Krachi West District, Oti
Brewaniase Slave Route
A quiet Krachi West town sitting along the historic 19th-century trade and slave-route corridor that once ran through the powerful Dente shrine at Kete Krachi.
4.3 (3 reviews)
Entry fee
Informal passenger and vehicle fares set by the Volta Lake Transport Company (small cedi amounts, pay at the landing)
Opening hours
Daylight hours; departures depend on loading and demand rather than a fixed timetable
Best time to visit
Dry season (November-March) for the most reliable road access to the ferry landing; early morning for the busiest, most photogenic market trading on both banks.
Address
Dambai ferry landing, Oti riverbank, Dambai, Krachi East Municipal, Oti Region
From Accra's Achimota/Tudu terminals, STC/VIP/MMT buses cover the roughly 350km, 6-8 hour route to Dambai. From Tamale, travel via the Salaga-Kpandai-Dambai road (a full day's journey with transfers). Confirm ferry operating status locally before planning a return crossing the same day.
Ask locally about the ferry's mechanical status before relying on it for a same-day round trip; breakdowns have occasionally stranded travelers. Bring small cedi notes for fares and snacks from riverside vendors.
Honestly a highlight of the trip just for the novelty. Locals with market goods, motorbikes, and us all crammed onto one pontoon crossing the river together. Bring cash for the crossing fee.
We waited almost two hours for the ferry to fill up before it moved. No shade at the loading point either. Glad we did it once but wouldn't plan a trip around the schedule again.
Interesting way to see how people actually get between Dambai and Kete Krachi. River views were nice, brought my camera out for most of the crossing. Fee was small, a few cedis per person.
The pontoon crossing over the Oti River took about 40 minutes with our vehicle, longer if you're on foot waiting for a full load. It's a bit chaotic loading but locals were used to the process and helped direct us.
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