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Tumu is a bustling town in the Ghanaian Northern Plains on the border with Burkina Faso. The town serves as a vital cross-border transit hub.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Tumu is the capital of the Sissala East Municipal District in the Upper West Region of northern Ghana. It is an economic engine for the region.
Get in
[edit | edit source]By mini bus
[edit | edit source]- From Wa: Go to the Wa Main Lorry Station. Look or ask around for Tumu station. Trotros operate daily between Wa and Tumu.
- From Navrongo or Bolgatanga: Head to the Navrongo Main Station or Bolga Central Lorry Station. Minibuses load daily, head west directly along the Navrongo-Tumu road.
By car
[edit | edit source]Driving from Wa to Tumu by car is a journey of 138 kilometres and typically takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes, depending on road conditions.
Get around
[edit | edit source]
By motorized tricycle (pragya / mahama camboo)
[edit | edit source]These drive along the main roads picking up multiple passengers to any part of the town. You pay a very cheap, fixed local fare per drop depending on the distance. If you're new to the system, confirm the price before getting in.
On foot
[edit | edit source]Walking is completely safe during the day, and it gives you the best chance to see local weavers and interact with community members.
See
[edit | edit source]- 1 Gbele Resource Centre (commonly called the Gbele Game Reserve or Gbele Resource Reserve). Ghana's fourth-largest wildlife reserve. Spanning 565 square kilometres of open savanna woodland, it acts as a critical, tranquil alternative to Ghana's busier safari hubs. It host roan antelopes, mammals such as African elephants, buffaloes, hippos, hartebeests, waterbucks, warthogs, olive baboons, and green monkeys. It is also a unique breeding ground for the Rufous-rumped lark and a hotspot for Sudanian biome species like the Senegal parrot and bearded barbet. Along with Mole National Park, it protects endangered rosewood trees and vast parklands of native shea trees in the region.
- 2 The Gwollu Slave Wall. Historic defense walls built in the 19th century to protect locals from anti-slave raiders.
- 3 Tomb of Dr. Hilla Limann. The burial site and monument of the President of Ghana's Third Republic.
- 4 Tumu Kuoro's Palace. Tour the traditional architecture of the paramount chief's palace and view historical exhibits of past local leaders and anti-slave trade resistance.
Do
[edit | edit source]Buy
[edit | edit source]Visit the local markets to experience the lively community trading and pick up local crafts, grains, and daily goods as traders gather across the township.
- Tumu Main Market. An excellent place to buy high-quality maize, millet, guinea corn, cowpeas, and yams at wholesale village prices.
Crafts
[edit | edit source]- Sissala Xylophones (Lobi/Sissala Balafon). The Sissala people are legendary across Ghana for their exceptional skill in playing and crafting the traditional African xylophone. Hand-carved from local hardwoods and resonating with dried gourds, these are beautiful, functional musical pieces.
- Handmade Bangles and Jewelry. Local artisans design, manufacture, and distribute custom-made bangles right in the heart of Tumu. You can even request vendors to customize them with specific names or designs.
- Woven baskets. Highly durable, beautifully patterned storage and shopper baskets are hand-woven by local women's groups in the region, using thick northern elephant grass.
- Smock Fabrics and Regalia. Tumu boasts unique handwoven striped cotton fabrics. Look out for textiles inspired by Sissala clan totems and traditional imagery, which local tailors can stitch into authentic northern smocks.
- Fresh shea butter. You can purchase pure, unrefined, and organic shea butter directly from the local women who process it from wild-harvested shea nuts.
Eat
[edit | edit source]- Kooko and koosee. Hausa Koko is a spicy, fermented millet porridge infused with ginger and cloves. It is paired with Koose—crispy, deep-fried bean fritters that are fluffy on the inside.
- Guinea fowl. Northern Ghana is famous for its guinea fowl. In Tumu, you can find it heavily seasoned with local spices and either grilled over open charcoal pits or fried until crisp. It is a must-have evening snack.
- Chofi (Spicy Turkey Tail). Often sold by street-side vendors, these are seasoned, deeply fried, or grilled turkey tails served with a kick of hot ground pepper blend.
- Soya / Meat Kebabs. Skewered chunks of beef or goat meat coated in kulikuli (spiced peanut cake powder) and grilled to perfection over charcoal.
- 1 Shy Royal Restaurant, After Kanton Senior High Wall off Bolga Road, Tumu, ☏ +233 055 363 2181. 7AM to 9PM.
- 2 Bashit bakery and coolbar, ☏ +233 55 160 6659. 6AM to 10:30PM.
Drink
[edit | edit source]- Pito. A locally brewed, traditional beer made from fermented millet or sorghum. It can be enjoyed fresh and sweet (non-alcoholic) or left to ferment longer for a tangy alcoholic kick. It is classically served cold in a traditional calabash.
- Zom koom. Often called the "welcome drink" of the north, this is a refreshing beverage made from toasted millet flour, water, and ginger, sweetened with sugar.
- 1 Fox Trap, ☏ +233 020 780 6666.
Sleep
[edit | edit source]There is no shortage of accommodation options in Tumu. Because it is easy to get around with yellow-yellows, even accommodation options far away from the centre of town should be considered. That said, it does help to choose one located close to a main road.
- 1 Dubie Hill Top Hotel (Tumu Navrongo rd), ☏ +233 07 562 2871, +233 20 408 2560, +233 20 707 4516, +233 24 368 2277. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. GH₵35-150 per night.
- 2 SILAP Guest House, ☏ +233 50 394 1540. Check-in: noon, check-out: 7AM to 11:30AM. Room prices at the guesthouse vary by layout size and embedded perks. Rates are calculated per room, per night, and standard booking selections typically encompass all regional hospitality and value-added taxes (such as VAT, NHIS, and tourism levies): GH₵300 to GH₵500.
Connect
[edit | edit source]- MTN Ghana. This is widely considered the most reliable network for both voice and data coverage in Tumu. You can reliably access 3G and stable 4G connectivity within the main township area for browsing, streaming, and mobile money (MoMo) transactions. However, speeds can experience occasional throttling or congestion during peak hours.
- Telecel Ghana (Vodafone). Telecel provides functional coverage within Tumu, but local feedback indicates that data network and call stability have dropped for some users following its major system rebrands. It is usable for basic calls and texts, but can be unpredictable for heavy data usage.
- AT (Airtel/Tigo). AT has a weaker physical footprint in the Upper West Region compared to MTN. Following its integration into Telecel's structural infrastructure, subscribers are largely reliant on shared roaming networks, making it the least preferred option if you require consistent high-speed internet
- Lodging Wi-Fi. If you require guaranteed internet for remote work, ensure you stay at more established venues which bundles daily data allocations into their premium room offerings.
Go next
[edit | edit source]- You can cross the border and head to Burkina Faso.
- Alternatively, you can stay within Ghana and go to Funsi, Navrogo, Him, and Wa.