Tamale

Get in

thumb|Bolga Road in downtown Tamale

Public bus from Accra or Kumasi is cheap and safer than the many private bus drivers. It takes 11 hours from Accra, leaving around 8AM so make sure you make a bathroom stop on the lunch stop as you might not be able to otherwise.

You can also take a direct flight to Tamale from Accra using Fly540Africa.

Private car from any medium sized town with driver is only about GH₵30 a day.

Get around

Yellow-yellows (motorised cycle rickshaws) are ubiquitous, and for a shared ride you can get from "town" (the centre) to anywhere in Tamale for GH₵6 or less. If you're new to the system, confirm the price before getting in. Make sure you tell the driver that you want a shared ride, otherwise prices will skyrocket. You can also take the red-and-yellow branded taxis.

See

Good point from which to visit Bongo (Moon Landscape) Tongo and Congo or if heading to Burkina Faso (neighboring country). Visit the Paga crocodile pond and all the slave camps near Paga. Also visit Sirigu Art Village to learn about all the arts and craft of the northern people of Ghana.

It is possible to do a day trip from Tamale to Mole National Park, where you can see elephants, warthogs, several types of monkeys, and other animals. You can book a tour from Tamale township or Tamale Airport, and cost approximately $130 per day plus fuel. There are also several places to stay in Mole. Near Mole National Park, you can visit the Larabanga mosque, the oldest in Ghana.

Do

Greet the people as it is the only opener to a conversation especially when you need help. Avoid talking about the conflicts in Dagbon and about the supremacy of chieftaincy over others Top up on supplies if you are heading out into the smaller towns or countryside. Chat to the locals, very friendly bunch and you will find the best travel info this way.

thumb|Tamale Sports Stadium, built in 2007 for the African Cup of Nations final tournament

Buy

Market on Main Street: The best of products can be found on the main streets of Tamale especially during weekends. However it takes a lot of energy to walk around for specific items and also having to negotiate. Make it a point to ask the locals the price range of products before entering the market since prices could be high at times for perceived strangers. If you ever have to bargain, don't be desperate because there is another seller somewhere who can give you a better option but be sure not to get a reduction in price after wandering and returning to the earlier seller you bargained with. Sometimes you have to behave like someone who is walking away to get a better price. You can find Cobblers, textiles and lots of food joints dotted around. Worth going into for the look of it alone and you may be hassled to 'buy Yam!' especially if you are a woman. Wander around a bit and you will find music shops selling tapes of the current Ghanaian charts, worth bringing a few home to remind yourself of the sunny, almost Jamaican style music being played everywhere.