Ivory Coast-Ghana Practical Information EN

Burkina - Benin - Togo | Practical Info

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Fotografieren

Geld

Gesundheit

Kleidung

Klima

Literatur

Reisegepäck/Checkliste

Sicherheit

Stromversorgung

Telekommunikation

Trinkgelder

Übernachtungen

Zeitunterschied

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On the banks of Bandama River, Ivory Coast

Accommodation On our trip through Côte d‘Ivoire and Ghana we stay in clean thoroughly selected 2-3-stars-hotels. The rooms have en suite facilities, electricity and water supply and air condition or fan. The hotels at Grand Bassam, Grand Lahou, Yamoussoukro and Biriwa have clean swimming pools. Here is a selection of the hotels used on our tour: www.hotellamadrague.com www.biriwabeach.com.gh/ www.ghana-resorts.com

Airlines Airlines with scheduled flights from Europe to Abidjan and Accra include Air France/KLM, Brussels Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines. For more information please consult the following websites: Air France: www.airfrance.com, Ethiopian Airlines: www.flyethiopian.com, Brussels Airlines: www.brusselsairlines.com. Turkish Airlines: www.turkishairlines.com If you book a tailor-made trip with us you can fly the airline of your choice and we can coordinate your flight arrangement with the land itinerary. We will be pleased to provide you with our consultation and support.

Clothing Light short-sleeved cotton clothing is recommended for the days and a long-sleeved shirt and trousers for the evenings which will help you to fend off mosquitoes. In the rainy season you need a waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella. (see chapter “when to go”). In many hotels there is a laundry service on offer, so you can get your washing done. As for footwear, you should carry with you a good pair of walking shoes for our hiking tours and a pair of sandals. Thongs are useful in shower and pool areas. Don’t forget your swimwear! You will have the opportunity to swim in the sea and in some of our hotels’ swimming pools.

What to take • Passport • Air ticket • International yellow vaccination card • Photocopies of your documents (it’s good to keep them in a separate bag) • Cash money, credit card • Hard top suitcase or tear resistant travel bag + day bag • Protective cover for your suitcase • Swimwear • A pair of flip flops (for shower and pool etc.) • A pair of sandals • Comfortable footwear, non-slip hiking boots • Long lightweight trousers, shorts, long-sleeved shirt for the evening, light thin cotton clothing • Sunhat and sunglasses • Suncream • Umbrella and/or waterproof jacket • Towel • Toilet paper, tissues, wet wipes • Torch with spare bulb and batteries • Swiss knife • Personal first-aid kit • Insect repellent • Photographic equipment, memory cards/film rolls, batteries • Binoculars

When to go Climate In spite of high humidity, the climate of Ivory Coast is fairly agreable, especially in the drier winter months. There are three main seasons - warm and dry from November to March, hot and dry from March to May, hot and wet from June to October. Average temperatures in the summer vary between 27º and 30 ºC. Southern Côte d’Ivoire receives especially heavy rainfall between May and October. Ghana In the south of Ghana the climate is tropical and wet all year round. Two rainy seasons occur in the south, the principal one from April to June and a shorter one in October and November. In July, August and September the rains are interrupted by a short dry season. There is a long dry season between December and end of March. The annual temperatures average 28 to 32°C. The coolest months of the year are July and August. Ghana’s rainforest area in the southwest of the country receives an annual rainfall of about 2,000mm. The relative humidity is high in the southern areas, it reaches up to 90%. A dry wind from the Sahara called the harmattan blows from January to March, and a veil of dust hangs over the country. In this time of the year temperatures can drop to 15°C at night. Generally speaking, the north of Ghana is drier than the south. It has only one rainy season that runs from April/May to October. In the northern areas savannah is the predominant vegetation zone. The average temperature at day is higher in the north than in the south, but at night temperature can drop considerably. The harmattan winds start blowing already in November. Best period for this trip: all year round

