Sirigu is a small village about 35 km from Bolgatanga that hosts a magnificent Art and Crafts Center.

The Center is also the home of the Sirigu Community Based Ecotourism Project, through which you can organize several interesting guided tours and even overnight stay. ​

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I visited Sirigu only for a couple of hours, but I enjoyed my time; the reception at the Center and also the great guide, who not just tailored a nice tour for me; he also drove me to the village center using his own bicycle, found us some nice fried yam with sauce for lunch, and was excellent company while I was waiting for more than the two hours for a tro tro to arrive.

​The crafts center

Most famous visitor ever must have been Ghanaian Kofi Annan and his wife, who visited the center in 2002. In front of the building you will see a sculpture that commemorates that special day.

More than hundred local women cooperate in the SWOPA, the Sirigu Women Organisation for Pottery and Art, aiming to increase income and development on the one hand, and to preserve traditional artistic skills, on the other. At the Center, you will find a huge selection of pottery, baskets and paintings on sale. Women at the Center and artists at work explain all about the symbolism and the history of the typical geometrical patterns in their work. You can also learn and participate yourself in a workshop. Many of the products look really great and must be a bargain - through Western eyes. My 35 liter backpack was way to small to carry anything substantial home, but couldn't stand to buy three delicately decorated plates, that I later offered as a present to the nice cleaning lady of my hotel in Bolgatanga.

 

Tour of traditional houses

A one or two hour tour from the Center takes you to three traditional homes of participating SWOPA women. They still keep the tradition alive by painting their houses in amazing geometric patterns, symbolizing legends and fables of the region. During the guided tour you can interact with the women, although English is little spoken here. Note that if you visit in raining season, the decorations will have faded a lot... but the excursion could still be enjoyable.

 

​Village tour

In addition to these highlights in Sirigu, it is also possible to arrange a more general tour of the village in order to learn more about rural Ghanaian village life. It can be done according to personal interests. You may for example visit the primary school, the medical centre, the orphanage, some historical objects, and the Chief Palace, or check out local farming. When I visited, the whole village seemed busy harvesting peanuts. I remember I was surprised how much manual work it required to harvest a basket full of peanuts - while we buy them so cheaply in western Supermarkets!

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As always in Ghana, plan your outdoor activities in early morning or late afternoon.

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Transportation to Sirigu

I would recommend hiring a taxi from either Paga, Navrongo or Bolgatanga, which are very cheap if you are with some people (possibly $10 for the car / half day including waiting time). As I was alone and on a $10 a day budget, I preferred hopping on one of the three to four buses that call at Sirigu daily. The Visitor Center is a bit out of the village, but most minibuses coming from Bolgatanga continue after Sirigu Market towards the Kandiga Junction; so best not drop off at the Market stop, but ask to be dropped at the signposted Center.  In the heart of the village you can find some street food, usually fried yam or kenkey. Drinks were served at the Visitor Centre, but weren't chilled.