-air markets in West Africa at roughly 12 hectares with thousands of stalls, has no entrance fee and is a genuine working market rather than a tourist recreation. Bargaining is expected, and the sheer scale of the place — everything from textiles to fresh produce to hardware — makes it worth an hour or two of unhurried wandering.

Lake Bosomtwe: Ghana's only natural lake

Lake Bosomtwe, a sacred crater lake formed by a meteorite impact, sits about 30 minutes south of Kumasi and is a popular half-day add-on for swimming, kayaking or a quiet lakeside afternoon — a genuine contrast to the busy streets of the city centre.

Kente and adinkra: living craft villages

Bonwire and Adanwomase, both near Kumasi, are traditional kente-weaving villages where cloth is still made on hand looms — a genuinely hands-on cultural stop, and many visitors commission a custom piece to take home. Ntonso, nearby, is where adinkra symbols are hand-stamped onto fabric using traditional dyes, another working craft tradition rather than a staged demonstration.

Okomfo Anokye Sword Site and other landmarks

The Okomfo Anokye Sword Site marks where, according to Ashanti legend, a priest planted a sword into the ground to unify the Kingdom — said to remain unmoved to this day. The Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, near Manhyia Palace, adds further depth on Ashanti goldweights and royal history for visitors wanting more than a single-site visit.

Planning your Kumasi trip

Kumasi is roughly 4-5 hours from Accra by the N6 highway. Most visitors combine Manhyia Palace and Kejetia Market with at least one craft village and, time allowing, Lake Bosomtwe — a full day or a relaxed two-day visit covers the essentials comfortably.

Best time to visit Ashanti Region

Ashanti Region is comfortable to visit year-round, though timing around the Akwasidae Festival (held roughly every six weeks) adds real cultural depth if your dates allow it. The dry season (November-March) makes walking through Kejetia Market and the craft villages more comfortable underfoot.

Getting there from Accra

Kumasi sits roughly 4-5 hours from our Ablekuma garage via the N6 highway. Our Ashanti & Volta Explorer Package covers Kumasi as part of a longer multi-day loop, with a 4x4 or MPV recommended given the distance and mixed road conditions along the way.