Bono Region: Kintampo Waterfalls and Ghana's Ancient Trading Towns

Kintampo Waterfalls — image via Wikimedia Commons

Kintampo Waterfalls

Kintampo Waterfalls cascade over three distinct levels, creating a picturesque scene surrounded by lush greenery, with pools cool and clear enough for a refreshing swim. A short walk through tranquil forest brings visitors to the falls, making it a popular stop for both nature lovers and those simply looking for a cooling break on a longer northern Ghana route.

Tanoboase Sacred Grove

The Tanoboase Sacred Grove marks the source of the River Tano and remains an important site of traditional religion in the area, alongside striking rock formations. It's a meaningful stop for visitors interested in Ghana's indigenous spiritual traditions, distinct from the country's better-documented Christian and Islamic heritage sites.

Bono Manso: an ancient trading capital

Bono Manso was the former capital of the Bono State and one of the earliest urban settlements in Ghana, abandoned after the Bono kingdom was defeated by Ashanti forces in the 1720s. Part of the site was excavated in the 1970s, and it once hosted a satellite township of Muslim traders controlling networks between the forest zone and Djenné in the Middle Niger. A large medieval bronze basin, traded across the Sahara from Egypt, remains of particular historical interest and is still used locally for rain-making rituals — guided tours are available through the local chief's palace.

Kintampo: a historic trading town

Kintampo itself was an important trading town in the pre-colonial era, where Ashanti traders met their Hausa and Malian counterparts at the edge of the forest zone — a role that shaped much of the wider region's character as a meeting point between Ghana's forest south and savanna north.

Getting there and what to combine it with

The Bono Region sits along a natural route north from the Ashanti Region toward Tamale, making Kintampo Waterfalls and Bono Manso a natural stopping point for travellers heading further north to Mole National Park, rather than requiring a dedicated separate trip.

Best time to visit

The Kintampo Waterfalls are swimmable year-round, though the surrounding trails are more comfortable in the dry season (November-March) than during the heaviest rains.

Getting there from Accra

Kintampo sits along the main route north from Kumasi to Tamale, making it a natural stopping point on a longer journey rather than a dedicated trip from Accra. We can build this into any northern-bound itinerary.