Day trips
Kakum National Park from Accra by Car: Distance, Timings and Car Rental & Hire
Quick answer: To visit Kakum National Park from Accra by car, take the coastal N1 west to Cape Coast, then head inland. Ghana's Wildlife Division says the park is about 170 km from Accra and 33 km north of Cape Coast. The Ghana Tourism Authority calls it "about a 4-hour drive" and lists opening hours of 6 am to 4 pm. No official timed journey figure is published, so leave Accra early and plan to be back before dark.
Kakum is a rainforest park in the Central Region, best known for its canopy walkway of suspension bridges strung between giant trees. This guide is for a day trip from Accra: how far it is, how long to allow, when the park opens and how to book car hire & rental with a driver for the day. If you want to stay over and see the castles too, our Accra to Cape Coast road trip guide covers the multi-day route.
How far is Kakum National Park from Accra?
| Question | What we found |
|---|---|
| Kakum from Accra | About 170 km (Wildlife Division) |
| Kakum from Cape Coast | 33 km north (Wildlife Division) |
| Accra–Cape Coast road | 145 km (Graphic Online) |
| Official journey time | None published |
| Ghana Tourism Authority | "About a 4-hour drive from Accra" |
The Wildlife Division's Kakum page gives both the 170 km and 33 km figures, but doesn't say whether they're road distances or straight-line distances. Graphic Online describes the Accra–Cape Coast stretch of the N1 as the "145-kilometre Accra-Cape Coast road". Adding the two gives a higher number than 170 km, so treat all of these as rough guides rather than an exact distance.
Route planners and travel blogs quote other figures, but none is an official source, so we haven't repeated them here.
The route: Accra to Kakum
- Leave Accra on the N1 west towards Kasoa, Winneba and Cape Coast.
- At Cape Coast, turn inland (north) on the Cape Coast–Twifo Praso road.
- Follow it north to the park entrance and visitor centre.
The Wildlife Division says you can also reach Kakum by public transport from Pedu junction in Cape Coast.
The road north of Cape Coast. Citi News reported in April 2018 that visitors were frustrated by the unfinished Cape Coast–Twifo Praso road, describing about 30 km of road from the Abura area of Cape Coast to the park, with the last stretch untarred at the time. That report is old, and we couldn't find an official update on the road's current condition as of 26 October 2026. Ask your driver or the hire firm how the road is before you set off.
How many hours from Accra to Kakum?
No official journey time is published. The Ghana Tourism Authority's Visit Ghana page says Kakum is "about a 4-hour drive from Accra" and advises using your own pre-arranged transport. That isn't a timed figure. Traffic leaving Accra can add a lot of time.
That makes Kakum a long day trip. If the GTA's estimate holds, that's around eight hours of driving for a few hours in the park, so start as early as you can.
Opening hours and the canopy walkway
The Ghana Tourism Authority lists Kakum's hours as 6 am to 4 pm. Check on the day, as hours can change.
The GTA describes the canopy walkway as 7 suspension bridges forming a 333-metre walkway, suspended up to 27 metres above the forest floor. The Forestry Commission describes the walkway as almost 500 m long, so official figures differ. The Commission says the Kakum Conservation Area covers about 350 km², including the Assin Attandanso Resource Reserve, and has a visitor centre.
Other things the GTA lists:
- guided forest walks and night walks with park guides;
- a children's park with a mini canopy walkway;
- two cafés at the visitor centre, and a gift shop;
- a treehouse for anyone staying overnight.
The GTA also notes there's a short hike before you reach the bridges, that you'll need both hands free for the ropes, and that it can rain at any time, so bring a raincoat and good shoes.
Kakum is busy. Graphic Online reported in June 2026 that the GTA's 2025 tourism report ranked it Ghana's second most visited attraction, with 203,222 visitors. Arriving early helps you avoid the biggest groups.
Fees: we couldn't find a current, dated entry fee or canopy walk price from an official source, so we don't publish one. Ask at the gate or contact the park.
Daylight driving
For longer trips outside major cities, the UK FCDO's Ghana safety advice says to travel during daylight hours. It advises avoiding road travel outside the main towns after dark, when street lighting is poor or non-existent, serious accidents are more likely, and there's a higher risk of attacks on vehicles.
With a 4 pm closing time and a long drive back, plan to leave Kakum by early afternoon. If you're running late, stay the night in Cape Coast or Elmina rather than drive back to Accra in the dark.
