Activities

Village tour with a visit to the chief palace (community tour)

In this tour a local English speaking guide will take you through the village of Karimenga and show you all kind of things in the village: from the local homes to the farms. This tour will also let you enjoy the beautiful views of the surrounding area of Karimenga. At the end of the tour you will visit the chief of Karimenga in his chiefs palace and you will get the opportunity to get on the picture with the chief (if he is around).

Note: in Ghana it is used to give the chief a little present like some fruit or a small amount of money.

Fish pond shrines (fishing rod and transport included)

If you would like to go to the White Volta river to sit down, relax and fish, just tell us! You can rent a fishing rod and one of the local people can bring you to the river.

XL-tour

You will visit the crocodile pound in Paga (get on the picture with a crocodile!), the Pikworo slavecamp and the pottery art centre in Sirigu. The XL-tour of The Greenhouse will first take you to the village of Paga, near the border with Burkina Faso. In Paga you will get the opportunity to hold a real crocodile and get on the picture with it. Don’t be afraid: the crocs have never bitten anyone except of the chicken they get as a reward for going on the picture with you. We can assure you the crocs are treated well and they will not be hurt in a single way.

When the cool pictures with the crocs are made you will continue to the Pikworo slave camp. A visit to this place which used to be a transit port for slaves coming from the north of Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Mali to be brought to Salaga is quite impressing. The guide who takes you around the slave camp will tell you how the slaves lived in the camp. The stories told by the guide are quite clear and will really take you back to the years of slavery.

After this historical part of the tour we drive to Sirigu for the more cultural part: our visit to the Sirigu Pottery and Art Centre. In this ‘village’ women have been making pottery and paintings with local designs for many years (since 2000). Kofi Annan has even been one of the visitors. It is very interesting to see the local designs used and when you travel through Ghana, it is sure you will recognize the designs in some places.

Last but not least we will visit the village of Gowrie to see the beautiful nature of the lake and its surrounding area that is situated next to the village.

Ever dreamed of driving on dirt roads through ‘raw Africa’ while sitting on the roof of the car enjoying a fresh wind? That’s also possible! As soon as we get of the asphalt-road on to the dirt road, you can climb on the roof of the car and just enjoy the ride!

This tour takes from morning till middle / end of the afternoon. Transport and all entry fees are included.

Visiting farmers – tour

In this tour a English speaking guide will take you to some local farmers to let them show you what kind of vegetables they farm and how they do this (without all the modern farming tools like tractors etc.). Helping them with farming is a possibility and will surely bring you closer to the locals.

This tour will take 1 – 1.5 hours.

Bird watching – tour

Ever wondered which bird species you hear whistle in the morning and during the day? What they might look like? If you could photograph them?

Then go on the bird-watching tour!

In this tour a English speaking guide will guide you through the surrounding area of Karimenga and will take a book with him to identify the bird species.

This tour will take 1 – 1.5. Binoculars are included.

Drumming lessons

Do you also get that swinging feeling and the attraction to dance as soon as you hear the music of drums? The drumming sound is one which is famous for Africa and which makes you feel go back to your roots.

Would you like to learn how to play the drum: the instrument of Africa?

Than follow some drumming lessons from our local drumming teacher: he will teach you how to play the basic rhythms and if it goes well he can also teach you the more complex ones.

Drumming lessons will take half an hour.

Fun games (with the youth): football, badminton, volleyball and oware

In the court yard of The Greenhouse we have a box with all kinds of games: monopoly, playing cards, frisbees, badminton, footballs, volleyball and the local game ‘oware’ (you can ask a staff member for an explanation of the game).

Would you like to play with the youth of Karimenga? Just tell us at the reception and we will ask some of the local young ones to come and play with you.

The games are for free of course. We would only like to ask you to put all the games back in the box if you are finished playing.

Story telling

Have you always been interested in the old stories about Africa and especially in them of Ghana? Or would you just like to sit down in the shade of a big tree to hear a local from Karimenga tell beautiful stories about life in Ghana and especially in the surrounding area of Karimenga?

Than you should ask for the story teller. This well-English speaking local man has interesting stories to tell you and will let you enjoy listening to him.

The story telling will take around 1 hour.

Bicycle rent

Would you like to discover the beautiful surrounding areas of Karimenga? Then take one of our bikes!

Cycle up the hill to get a really good view over a widespread area or cycle in the direction of Bolgatanga and cross some small villages on your path.

Do you like cycling on off-road tracks? Then try to cycle on the dirt roads into the inlands of the area of Karimenga and enjoy getting closer to the nature by getting away from the asphalt road.

You might also cycle to the White Volta river and go there on a canoe trip (see below).

Cycling through the area of Karimenga is a really good way to come closer to the beautiful nature views you have when you look outside through the window of your room.

Please be sure you take enough water with you. We would also like to ask you to take a little paper with the word ‘Karimenga’ on it with you. In case you get lost in the area people will then be able to tell you where to go.