The Eastern Region is located in south Ghana and is one of the sixteen administrative regions of Ghana. The Eastern region is bordered to the east by the Lake Volta, to the north by Bono East Region and Ashanti region, to the west by Ashanti region, to the south by Central region and Greater Accra Region. Akans are the dominant inhabitants and natives of Eastern region and Akan, Ewe, Krobo, Hausa and English are the main spoken languages. The capital town of Eastern Region is Koforidua.The Akosombo dam is located in the Eastern region. The economy of the Eastern region is dominated by its high-capacity electricity generation. Eastern region covers an area of 19,323 square kilometres, which is about 8.1% of Ghana’s total landform.
The region is dominated by Lake Volta, one of the world’s largest man-made lakes, and the Akosombo Dam, source of much of Ghana’s hydroelectric power. Both are worth a visit. A favourite excursion is the weekend trip to Dodi Islands.
Striking landscapes are overlooked by the Krobo Mountains and the Akwapim Ridge, and the countryside is great walking country. The Eastern Region is famous for its large areas of lush tropical forest, and cascading waterfalls. Fishermen will enjoy great sport fishing for tilapia in Lake Volta.
The Eastern Region contains Ghana’s only commercial diamond mine at Akwatia, while the birthplace of our great cocoa industry can be found at Mampong-Akwapim. For those with a particular interest, the Cocoa Research Institute at New Tafo, with its arboreta, welcomes visitors. The regional capital is Koforidua, a pleasant traditional town with agreeable hotels and a busy market.
Amazing Attractions in The Eastern Region of Ghana
Aburi Botanical Gardens
The Aburi Botanical Garden is located at Aburi in the Akwapim South District of the Eastern Region and about 28km from the capital – Accra. The garden can be used as a place of convalesce and has both flora and fauna.
The entrance of the garden is adorned with beautiful Royal Palm trees. The attraction has a wide variety of traditional, medicinal plants as well as a silk cotton tree (Ceiba pentrandra), the sole survivor of the original forest that once covered the Aburi hills.
BOTI Falls
Boti falls is a twin waterfall located at Boti in Yilo Krobo District in the Eastern Region of Ghana. These twin falls are referred to as female and male.
Boti Waterfall is a seasonal waterfall which is located at Huhunya in the Yilo Krobo Municipality. It has a height of about 30 meters with a maximum speed of about 5km per second. The waterfall is at its peak usually between June to August. The attraction is complemented by a fascinating umbrella rock and the three-in-one palm tree situated a few metres from the fall.
The falls are 17 km (11 mi) northeast of Koforidua, which is the eastern regional capital. It is just over 30 minutes drive from Koforidua and over 90 minutes from Accra depending on the means of transportation
Bunso Arboretum
Bunso Arboretum is a protected forest reserve spanning about 1.6 hectares half of which is made up of a semi -deciduous forest and the other half made up of indigenous trees as well as fruit trees, nuts and timber trees. The unit is home to over 110 species of birds as well as a herb garden and a canopy walkway.
The Akosombo Dam
The Akosombo Dam, also known as the Volta Dam, is a hydroelectric dam on the Volta River in southeastern Ghana in the Akosombo gorge and part of the Volta River Authority.[1] The construction of the dam flooded part of the Volta River Basin and led to the subsequent creation of Lake Volta. Lake Volta is the largest man-made lake in the world by surface area. It covers 8,502 square kilometres (3,283 sq mi), which is 3.6% of Ghana’s land area. With a volume of 148 cubic kilometers, Lake Volta is the world’s third largest man-made lake by volume; the largest being Lake Kariba which contains 185 cubic kilometers of water.
Shai Hills Resource Reserve
The Shai Hills Resource Reserve is covered with grassland and low dry forest vegetation. There are nearly 400 plant species spread on the 5 separate hills at the Shai Hills Resource Reserve. There are nearly dozens of primary animal species including antelopes, bats, birds (such as violet Turaco, Paradise Flycatcher, Green Turaco Red-billed Hornbill, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, and Red-necked Buzzard), baboons, cats, duiker, guinea fowls, kobs, green monkeys, monitor lizards, African python, royal python, and zebras
Umbrella Rock
The Umbrella Rock is a rock found at the site of the Boti Falls in Yilo Krobo District, Ghana. As the name implies, the overhang on the top is large enough to cover 12 to 15 people at once.
Yearly, many tourists travel to Boti Falls for its natural beauty, and the umbrella rock is visible through much of the trek to the falls
Lake Volta
Lake Volta, the largest artificial reservoir in the world based on surface area, is contained behind the Akosombo Dam which generates a substantial amount of Ghana’s electricity. It is completely within the country of Ghana and has a surface area of 8,502 square kilometres (3,282+1⁄2 sq mi). It extends from Akosombo in the south to the northern part of the country
The Big Tree at Oda
The big tree is one of the prominent, astonishing and outstanding tourist attractions in the Birim Central and for that matter Ghana. The tree is believed to be the biggest in West Africa with a diameter of 3.22 meters at 1.37 meters, 2.72 meters at 3.1 meters, making 12 meters in circumference and 66.5-90 meters tall. It also has a girth of 10.11 meters at 1.4 meters and 8.63 meters at 3.1 meters.
Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm
Mampong Akwapim, first cocoa farm established in the Country from seeds first brought from Fernando Po Island by the Legendary Tetteh Quarshie.From this small beginning grew our major cocoa industry. It is believed that a few of the original first trees planted by Tetteh Quarshie can still be found on the farm.
Bead Factory
The Eastern Region is known for its bead-making. Beads play an important role in West African life. They are worn to signify special occasions, wealth, and status. They indicate stages in life, such as motherhood or mourning; and they become a symbol of office for chiefs, traditional priests, and other figures in the community.
Beads were used in the barter for slaves, ivory, palm oil and gold in previous centuries. Some beads are imbued with special powers and some tribes believe their ancestors sprang from beads.
In Ghana, beads are made from recycled glass, brass, bauxite, shells and seeds.
Dodi Island
Dodi Island is an island in Ghana, located 5 kilometres (3 nmi; 3 mi) off the shore of Lake Volta. It is a tourist destination and a land place for the cruise ship, Dodi Princess
Adomi Bridge
The Adomi Bridge (originally the Volta Bridge) is a latticed steel arch suspension bridge crossing the Volta River at Atimpoku in Ghana in West Africa. It is the first permanent bridge to span the Volta River, which drains south into the Gulf of Guinea, and is Ghana’s longest suspension bridge. It provides the main road passage, just south of the Akosombo Dam, between the Eastern Region and the Volta Region of Ghana. It was opened in 1957 by Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president. The iconic crescent-shaped arch bridge is featured in Ghanaian stamps and currency.
Akaa Waterfalls
Ghana Bike and Hike Tours
Kwahu plateau
The Kwahu Plateau is a 260 km (160 mi) long plateau in southern Ghana. It consists of the uplifted southern edge of the Volta River Basin. It forms the main watershed of Ghana, separating rivers in the Volta River system from rivers in the western half of Ghana which flows into the Atlantic Ocean (Birim, Pra, Ankobra). The plateau has an average elevation of 1,500 feet and its highest point is Mount Akmawa at 2,586 feet. The plateau is dissected by several valleys and is marked by towering peaks. To the south it borders dense forest country, which it shields from the harmattan winds of the interior. Cacao cultivation has been introduced in the west, through which traditional trade routes lead to the Atlantic; vegetable cultivation is stressed in the eastern sector. The largest and most important towns on the Kwahu Plateau are Wenchi, Mampong, Mpraeso, and Abetifi.
Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana
Established in 1944 at Tafo, 24 kilometers from Koforidua, CRIG formerly known as the West African Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (WACRI) offers visitors a guided tour of model and experimental cocoa farms which offers education into the processes of cocoa production and cocoa products. It also provides recreational facilities to include:
A Club House with Bar
Tennis court and Indoor games
Guest house as well as an
Agricultural Research Station and Palm Oil Mills.
Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm
This was the first cocoa farm cultivated from cocoa seeds brought from Fernando Po Island by the Legendary Tetteh Quarshie. The Cocoa seeds were planted on a farm at Mampong – Akwapim in the Eastern region. Other cocoa farms were later established which has given birth to a vibrant cocoa industry in the country. It is believed that a few of the original first trees planted by Tetteh Quarshie can still be found on the farm. Relics and important artifacts used by Tetteh Quarshie is also on display at a museum which is situated on the farm.
Activities To do in The Eastern Region of Ghana
Kwahu Paragliding Activity
This event was introduced in 2005 on the Odweanoma at Atibie Kwahu in the Kwahu South District of the Eastern Region which usually coincides with the Easter celebrations of the people of kwahu. It is the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa and 3rd in Africa after Kenya and South Africa. The festival attracts people from all walks of life. The adventurous sporting event has its launch pad (take off point) at the Odweanoma Mountains which is also host to a receptive facility and other adventurous attractions such as an ancient cave.
ATV Aburi
ATV Aburi is a fun way to enjoy the scenic views of the Eastern Region. With the opportunity to have a quad bike tour or go quad biking in the mountains, your holidays, road trips, excursions or honeymoon just got more interesting. Take a tour of the picturesque Aburi mountains on a quad bike through bushes, gravel roads, farms (where you can pick some fruit!), and culminating in a wonderful trip to the waterfall.
The views here are breathtaking and the experience, really unforgettable. There is more than just quad biking here though. Other services at the facility include paintballing and air rifle shooting, archery and combat archery. So if you are up for a memorable adventure or just pure fun and exciting activities, then ATV Aburi is the place for you.
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