What you should know before you go … Côte d‘Ivoire and Ghana are wonderful countries to visit, but remember that Africans have a different perception of time. A trip through West Africa requires a high degree of flexibility, patience and tolerance, western standards regarding service, punctuality, comfort and hygiene cannot be applied here. Although we thoroughly choose our vehicles and use only vehicles in good condition, flat tires or other car breakdowns can happen. The road conditions in African countries can change unexpectedly due to heavy rainfalls requiring a detour or bridges can suddenly become impassable. We do our utmost best to ensure a smooth journey but please understand that delays may occur. Technical defects or service inconveniences in the hotels such as the lack of towels can often be rectified within a few minutes. In case of any inconvenience please contact your tour guide! All information, opinions and advice contained on our Website are provided without any guarantees, conditions or warranties as to its accuracy and for general information only.

Communication Ivory Coast International and national calls can be made from post offices and hotels. The prefix for UK is 0044, for USA and Canada 001, for Ivory Coast 00225.As in many other African countries, Ivory Coast has a booming mobile industry, and coverage is excellent across the country. For detailed information please contact your provider prior to departure. If you have an unlocked GSM phone, it is possible to buy a local SIM card like Orange, Comium or Moov for about 5 - 6 $ and buy top-ups. International calls to the UK and USA cost about 400 to 500 CFA per minute. Internet access is widely available in Abidjan and other cities of the country and prices not expensive, although connections are often slow. Many hotels offer free WIFI. Ghana In major towns cheapest is to use a telephone booth that takes phone cards available from post offices, gas stations, street vendors or small stalls. There are 25, 50, 100 or 150-unit cards. One minute to Europe costs around 1 US dollar. The booths offer International Direct Dialling. The prefix for UK is 0044, for USA and Canada 001, for Ghana 00233. There are also small stalls in the streets offering phone service. You can also make phone calls at upmarket hotels but this option is quite expensive. As in many other African countries, the mobile industry in Burkina Faso is booming, and coverage is excellent across the country. For detailed information please contact your provider prior to departure. Internet access is widely available in major towns and prices not expensive, although connections are often slow.

Electric Supply & Plugs 220 volts alternating current. Generally, you can recharge your batteries in your hotel room without a problem. Côte d‘Ivoire uses two-pin continental-style plugs, so you will probably need an adapter. In Ghana they use sockets of type D and G, old British BS-546 5 amp "small" and British BS-1363. In case if you need an adapter it can be purchased from street vendors or supermarkets for about 3 GHC. US citizens may also need a voltage converter. Please note that power cuts are frequent.

