WALK THE LINE: The Canopy Walkway at Kakum National Park

Kakum National Park is a 375 square km national park located in the Central Region of Ghana and 45 minutes outside of Cape Coast.  The entire area is covered with a tropical rainforest. In the park, gamekeepers are specially trained in the medical and cultural significance of the local foliage. Kakum National Park contains rare animals, including the endangered Mona-meerkat, as well as pygmy elephants, forest buffalo, civet cats, a wide array of birds, and over 500 species of butterflies.

What Kakum is most known for are a long series of hanging bridges at the forest canopy level known as “The Canopy Walkway.” At a 130 feet height, the visitor can approach the plants and animals from a vantage point that would otherwise be inaccessible to people. The Canopy Walkway passes over 7 bridges and runs over a length of 1,080 feet. It is secured by a series of nets and wires for safety purposes that were constructed by a team of 9 persons.

A majority of the group was able to complete the hearty walk which included a 15-minute incline to the bridge, a 30-minute walk through the 7 bridges and then another 15-minute trek down to the park entrance. There are also a couple of lovely yet overpriced craft shops at the Kakum entrance and an open-air restaurant where we dined for lunch after completing the walk.

We were excited about many of the group members who took the walk challenge as a way to conquer their fear of heights. Several even spoke about being able to commune with God in a new way through an appreciation of nature in all its majesty. Kakum was definitely a rewarding experience for all involved.

Take a peek at our Kakum Canopy Walkway trip here: