Travel Guide Akosombo

The Akosombo dam, some 100 km northeast of Accra, is the source of Lake Volta, one of the world's largest man-made lakes. It is also the departure point for boats carrying cars, goods and passengers northwards, calling at Kpandu and Kete-Krachi (Volta), Yeji (Brong-Ahafo), and even as far as Buipe, the port of Tamal (capital of the northern region).The town of Akosombo, 2 km before the dam and 6 km before the port, was built to house the workers who built this edifice, which is now the pride of an entire people. The resident engineers and employees of the Volta River Authority (VRA) are still there. It's a small, modern settlement on top of one of the hills overlooking the dam. To visit the dam, you need permission from the VRA authorities in the building next to the Ghana Commercial Bank, in the Publicity Department. The tour lasts 15 minutes, but the guide is greedy. The administration building is the best place to find an employee who will take you there, but only on weekends.In general, it's forbidden to photograph dams in Ghana, which are considered strategic sites. At the Volta Hotel, however, tourists can take pictures without worrying too much, and above all without being bothered. Everywhere else around the dam, you risk trouble with the military. A visit to the yam market at the port of Akosombo on Fridays is also not to be missed.