The Elmina castle is famed as the oldest European building below the Sahara desert and the largest European building outside Europe. Its original name is São Jorge da Mina (St. George of the Mine) Castle. It was constructed as early as 1482 by the Portuguese. The Portuguese effort was led by legendary explorer Don Diego d'Azambuja, under the commission of Prince Henry the Navigator, after he sought the permission of Nana Kwamena Ansa , Chief of Elmina, to put up the building. Its successive masters were the Portuguese, the Dutch (annexed in 1637) and the English (bought in 1872).

Elmina castle, like the Cape Coast castle is regarded as a world heritage site by UNESCO. St. George's Castle was originally used by the Portuguese not only as a storehouse for storing major commodities like gold, salt, cloth, beads, alcohol and firearms, that exchanged hands between them and local people during the pre-slave trade era, but also as a fortress to protect them against unfriendly local tribes and other European powers. During the era of the lucrative but barbaric slave trade, the castle degenerated into a zone of torture, disease, pain and death for the numerous African slaves who passed through its walls into the New World. Today this dark history is resonated as feelings of eeriness and shock captures the castle's visitors as they walk through the hallow walls of human absurdity. When the British bought the castle from the Dutch in 1872, they transformed it into a national police academy.

This remained so until 1972 whereupon the Ghanaian government declared Elmina castle as a national monument. Visitors to the castle get the opportunity to explore its museum, halls and slave dungeons.  The museum is stocked with information on the local people, their history and culture, thus removing the spotlight from the incidence of slave trade that transpired within its walls. However, the slave dungeons are stark representations of the events of the slave trade era, and amply preserve the history of years gone by. Various relics of the various European powers who dominated the castle are also displayed in the castle.

The trip to Elmina from Accra is best approached by first going to Cape Coast, by bus and then going off to Elmina via taxi or the ubiquitous trotro. Another option would be to take a Takoradi-bound bus and alight at Elmina, although this is a less popular option. It is mostly common practice to take time to explore the Cape Coast-Elmina area in a two day span. There are other sites worth seeing in Elmina such as the Posuban shrines (built by traditional military asafo companies) and the lesser-known Fort St Jago.How to get to ElminaElmina lies approximately two kilometers from the Takoradi-Accra road. There are many tro-tros and shared taxies that move from Cape Coast to Elmina.

The Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve, located in transitional semi-deciduous forest zone with tracts of open woodland and grassland of the Ashanti Region of Ghana, boarders Kumawu and Kwamang traditional areas of the region.This reserve stretches along the Afram Plains of Ghana, which is a wide expanse of flat arable land. Geographically, this area separates the southern forest from the northern savanna regions. This nature reserve is preserved to protect the ecology, check erosion of the savanna grassland and to promote scientific research, especially on how nature revitalizes itself after worst natural disasters. In the past, this area was where Kumawu and Kwamang traditional areas joined forces to fight invading enemies during one of their final victorious tribal wars. In consequence, this area is held as a sacred place for both traditional areas. Economically, the area is very fertile, making it suitable for agriculture. This area also generates revenue for the government through tourism. Why should a tourist vist Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve? This reserve protects about five species of monkeys serving as tourist attractions. Other mammals include monkeys, buffaloes, civet cats and about 85 species of birds including francolins and hornbills. Many tourist enjoyed their trip to the reserve.