Upper East Region: Paga's Crocodiles and Bolgatanga's Craft Traditions
The Upper East Region is known for the Paga Crocodile Ponds, where visitors can approach and even touch sacred, human-habituated crocodiles, alongside the Tongo Hills' whistling rocks, Bolgatanga's famous hand-woven baskets, and the Sirigu Pottery Village's traditional craft.
Paga Crocodile Ponds
Paga is known for its sacred crocodile ponds, where generations of tradition have made the crocodiles remarkably accustomed to human presence — visitors are often surprised to learn they can approach, and in some cases touch, a live crocodile, summoned by a local guide with an offering. This unusual, safe-feeling encounter with an animal most people would otherwise never get close to is one of northern Ghana's most memorable stops.
Tongo Hills and the whistling rocks
The Tongo Hills feature striking rock formations, including the well-known 'whistling rocks,' set within a landscape of granite outcrops that define much of the Upper East's dramatic scenery — a rewarding half-day stop for visitors interested in both geology and the traditional beliefs attached to these sites.
Bolgatanga's baskets and craft markets
Bolgatanga, the regional capital, is famous for its distinctive round-hut architecture and its hand-woven baskets, a craft tradition recognised well beyond Ghana's borders. The town's vibrant craft markets make it a practical base for exploring the wider region, and a good place to buy genuinely locally-made souvenirs directly from artisans.
Sirigu Pottery Village
Sirigu is known for traditional pottery-making and distinctive decorated house walls, painted by local women in geometric patterns unique to the area — a living craft and design tradition worth seeing in person rather than only in photographs.
Navrongo Catholic Cathedral
The Navrongo Catholic Cathedral, built with a distinctive local architectural style using mud construction techniques, stands out as an unusual blend of religious architecture and traditional northern building methods.
Festivals and getting there
The region hosts annual events including the Sandema Festival and Feok Festival, showcasing traditional music, dance and food — worth timing a visit around if festival dates align with your trip. Bolgatanga is reached via Tamale, roughly 2.5 hours further north by road.
Best time to visit
November through February offers the coolest, most comfortable conditions for exploring Paga, the Tongo Hills and Bolgatanga's markets on foot. The hot season (March-May) is best avoided for full-day outdoor itineraries.
Getting there from Accra
Bolgatanga sits roughly 2.5 hours north of Tamale by road. As with the wider northern regions, we recommend flying into Tamale and arranging a chauffeured vehicle for the onward journey, rather than the full road trip from Accra.
Upper East Region Tourist Attractions — FAQ
Yes — the crocodiles at Paga's sacred ponds are remarkably accustomed to human presence after generations of tradition, and a local guide facilitates safe, close encounters, sometimes including touching.
Distinctive round-hut architecture and hand-woven baskets, a craft tradition recognised well beyond Ghana.
Traditional pottery-making and distinctively painted house walls, decorated by local women in geometric patterns unique to the area.
Roughly 2.5 hours by road further north.
Yes — the Sandema Festival and Feok Festival both showcase traditional music, dance and food, worth checking dates against your travel window.
Yes — both fall within a wider northern Ghana itinerary, typically arranged with Tamale as a central hub for onward trips in either direction.
Yes, generally — it's recognised as much for its distinctive mud-construction architecture as for its religious function, and visitors are welcome to view it.
The town's famous hand-woven baskets are the standout choice — genuinely locally made and functional, unlike many mass-produced souvenirs found elsewhere.
Yes — its central location and craft markets make it the practical hub for day trips to Paga, Tongo Hills and Sirigu.
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