Food and Drinks In the itinerary we state which meals are included on each day. Food included in the breakfast varies according to hotel standard. Most hotels serve bread, butter, jam, sometimes honey and processed cheese or omelette for breakfast. It also includes tea or coffee. Upmarket hotels usually serve buffet breakfast. Dinner we usually take in the restaurants of our hotels or in clean, thoroughly selected restaurants in town. In many places international cuisine is served. Ivory Coast • Ivorian cuisine is based on grains and tubers, fish and seafood, chicken, fresh fruits, vegetables and spices, and is very similar to that of neighbouring countries in West Africa. Plantains and cassava are important staple crops. Grated cassava is used to make attiéké, a popular side dish very similar in taste and consistency to couscous. A type of corn paste called aitiu is used to prepare corn balls, and peanuts are widely used in many dishes. A common street-vended food is alloco, which is ripe banana fried in palm oil, spiced with a hot sauce made of onions and chili. It can be eaten alone as a snack or often with a hard-boiled egg, as well as a side dish. Grilled fish and grilled chicken are the most popular non-vegetarian foods. Lean, low-fat Guinea Fowl, is commonly referred as poulet bicyclette. Seafood includes shrimp, tuna, sardines and bonito, which are similar to tuna. Mafé is a dish consisting of meat in a peanut sauce. Slow-simmered stews with various ingredients are another common food staple in Côte d'Ivoire. Kedjenou is a type of spicy stew consisting of chicken and vegetables that are slow-cooked in a sealed terracotta pot called a canary with little or no added liquid. The maquis is Côte d’Ivoire's great contribution to eating in West Africa. A typical maquis is a reasonably priced open-air restaurant where you eat under a thatched paillote. Maquis normally feature braised or grilled chicken and fish served with onions and tomatoes, attiéké, and/or kedjenou. Fizzy drinks are widely available. The standard beer is Bock Solibra, which locals order by asking for a soixante-six - a 660-ml-bottle, or even a grosse bière, a hefty 1L-bottle. Bandji is the local palm wine, which is especially palatable when it’s freshly tapped. Ghana Ghanaian main staple food is made of yams, cassava, sweet potatoes, millet, maize and rice. Plantains are very popular, too. The traditional dishes are served with vegetables such as tomato, onion, egg-plant, okra or beans as well as tasty sauces and soups. Food is generally very spicy; ten different kinds of pepper and chilli occur in the country and are used abundantly. However, there is a number of hotels and restaurants serving European-style food. Ghanaians love meat, they particularly appreciate bush-meat. Grasscutter also known as cane rat, a large rodent, is also very popular. But you will also find beef, mutton, chicken and goat meat on the menus. Pork meat is rarely served but it is eaten in areas with a Christian population. The coast is great for delicious fish and seafood dishes. But not only the sea provides the Ghanaians with fish, Lake Volta is also very rich in fish. There is a large variety of fruit in Togo. Along with pineapple, citrus fruits, papaya, mango, banana and melon, there is cherimoya, star fruit and guava on offer. Vendors walk around the cities with carts piled high with young, green coconuts.. They open the coconut so that you can drink the clear refreshing water. If you’d like to eat the flesh they also split it open for you. Ghana’s national dish is fufu, made of cassava, plantain or yams, mashed until the starch breaks down and it becomes a gooey ball. Usually it is served with a tasty soup. Joloff rice is found throughout West Africa, it is served with beef, mutton or chicken. Dumplings made of cassava or maize are found throughout the country. The dishes are called banku, obenku, kokonte or akpie depending on the region. The most popular soups in Ghana are abenkwan, made of palm kernel, ntaketwan made of groundnut or nkrakra, a clear soup. Tap water should be boiled or filtered before you drink it. In all bigger cities you can buy mineral water in bottles. Although there are many species of fruit grown in the country fresh exotic fruit juice is difficult to find. Soft drinks including Coca cola, Fanta and Sprite are widely available. Ghanaians are known for being enthusiastic beer drinkers, and there are several local and international brands to buy, the most popular being Star, Gulder and Club. In the south homemade palm wine is very popular; in the north people prefer millet beer. .

Health A Yellow Fever vaccination and certificate is a compulsory requirement for entry into Côte d‘Ivoire and Ghana (see visa requirements). You should always carry the certificate with you while being in Africa. Immunisations against tetanus, diphtheria, polio and hepatitis A are recommended by the World Health Organization, regardless of your destination. For other vaccinations and prophylactic measures please consult your doctor, travel clinic or tropical medical bureau before departure. For further information please consult our Infoportal. To prevent traveller’s diarrhoea, peel fresh fruits before eating them and avoid fresh salads and ice cubes in basic restaurants. Be careful and very selective when eating or drinking in street stalls and make sure that meat is always well cooked and plates and serving utensils are clean. Don’t drink hastily ice-cold drinks. Consult your doctor before departure for appropriate medication and rehydration mixtures. The best prevention of malaria is to avoid being bitten. The evening wear clothes covering your entire body and use mosquito repellent. Sleep under a mosquito net and/or turn AC or fan on. For further prophylactic measures consult a specialist for tropical diseases. Keep away from street dogs, monkeys and other mammals that could carry rabies. Avoid bathing in standing bodies of water because they are high-risk areas for bilharzia.Be careful while bathing in the sea because undercurrents and breaking waves are very dangerous even for strong swimmers the seas off Ghana being particularly risky.

