Wechiau Hippopotamus Sanctuary
Wechiau hippopotamus sanctuary is a wild
hippopotamus habitat located in the Upper west region of Ghana. Wechiau is the last
town and district capital of the wa-west
district.
Get There
Wechiau is approximately 34 kilometres from Wa which is the capital city of the Upper west region. There is public transport going to Wechiaw from Wa everyday of the week. Private car rentals are hard to come by. Therefore it is advisable to rent a mini bus from Wa when travelling in groups. But on a solo expedition you can join the public vehicles going there.
Accommodation/Lodging and Dinning
Accommodation: The
hippo sanctuary has guest house accommodation for tourist who want to spend the night.
There are clean basic rooms with fans (no air conditioning). There is no restaurant therefore there is a kitchen on site. You can buy fresh farm produce from the market and cook your own meals. Cooked food is also available in town but be careful.
Activities
The office of the
hippopotamus sanctuary is located not very far from the town square. The office is where you book the tour to see
the hippopotamus. After booking the tour there is then the 18 kilometre ride to a village called Talewona, this is the nearest village to the river (black volta) where the hippopotamus reside.
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| Hippopotamus sanctuary office |
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| Hippopotamus skull |
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| Crafts store |
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| Reception area |
Activities available
are
The River Safari
You tour the black volta
river in a canoe where you get to see the hippopotamus in their natural
surroundings. The hippopotamus swim during the day and hunt for food at night.
The river also serves as a boundary between Ghana and Burkina Faso. These hippopotamus
are wild and not caged therefore it is interesting to watch them in their
natural habitat and observe the way they react to people.
Bird Watching
You can also see varieties of birds especially early in the morning. You can go along with binoculars
for better viewing opportunities. There are cattle egrets, grey herons and
kingfishers
Camping
There are designated
spaces meant for camping as well as opportunity to visit the three main
families who live close to the river. This offers you the opportunity to see
the way of life of a traditional West African family in a village
dwelling
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