Hike to the Ghana's highest point
Ghana: Liate Wote & Wli
Liati Wote Village has developed an interesting Community based Ecotourism Project. You can hike up Mount Afadjato (highest point in Ghana) and visit the Tagbo Falls. Although no absolute highlights of the region - they are agreeable ingredients of a pleasant daytrip. The village is very near the better known Wli Falls and so the two destinations may be combined.
To the summit of Mt. Afadjato (872m)
Mt. Afadjato, best accessible from Liate Wote, is the highest point of Ghana, and surely worth the ascent because of the nice views, but I thought the mountain itself lacked a bit of striking features. To the east, on the Togolese side of the range, Mt. Afadjato is overshadowed by its much taller brothers and sisters. To the west you look all the way down to Lake Volta and everything in between. To the north there is the string of villages along the Togolese border that I was planning to pass next day. The 1,5 hr walk up is generally easy, although the heat may feel very uncomfortable.
Tagbo Falls
The hike to the falls is usually undertaken right after descending the mountain, with the prospect of having a refreshing swim. But as the evening was coming soon, I decided to take in the falls for next morning and stayed overnight in the guesthouse just out of the village. Villagewomen here prepare superb food on request. Although not completely unattractive, I don’t rate Tagbo Falls as one of the most beautiful in Ghana; but my experience might have been influenced by poor weather that day.
Walk from Liati Wote to Wli Afegame
If you plan to visit both Liati Wote and Wli Afegame, and don’t carry too much luggage, the 4-5 hour walk between those villages is an interesting option compared to using tro-tro’s (for which you have to backtrack to Hohoe first). Just follow the gravel road along the very scenic Agumatsu Mountain range, that marks the natural border between Ghana and Togo. At some point head east, uphill to Wli Afegame. Along the way there are the pretty and friendly villages of Gbledi-Gborgame, Tsebi and Ahor for some meet and greet with the villagers, the much desired cold softdrinks and confirming directions. Very enjoyable this walk!
Wli
Promoted as one of Ghana’s highlights, Wli Waterfalls are said to be the tallest in Ghana. They are situated in the small Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary, near Wli Village at the Togolese border. It’s unlikely to see a lot of wildlife here, but if you’re interested in tropical tree species a lot of them are labeled for your convenience. There are several accommodation options in Wli Agoviefe Village, ranging from decent home stays (Mr. Vitus K. Agbeli charged about 3 euro), to the superbly located German owned Waterfall Lodge (9 euro).
The Wli falls
It is not quite clear how tall the falls are. The water thunders down in several stages of which the upper stages are reputedly in Togo. From my viewpoint, I estimate the water plunges from some 50 meters straight down to the (swimming-)pool at its base. Around the pool are picnic spots and benches. The guided hike from the Sanctuary Office to the falls takes about half an hour. It’s also possible to climb up to the Upper Falls and visit some caves, which is quite demanding and there's an additional guiding charge for that.
Bordercrossing to Togo
I always love remote border crossings and the one at Wli is just one of those. If you plan to visit Ghana’s Volta Region and also the hills of Western Togo around Kpalimé, – then this minor bordercrossing is a great option! The checkpoints are located along a road traversing the Agumatsu Mountains. Start walking from Wli, you will reach the Ghanaian checkpoint after only about ten minutes. After the exit procedures, continue more 15 minutes to the Togolese village called Yikpa Dafo, where you should track the officer on duty. When I reached the Togolese checkpoint it was unattended due to low traffic at that moment, but to enter without an entry stamp was not an option. On both sides few minibuses serve the pretty villages and if you cross early morning, you shouldn’t have to wait much longer than an hour or two until they start moving. The Ghanaian tro-tro will take you straight to Hohoe, while the Togolese taxi brousses stop at N’Digbe (on the Danyi Plateau) and Adéta, where you can change vehicles to Kpalimé.
Visited: Aug 2003
Tips & Impressions originally posted on Virtualtourist.com