Literature Travel guides: • West Africa, Lonely Planet, 8th edition, published September 2013 • The Rough Guide to West Africa, 5th edition, published June 2009 • Ghana, Bradt Travel Guide, 6th edition 2013 • Burkina Faso, Bradt Travel Guide, 2nd edition, 2011

Money The CFA franc (Communauté Financière Africaine) represented on international banking systems by XOF, is the common currency of Côte d‘Ivoire. Exchange rates are $1 = 552 CFA, £1 = 768 CFA, 1 CAD = 440 CFA (as of August 2021), €1 = 655.95 CFA. The CFA franc is pegged directly to the Euro. Notes are in denominations of CFA 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000, coins come in CFA500, 250, 200, 100, 50 and 25. Coins of CFA 10 or 5 exist, but they are extremely rare. Ghana’s currency is the Cedi (GHS). Exchange rates are 1 € = 7,10 GHS, 1 $ = 5,98 GHS and 1£ = 8,32 GHS, 1 CAD = 4,77 GHS (as of August 2021). Please note that finding change can be very difficult at times, particularly in small shops, restaurants, taxis and street stalls, so you should always have a good supply of cash money in small denominations or coins. Ivory Coast You can change cash money in banks and some larger hotels. Normal banking hours are from 08.00 to 14.00 Uhr or 15.00 Uhr Monday to Friday. Some banks give you cash advance on your credit card. You don’t need your PIN code but will need your passport. However, this procedure is time consuming, and commission is very high. The easiest way to change money is to change cash. Changing euros, dollars or pound sterling in foreign exchange bureaus (Bureau de change) is less time consuming and cheaper than in banks. In all larger cities banks are equipped with ATM machines, allowing you can withdraw money using your Visa card. Please note, that most banks and cashpoints only accept Visa card. Mastercard, American Express or other credit cards are generally not accepted. Cashpoints may not be working or may be malfunctioning, so do not count on them. In Ivory Coast it’s practically impossible to use your credit card as a means of payment. EC Maestro card is an absolute no-go everywhere in Ivory Coast. Some banks in the larger cities offer travellers’ cheques services. While travellers’ cheques offer a greater security, changing them can be time consuming and commission is very high. You will be asked to produce both your passport and the receipt you get from your bank when purchasing them.. Ghana You can change cash money in banks, some hotels and foreign exchange bureaus (Forex bureau) in Accra and major cities. Normal banking hours are from 08.30 to 14.00 Monday to Thursday and 8.30 to 15.00 on Friday. The best banks to exchange money are Barclay’s and Standard Chartered Bank. However, the exchange rates in banks are often lower than in the foreign exchange bureaus. All widely used currencies like euro, US dollar, Swiss franc, British Pound Sterling are easy to be exchanged. The CFA franc from the neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo can also be changed without a problem. North of Kumasi there may be problems to exchange hard currency cash. In Accra and all major cities banks are equipped with ATM machines, allowing you can withdraw money using your Visa card. Cashpoints are sometimes not working or malfunctioning, so do not count on them. Please note, that most banks and cashpoints only accept Visa card. Mastercard, American Express or other credit cards are rarely accepted. Only very few big hotels, restaurants or supermarkets accept payment with credit card. EC Maestro card you can only use with the Ghana Commercial Bank on High Street in Accra. It is not accepted as a means of payment. While travellers’ cheques offer a greater security, changing them can be time consuming, and commission is very high and you will get a low exchange rate. You will be asked to produce both your passport and the receipt you get from your bank when purchasing them. Standard Chartered Bank has the best exchange rate for travellers’ cheques. Forex Bureaus rarely change travellers’ cheques.

