Kakum National Park, located in the Central Region of Ghana, is home to the Canopy Walk.  The Canopy Walk is comprised of seven bridges that connect from treetop to treetop over a length of more than 1000 feet.

Kakum Canopy Walk - Photo by Stig Nygaard

Visitors walk – one at a time – across these bridges, which are suspended up to 130 feet off of the ground.  Made of wooden planks and netting, a walk on these bridges provides a look at some of the plants, birds and other wildlife that would otherwise be impossible to see in the dense rainforest of Kakum National Park

To reach the bridge, one must hike up the side of a hill.  Being in tip top shape is not necessary, but someone who gets winded walking up a flight of stairs may have a bit of difficulty.  The next step is to climb a ladder that leads to the first of the treetop platforms.

From that platform, visitors step onto the first of the bridges.  The bridges sway and as one walks onto the bridge, there is nothing underfoot except a narrow piece of wood. It can be a bit scary, but the view makes it all worth it.  At the end of each bridge there is another platform, and once all of the bridges have been crossed, another ladder allows visitors to descend from among the treetops.

While it is tempting to focus only on the fact that one is walking high above the ground, it is important to choose to listen carefully to sounds that can be heard nowhere else in the world.  Listen for bird calls and wildlife, such as monkeys, as they move through the trees.

Kakum is home to the only such attraction in all of Africa.  In fact, there are only four similar activities in the world.  For nature lovers, it is a dream come true.  The canopy walk offers a chance to see sights and hear sounds that would otherwise be unattainable.

A trip to Ghana would be incomplete without a stroll among the treetops in this rainforest.  In fact, some would say that it is sufficient reason to plan a visit to the country in the first place.