Emancipation Day Celebrations 2026

Emancipation Day Celebrations  is celebrated in Cape Coast by the Chiefs and people of Ghana and Africans in the Diaspora. It is a festival of arts and culture which serves as a homecoming event for Africans living elsewhere as a assault of Slave Trade. The festival unites Africans and Africans in the Diaspora by tracing ancestral roots and linkages. The festival revisits the political and socio & cultural effects slavery had on the African continent.

Thurs. 27th July, 2026 (Day 1)

 Arrival – Accra     

Upon arrival at the Kotoka International Airport, a representative of Blastours will meet guests for a hotel transfer.

There will be a group orientation over a welcome dinner.

Meals : Dinner

 Fri. 28th July (Day 2)

Accra

Start the day with a visit the Independence Square, the historic site where Ghana was declared a free nation, featuring monuments commemorating the struggle for independence.

Continue to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, the final resting place of Ghana’s first president. Surrounded by water, symbolizing life, the mausoleum embodies Nkrumah’s enduring legacy.

After lunch, we visit the W.E.B Dubois Centre for Pan Africanism and the Diaspora African Forum.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Sat. 29th July (Day 3)

 Accra – Kumasi

Depart for the Ashanti Region, known as the “Kingdom of Gold,” renowned for its rich culture and craftsmanship.

Stopover at the bead market in Koforidua to learn the art of bead making.

On arrival, we will visit the Kumasi Cultural Centre, which offers a good account of the rich Ghanaian culture, provides evidence of the Ashanti Kingdom’s eminent past. It houses the Prempeh II Jubilee museum, which provides a fascinating collection of Asante’s history.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Sunday, 30th July (Day 4)

Kumasi

Start the day with a visit to the Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Ashanti Kingdom.

Join in the celebrations of the Akwasidae festival, a grand Durbar of Chiefs and Elders paying homage to the Ashanti Chief.

In the afternoon, we will visit the craft villages of Ntonso, famous for Adinkra cloth, and Ahwiaa, known for intricate carvings.

Explore Adanwomase (Kente) village to learn about Kente weaving and its history and to interact with locals.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Mon. 31st July (Day 5)

Kumasi – Cape Coast

Start the day with a visit to the Kejetia Market, the largest open air-market in West Africa with women at the helm of affairs.

Set off for the Central Region with a stopover at the Ancestral River Park in Assin manso, where individuals from the northern parts of Africa and Ghana, were taken for a last bath in the “Donko Nsuo” slave river, before being sent off to the dungeons of our coastal slave castles for shipment to the “New World”.

In the evening, participate in the reverential night at the Cape Coast Castle; candlelight processions, and vigil to commemorate the Africans who died in the slave trade. There will be a ceremony and re-enactment of the slave passage through the “Door of No Return”.

Midnight Declaration of Emancipation Day. This is the highlight of PANAFEST CELEBRATIONS.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Tues. 01st August (Day 6)

Cape Coast

Participate in an Emancipation Day celebration, which will be opened with a Grand Durbar of Traditional Chiefs. Witness this grand ‘colorful’ and spectacular event that showcases the pomp and pageantry of Ghana’s traditional rulers. These festivities are held at Assin Manso, the site of the “last bath” where slaves are taken for bath before being shipped to the new world.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Wed. 02nd August (Day 7)

Cape Coast

Explore the Kakum National Park, a natural rainforest that provides an amazing experience with its canopy walkway tour, which is the longest and highest in West Africa.

Continue to the Cape Coast Castle (Fort Carlsborg), which was under Swedish administration.

Experience a walk through the Door of No Return. Marking the beginning of a perilous journey of our ancestors.

End the day with a drum and dance session, where group participation is encouraged.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Thurs. 03rd Aug. (Day 8)

Elmina - Accra

Participate in a naming ceremony amidst traditional drumming and dancing by the villagers and be given traditional African names.

Experience a guided tour of the Elmina Castle, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, which was built by the Portuguese in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina (St. George of the Mine). It is a well-preserved castle with an incredible history and is infamous for its pivotal role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Take a walking tour through Elmina Township, visiting colonial-style homes, the Dolphin House, churches, and the Dutch Cemetery.

Also, visit the Asafo Shrines, where warriors prepared mentally and spiritually before going to war.

Return to Accra in the afternoon.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Fri. 04th Aug. (Day 9)

Accra

Take a walk through the fishing village of James Town. Situated where the Gulf of Guinea sends tidings from the Atlantic Ocean, Jamestown happens to be one of the oldest settlements full of beautifully disheveled colonial buildings, clapboard houses and corrugated iron shacks – but it remains one of the most vibrant districts in the Accra

Continue to the National Museum.

End the day with a visit to the  Arts Centre for National Culture, Ghana’s largest craft market.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Sat. 05th Aug. (Day 10)

Accra - Ada

Morning departure to Ada, for the Asafotufiam Festival, celebrated by the people of Ada.

Return to Accra in the afternoon with a stopover at the Nkyinkyim Museum, an outdoor museum of Kwame Akoto Bamfo, which seamlessly combines African art, history and performance.

End the day with a farewell dinner.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Sun. 06th Aug. (Day 11)

Accra – Departure

Free day for departures.

Meals : Breakfast

Tour Highlights

  • Wreath Laying Ceremony
  • Grand Durbar of Chiefs
  • A naming Ceremony
  • Visit to the Elmina & Cape Coast Castles
  • Midnight Declaration of Emancipation Day
  • Emancipation Day Celebrations
  • Accra Arts Tour

 

 

Tour Dates

Start Date:

27/07/2026

End Date:

06/08/2026

Duration:

11 days/10 nights

Group Size:

02 – 30 travelers

Tour Cost:

Customised

Inclusions

  • Transportation daily in an Air Conditioned vehicle
  • Accommodation in the best boutique hotels
  • Breakfast daily
  • Entrance fees to listed attractions and activities
  • Bottled water daily
  • A dedicated English speaking tour guide

 

 

Book a Tour

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