Most guidebooks about Ghana assume you’ll have the time for long-term exploration of the country. But what if you’re based in Accra and can only get out of the city on weekends (perhaps you’re involved in an Accra-based volunteer program or work placement)? Well you’re in luck, because there are actually quite a few options available to you. Here are my suggestions for four weekend getaways from Accra, all of which can be accessed by either tro-tro (shared mini-bus) or taxi (if you don’t have a private vehicle). Even better, all the following destinations can be reached within two to two-and-a-half hours, and much less in some cases.

1. Bikes and botany in Aburi

There’s little escape from the heat in Ghana, but many visitors are surprised by the change in climate when they visit the Aburi hills, about an hour’s drive north of Accra. The relative altitude of the range cools things down and encourages precipitation – so if there’s any part of the country where you’ll feel happy getting active during the day, this is it.

The area’s star attraction is Aburi Botanical Gardens, a site that dates back to 1890. It’s a dramatic sight at first: huge palms line the main avenue as it curves gently uphill, with tropical plants dotting the lawns on either side. Deeper exploration can be a little disappointing, as the gardens are severely under-invested, but it’s still a fine place to wander, and fascinating for those with an interest in plants. Look out for an intricately carved tree trunk and an old World War II helicopter on the lawns.

Just outside the garden gates you’ll find the Bike and Hike Tours Company, who offer a variety of walking and cycling tours of the area. Their four-hour ride to the gorgeous Asenema waterfall is a good way to see more of the Aburi range, and includes car transport back to base.

Travel time: 60 – 90 minutes

Accommodation recommendation: Hillburi

History in Cape Coast and Elmina

Elmina’s hulking, white-painted fort is visible from the coast road long before you reach the city. That is entirely appropriate, for it looms equally large over the town’s history and economy. Along with its smaller cousin at Cape Coast, it was a major European trading post and a key location in the transatlantic slave trade, to whose horrors it now bears witness as a monument and museum. Though the struggle to maintain both castles is all too evident, guides are generally very good, and tours are enlightening and moving, as well as offering good views of the surrounding towns and coastline from the forts’ upper levels.

Both towns have busy fishing harbors right beside the fort, and in Elmina you’ll find a bustling, colorful fish market right outside the gates.

Some 30km north of Cape Coast is the Kakum National Park visitor center, famous for its treetop walkway. Go for the spectacle rather than wildlife-spotting – visitors are put through in large and noisy groups, so the chances of seeing anything other than a distant yellow-billed kite are slim. The nature walk is more sedate, and brings the forest to life by explaining the cultural significance of its flora; to demonstrate an old communication technique, our guide hammered a rock against the vast buttress roots of a silk cotton tree, and stood back smiling as the very ground beneath our feet shook.

Travel time: 2 – 2.5 hours

Accommodation suggestions: Outside of Accra and possibly Kumasi, this area has the best average standard of accommodation in Ghana. Good beach resorts include budget volunteer favourites Stumble Inn and One Africa, and the luxurious Coconut Grove. Also, Hans Cottage Botel, Biriwa Beach Hotel, and Ko-Sa.