Wa Municipal, Upper West
Wa Naa's Palace
The historic Sudanese-style palace of the Wa Naa, paramount chief of the Wala people, blending mud-brick architecture with centuries of Wala kingship tradition.
3.5 (4 reviews)
Entry fee
GHS 40 adults, GHS 20 children (includes canoe guide)
Opening hours
6:00 AM – 6:00 PM daily
Best time to visit
Dry season (November–April), early morning or late afternoon canoe trips
Address
Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary, Wechiau, Wa West District, Upper West Region, Ghana
From Wa, trotros and shared taxis run to Wechiau town (about 1 hour, GHS 15–20), from where the sanctuary's visitor centre is a short additional drive. From Tamale, first travel to Wa via the Tamale-Wa road (roughly 3–4 hours) before connecting to Wechiau.
Book the earliest canoe slot for the best hippo activity, wear neutral colours, stay quiet on the water, and bring insect repellent.
Waited almost an hour for a guide to show up and then paid what felt like a lot for a 30 minute paddle with no hippo sighting. Might have been unlucky but wouldn't rush back.
Brought my two kids and they loved the canoe. Guide kept everyone calm and explained hippo behavior in a way the kids understood. Toilets at the entry point need work though.
The canoe ride itself was calm and pretty but we didn't see any hippos that morning, apparently they move around a lot. Guide said this happens sometimes. Still enjoyed the river and the birds.
Nice half day trip from Wa. We only spotted two hippos from a distance but the guide was patient and explained how the sanctuary works with the surrounding villages. Road from Wa is rough in parts, about 90 minutes each way, so leave early.
We took the early canoe out around 7am and saw a pod of six hippos close to the bank. The community guides know exactly where the pods hang out that time of year. Cost was 80 cedis per person which felt fair since the money goes straight to the villages managing the place. Bring a hat, there's zero shade on the river.
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