Sample day plan
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| Very early morning | Leave Accra before the worst of the traffic |
| Mid to late morning | Arrive at Kakum; canopy walk and a forest trail |
| Lunch | Eat at the visitor centre cafés |
| Early afternoon | Leave Kakum for Accra |
| Before dark | Back in Accra, or stop overnight on the coast |
Trying to fit Cape Coast Castle or Elmina Castle into the same day makes it much longer. Our Elmina Castle day trip from Accra guide covers that day on its own.
Car rental & hire for a Kakum day trip
Most day-trippers book the car in Accra. Compare car hire & rental with a driver in Accra. If you're already staying on the coast, look at car hire & rental in Cape Coast, which is much closer to the park, or browse firms across the Central Region.
Self-drive or a driver?
It's a long day with a lot of driving. A driver means nobody has to drive back tired after the walkway, and a local driver will know the turn-off at Cape Coast. Our self-drive or chauffeur guide sets out the trade-offs. If you drive yourself, check the firm's mileage limits, because this trip is far longer than a day in the city.
Get driver waiting time in writing
Before you leave, agree these in writing (a WhatsApp message or email from the firm is fine):
| Agree in writing | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Pickup time and address | So you leave early enough |
| Hours included and the overtime charge | So a long day doesn't become a dispute |
| Waiting time at Kakum | So the driver waits while you walk |
| Fuel, tolls and parking | So you know what's in the price |
| Driver's meals | Agree who pays, and how much |
| Latest return time | So you're back before dark |
| What happens if you stay overnight | Driver's accommodation and the extra day |
Never pay a deposit into a personal account that doesn't match the firm's name. There's no site-wide price list here, because Ghana prices change often. Ask each firm for a dated written quote.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Kakum National Park from Accra?
Ghana's Wildlife Division says Kakum is about 170 km from Accra and 33 km north of Cape Coast. Graphic Online puts the Accra–Cape Coast road at 145 km. There's no official door-to-door road distance, so treat these as rough guides.
How many hours is Kakum National Park from Accra?
No official journey time is published. The Ghana Tourism Authority describes Kakum as about a 4-hour drive from Accra. Traffic leaving Accra and the road north of Cape Coast can make it longer.
Can I visit Kakum as a day trip from Accra?
Yes, but it's a long day. Leave Accra very early, keep to the canopy walk and a short trail, and leave Kakum by early afternoon so you're back before dark, as the FCDO advises against road travel outside main towns after dark.
What time does Kakum National Park open?
The Ghana Tourism Authority lists opening hours of 6 am to 4 pm. Check on the day before you travel.
How much is the Kakum canopy walk?
We couldn't find a current, dated price from an official source, so we don't publish one. Ask at the gate or contact the park before you go.
Where is Kakum National Park?
In Ghana's Central Region, about 33 km north of Cape Coast, according to the Wildlife Division.
Plan your trip
Compare car hire & rental with a driver in Accra, check firms in Cape Coast, and read the Accra to Cape Coast road trip guide if you'd rather stay over. Send each firm your date, pickup address and number of passengers, and ask for the price, hours and waiting-time terms in writing.
Sources
- Kakum National Park: canopy walkway, 'about a 4-hour drive from Accra', hours 6 am–4 pm (checked 26 October 2026) (Visit Ghana, Ghana Tourism Authority)
- Kakum National Park: 33 km north of Cape Coast and 170 km west of Accra; public transport from Pedu junction (checked 26 October 2026) (Ghana Wildlife Division (Forestry Commission))
- Kakum National Park & Assin: 350 km² conservation area, canopy walkway, visitor centre (checked 26 October 2026) (Forestry Commission)
- Taming road vampires: vehicle towing policy takes off Jan 2027 (the 145-kilometre Accra–Cape Coast road) (Graphic Online)
- Kwame Nkrumah Park retains most visited tourist site in Ghana (GTA 2025 report: Kakum second with 203,222 visitors, 22 June 2026) (Graphic Online)
- Poor roads to Kakum National Park frustrating visitors (Cape Coast–Twifo Praso road, 10 April 2018) (Citi Newsroom)
- Ghana travel advice: safety and security (daylight travel, roads outside main towns after dark; checked 26 October 2026) (UK FCDO)
Last checked: 26 October 2026. Rules, prices and advice change, so recheck official sources before you travel.
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Photo: Kradolferp, CC BY-SA 4.0