West African Franc, bank notes of Ivory Coast

Photography Both countries are real treasure troves for passionate photographers. Whether the impressive slave castles on the Gold Coast, the awesome basilica of Yamoussoukro, the stilt villages of Tiagba and Nzulezo or the beautiful beaches of Ankobra and Drewen: there are countless photographic subjects. Before you snap people please ask permission. A small friendly conversation can help you to break the ice and win your subject’s sympathy. Particularly in the animistic parts of the countries there are sacred places where photography is not allowed. Please follow your local guide’s instructions. Some places charge a photo fee (e.g. the basilica of Yamoussoukri or Nzulezo). Taking pictures is not allowed inside the museums. It is strictly forbidden to take pictures of military buildings and people wearing uniforms, airports, dams, bridges, power plants, police stations, control posts along the roads and border posts!

Safety The danger most likely to affect a tourist is pick-pocketing, particularly in busy markets, bus stations, in crowds in the streets or in shared taxis. Bag snatchers are few, but can occasionally strike, speeding past on mopeds. Do not wear expensive jewellery or carry large amounts of cash or expensive items such as cameras. You should keep belongings close when walking down streets. We recommend you to keep your documents, cash money, credit card and cheques in a skin-hugging hidden money-belt or a button-up chest pocket. Always travel with photocopies of your documents and keep them in a separate bag. Avoid walking around the streets at night, especially alone. During late evening or around/after midnight, we recommend you to use a taxi. For up-to-date information and safety and security advice about your destination please check your government’s travel advisory: www.fco.gov.uk, www.travel.state.gov, www.voyage.gc.ca Ivory Coast Since the end of the civiil war and Alassane Ouattara’s election for presidentvin 2011 the security situation has largely improved in the past couple of years. The elections on October 25, 2015 were carried out peacefully. In case of emergency please contact your embassy or representation in Ivory Coast: For UK citizens: • British Embassy Quartier Ambassades Rue l'Impasse du Belier, Rue A 58, Abidjan 01 01 B.P 2581 Phone: +225 2244 2669. Fax: +225 2248 9548 For further information click here: https://www.gov.uk/government/world/cote-d-ivoire Opening hours: Monday - Thursday: 09:00 to 16:30, Friday 09:00 to 14:30. For US citizens: • Embassy of the United States Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire 01 B.P. 1712 Tel: (+225) 22-49-40-00 Tel. Consular Section: (+225) 22 49 45 94 Fax: (+225) 22 49 42 02 E-mail for American citizens: abjamcit@state.gov . For further information click here: http://abidjan.usembassy.gov/ For Canadian citizens: • Embassy of Canada to Côte d’Ivoire 23 Noguès Ave., Plateau, Abidjan 01 Trade Centre Building, 6th and 7th floors 01 B.P. 4104 Tel: +225 20 30 07 00 Fax: +225 29 30 07 20 E-mail:abidjn@international.gc.ca http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/cotedivoire/ Office hours: Monday to Thursday: 07:30 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 16:30, Friday: 07:30 – 13:00 Ghana Ghana is a rather safe country. There is very little crime. Please follow the above mentioned general security advice. In case of emergency please contact your embassy or representation in Ghana: For citizens of the UK: • British High Commission in Accra Osu Link Off Gamel Abdul Nasser Avenue P.O. Box 296 Tel.: +233 302 213 250; fax: +233 302 213 200 For further information click here: https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-high- commission-accra For US citizens: • Embassy of the United States, Accra Ghana Consular Section Cantonments Accra, Ghana If you are an American Citizen with an emergency, you may contact us at the following number and request to speak with the U.S. Embassy Duty Officer: +233-30-274-1000. For further information click here: http://ghana.usembassy.gov/ For Canadian citizens : • High Commission of Canada 42 Independence Avenue, Accra, Ghana P.O. Box 1639, Accra, Ghana Telephone: +233 (302) 21 15 21 or 22 85 55 Fax: +233 (302) 21 15 23 or 77 37 92 E-Mail: accra@international.gc.ca For further information click here: www.canadainternational.gc.ca/ghana/

Time Zone Difference Côte d‘Ivoire’s and Ghana’s time zone is UTC/GMT + 0. As they do not observe daylight saving time they are one hour behind in summertime.

