Travel Africa – The Aburi Botanical Gardens

If you’re looking to connect with nature in a largely untapped and truly exotic part of the world then Africa is a great place to begin your adventures. Ghana in particular, located in West Africa is one such destination which not only fits the exotic description but offers abundant wildlife and greenery in the form of the Aburi Botanic Gardens.

The Aburi Botanic Garden falls under the Ghanaian Department of Parks and Gardens. Vast, green, and beautiful, the Aburi Botanic Garden is home to one of the largest trees you’ll ever see and with footbridges and canopy walkways connecting one large tree to another in a semi-circle, this is one adventure that will totally blow your mind away.

Not For The Acrophobic

Remember when we say tall trees and canopy walkways we mean it. This definitely isn’t for the acrophobic (extreme fear of heights) because once you start walking through the footbridges, passing from one tree to another there’s no turning back. The whole park and the canopy walkways connecting each tree are designed in such a way that it’s not even feasible for you to go back. However if you love your sense of adventure this experience is something you’ll never forget.

A True Wonder

Nested 39 kilometers north east of Accra, within the Akwapim ridge, the Aburi Botanic Gardens really are among the select gardens of the world, especially when it comes to the promotion of plant diversity. It’s reputation for research, breeding and care of endangered plants, the introduction of rare plants into nature, natural reserve management, horticultural workshops, and environmental education is beyond repute.

How To Get There

To commute to the Botanic Gardens, you can ride a minibus or a trotro at the Tema Station in Accra Central, or the Odawna Station beside the Kwame Nkrumah Circle. A trotro is a refurbished minivan that has been stripped of its doors and painted white. It has a seating capacity for around 12 people (although for the most part, they allow as much as 15 people into the).

Bear in mind that riding trotros are tricky because drivers employ different hand gestures to signify specific places. If you are unfamiliar with this, it might be best if you asked someone to help you out, or if you rode a cab. Don’t just ride a trotro without being sure about your destination or you’ll probably end up in some unknown place on the other side of the city. Ask someone familiar with the place to help you out.

Extensive Tree Life

One of the spectacular features of the Aburi Botanic Garden is the amazing variety of tree life. There’s no shortage of tree varieties here and you’ll even come across some almost extinct ones. We’re talking tree’s like the silk cotton tree, which is extinct around the world but you guessed it, there’s still one remaining and it exists within the Aburi Gardens.

With many of the trees being as high as 50 meters, and as thick as 5 to 8 meters (that’s bigger than what 10 people combined can hug) you’ll constantly be gazing in awe at these monstrousities of nature, towering high above you sheltering you from the scorching sun.

Spectacular Viewing

Even if you’re not a nature geek the Aburi Botanic Garden which overlooks the coastal plains at between 1.2-1.5 thousand feet above sea level offers views not available in most parts of the world. A place for silent reflection and appreciation and the perfect break from the stress of city life is exactly what you’ll find at the Aburi Botanical Gardens.