Frequently Asked Questions

This page contains answers to questions specific to Ghana. If your question is more general, you may find an answer in the International Volunteer Travel general FAQs page; to be directed there, click here.

Section 1: Planning for Ghana Travel
Q1. What languages do I need to speak to be able to participate in your volunteer Ghana program?
Q2. When is the best time to participate in your programs?
Q3 When do the programs begin?
Q4. Where can I read more about Ghana?
Q5. What is the Weather like in Ghana?

Section 2: Traveling and Visa Issues
Q6. What kind of visa do I need? Do I need a work permit?
Q7. How much do I need to pay for a Ghana visa and how do I get one?
Q8. My Visa Processing in the city of entry will take time - will someone wait for me?
Q9. What Airport Should I Fly to?

Section 3: Fees and Money
Q10. What currency should I bring with me to Ghana?
Q11. How should I distribute my money between Travelers Checks and Cash?
Q12. How much money should I bring for my personal expenses in Ghana?
Q13. What does my payment not cover?

Section 4: Living in Ghana
Q14.What language program is offered in the country I plan on going to, is it the Spanish Survival or the Language and culture program, and how long does it take?
Q15. How much time do I have to spend in your programs abroad?
Q16. Can you book me a hotel since I will be arriving earlier than the scheduled arrival date?
Q17. Where will I live during my time in your program in Ghana?
Q18. How is accommodation like in Ghana?
Q20. What is the food like in Ghana?

Section 1: Planning for Ghana Travel

Q1. What languages do I need to speak to be able to participate in your volunteer Ghana program?

The language of business in Ghana is English. Some members of your host family will speak English and you should be ok if you have a working knowledge of English even if it is not your first language.

Q2. When is the best time to participate in your programs?

Ans. Any time is just as good. This varies from country to country.  In Ghana, any time is just as good.

Q3 When do the programs begin?

Ans. Beginning dates are First (1st) and Third (3rd) Thursday of each month. Please plan to arrive latest the day before the starting date - that is, on First (1st) or Third (3rd) Wednesday.

Q4. Where can I read more about Ghana?

Ans. You can click here to go to the Ghana Country Profile Page, where you can read more about Ghana. 

Q5. What is the Weather in Ghana like?

Ans. Ghana has two rainfall seasons March through July and September through October. November through February is hot and dry.  Temperatures vary across the country and over the year, and average between 21 Celsius (70 F) to 32 Celsius (90 F). 

Section 2: Traveling and Visa Issues

Q6. What kind of visa do I need? Do I need a work permit?

You will need a tourist visa since you are categorized as a tourist because you do not get paid for any services you provide while in the country. For the same reason you do not need a work visa. A non-tourist visa is unnecessary, difficult to obtain and twice as expensive as the tourist visa.

Q7. How much do I need to pay for a Ghana visa and how do I get one?

We provide all our participating applicants with all this information. Any traveler in West Africa can stay on a tourist visa for 3 months at $50 US dollars. You can get the tourist visa at the Ghanaian embassy in your country.

Q8. My Visa Processing in the city of entry will take time - will someone wait for me?

Ans. The visa process at the airport will normally take at 30 minutes to 1 hour. If we know that you will be getting visas at the airport our party will wait for you however long it takes.

Q9. What Airport should I fly to?
Ans. You will fly to Kotoka International Airport, in Accra, Ghana. The conventional airport name is ACCRA and the Airport Code is ACC.

Section 3: Fees and Money

Q10. What currency should I bring with me to Ghana?

Ans. You can easily change USD or GBP, Japanese Yen, Canadian Dollars and the Euro to local currency at the airport or in the city of Accra as need arises. Other currencies will be difficult to change to local currency. If you bring Travelers Checks they should be in USD or GBP only as other currencies will be difficult to convert to cash. If you carry Travelers checks, do remember to carry the paperwork (bank receipts) otherwise you wont be able to use them as the changers will reject them for fear that they might be stolen or fake.

Q11. How should I distribute my money between Travelers Checks and Cash?

Ans. We suggest a 70-30 distribution to provide you with ease of changing and accessing money.

Q12. How much money should I bring for my personal expenses in Ghana?

The amounts of money you bring depend on you. Most participants can live on USD 15 per week for out of pocket expenses. A weekend out will cost you between $ 150 and $300.

Q13. What does my payment cover?

Ans. Please go to the Ghana Fees page and our terms of service page to find out what the fee does and/or does not cover.

Section 4: Living in Ghana

Q14.What language program is offered in the country I plan on going to, is it the Spanish Survival or the Language and culture program, and how long does it take?

Ans. The language and culture program is offered in Ghana. The program takes one week.

Q15. How much time do I have to spend in your programs abroad? 

Ans. You can spend a minimum of 1 week and a maximum of 24 weeks with our programs in Ghana.

Q16. Can you book me a hotel since I will be arriving earlier than the scheduled arrival date?

Ans. If you want us to book a hotel for you we can do that - it will mean though that weather you spend a night there or not you will have to refund us the cost of that hotel accommodation since the hotels wont refund it. The country coordinator can also provide you with telephone numbers of a few hotels that you can call up from the airport incase you miss your pickup.

Q17. Where will I live during my time in your program in Ghana?

Ans. You will live with a host family or at a local volunteer house. There may be more than one participant living with the same family/house as you or it may just be you alone depending on when you want to participate.

Q18. How is accommodation like in Ghana?

Ans. In order to maintain low fees for our clients, accommodation is provided by volunteer house or host families who are carefully selected from among respected members of society and in such as way as to ensure maximum security and comfort for our clients. Volunteer house will be simple economy accommodation but will most of the time have running water and electricity and indoor plumbing. Host family facilities vary; if living upcountry, water may be collected from a well in the compound or the community; and lighting may be by kerosene lamp. If you would rather stay at a hostel or hotel that can be arranged with costs borne independently by you.

Q20. What is the food like in Ghana?

Ghanaian foods include jollof rice, waache (rice and beans), kenkey (derived from cornmeal), and fufu.