Tipping Although entirely voluntary, tipping is a recognized part of life in Africa. In the more well-to-do restaurants you can tip 5 – 10% if you were satisfied. For hotel tipping guidelines are as follows: for porters 200 CFA for one piece, for housekeeping 300 CFA per person per night in Côte d‘Ivoire and about 2 GHC for one piece in Ghana for the porter and for housekeeping 3 GHC per person per night. At your discretion you might also consider tipping your driver, tour guide and local guides in appreciation of the efficiency and service you receive.

Visa Requirements You may choose to use a visa service or send your application to the representations listed below. Please note, that for this trip you need to have 4 empty pages in your passport. Please note that a Yellow Fever vaccination and certificate is a compulsory requirement for entry into all three countries (see chapter “Health”). The certificate is often checked upon arrival. All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related issues with the relevant embassy or consulate prior to departure. Ivory Coast Passports valid for a minimum of six months after the intended length of stay as well as visas are required by all EU, US, Australian and Canadian nationals. Other nationals are advised to contact the embassy to check their individual requirements. Tourists require a confirmed accomodation booking or proof of sufficient funds to cover their stay. Similarly, a valid yelllow fewer vaccination certificate is required by all travellers. Short-stay tourist visa up to 3 months cost €50 (if collected from the embassy) or €70 (if collected at the airport), long-stay visa of six months to one year €130. Nationals of most countries can apply online (www.snedai.com/en) and then either collect the visa either from the embassy or at the airport in Abidjan. It's advisable to check with the embassy whether you're eligible for the airport visa pick-up. UK citizens: • Embassy of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire 2 Upper Belgrave St Belgravia, London SW1X 8BJ Phone: 020 7235 6991 and 020 7235 6992 Fax: 020 7259 5320 US citizens: • Embassy of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW 20008 Washington DC Phone: +1-202-559-0317 Fax: +1-202-204-3967 Mail contact: http://ambaciusa.org/contact/ Web: http://ambaciusa.org/Site/ Visa application: http://ambaciusa.org/fr/?id=31 Canadian citizens: • Embassy of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire 9, Avenue Marlborough Ottawa (Ontario) - Canada K1N 8E6 Phone: (1613) 236 9919 Fax : (1613) 563-8287 Email: info@canada.diplomatie.gouv.ci / ambci.info@rogers.com Web: http://www.canada.diplomatie.gouv.ci/ Ghana Visas are required by all nationalities. Passports valid for a minimum of six months beyond date of departure are required by all. Visas are issued in countries with Ghana representation. For citizens of the UK: • Ghana High Commission 104 Highgate Hill London N6 5HE Telephone: 08453 133 399 For further information click here: www.ghanahighcommissionuk.com/ The High Commission operates two office sites in London and Honorary Consulates in Glasgow and Dublin. • Ghana Consulate, Dublin Republic of Ghana 74 Haddington Road Dublin 4 Tel:+353 1667 3849 Fax: 00353 1 6677 622 Email:info@ghanaconsulateireland.com • The Honorary Consulate-General Republic of Ghana Swalaba 17 Bellevue Road Ayr KA7 2SA Visa Section: 08453 133 399 Email: hcgscotland@ghc-uk.org For US citizens: • Embassy of Ghana in USA 3512 International Dr., N.W. Washington D.C., 20008 Tel: +1 202 686 4520, fax: +1 202 686 4527 Consular@ghanaembassy.org For further information click here: www.ghanaembassy.org For Canadian citizens: • Consular Section of the Ghana High Commission 1 Glemow Avenue (The Glebe) Ottawa, Ontario K1S 2A9, Canada Tel.: +1 613 236 0871, fax: +1 613 236 0874 email: ghanacom@ghc-ca.com For further information click here:www.ghc-ca.com

Côte d‘Ivoire - Ghana | Practical Info