The Ghana Experience: Akwaaba!
Ghana is undoubtedly a great place to learn how to surf. Yet Ghana offers much more as it is also well regarded as a great first time African destination. The people are immensely friendly, the roads and infrastructure are well developed, transportation is reliable, and the country is peaceful and safe, leading many a seasoned traveler to jokingly refer to Ghana as “Africa Light”. We see this label as a testament to the people of Ghana’s hard work towards improving their lives and in creating a climate of peace and stability throughout the country. As you will notice in your conversations with locals during your stay in Ghana, this makes for a proud and peaceful people with a rich knowledge of their dynamic African history and culture.
Ghana is also blessed with natural beauty and offers a whole range of outdoor experiences. Many places can be reached within a day and include Mole National Park, which is perhaps one of the best national parks in West Africa and boasts safari tours where elephants, lions, baboons, warthogs, monkeys, antelope, and other exotic African animals are commonly sighted. The country is blessed with a network of over 15 national parks and reserves that offer a wide-range of outdoor adventures. Ghana also has an abundance of other tourist destinations that highlight the unique cultures found throughout the country. These destinations include a canoe trip to visit stilt villages, a walk through a monkey sanctuary where people and monkeys co-exist peacefully, a scenic boat ride up Lake Volta, as well outings to one of the vibrant artisan villages or markets to buy beautiful artwork, carvings or clothes. Another spectacular attraction is the series of slave forts that are found along Ghana’s “Gold Coast” (one of which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site). Guided tours are available at almost all of the more than twenty forts.
Black Star Surf Camps wants your trip to Ghana to be an unforgettable experience. Therefore we recommend that before or after you participate in one of our fun and unique surf camps, try to plan some extra time to take advantage of the other extraordinary things that Ghana and its people have to offer- you won’t be sorry that you did!
Now for the surfing! Learning to surf is a physically demanding yet exhilarating experience and the perfect way to challenge yourself while having a great time. Below you will find a description of our surf camps and the options that are available to you. We are always available to answer any questions you may have regarding our surf camp packages at [email protected]. So take a look and we hope to see you soon!
The waves
The Southern Hemisphere ocean swells that hit the Western coastline of Ghana travel great distances to reach our beaches producing some of the cleanest, most orderly and thus rider-friendly waves on earth. The combination of perfect waves, warm water and no crowds, as well as the endless activities to see and do in and around the picturesque fishing village of Busua, creates the ideal place for learning how to surf.Surf camp group size
A minimum of four people are required for our surf camps and a maximum of nine. The small maximum number will ensure that each participant receives individualized attention from our surf instructors and that transport is readily available for our camp activities and excursions.Surf camp dates
Stephanie Copetto, USA, December 2007
Surf Camp 1: April 22nd - April 28th
Surf Camp 2: May 21st - May 27th
Surf Camp 3: July 23rd - July 29th
Surf Camp 4: August 13th - August 19th
Surf Camp 5: August 31st – September 6th
Surf Camp 6: September 14th - September 20th
Surf Camp 7: October 5th - October 11th
Surf Camp 8: December 7th - December 13th
Surf Camp 9: December 21st – December 27th
* Additional dates can be made available for groups of four or more people that would like to participate in a Black Star Surf Camp. Please contact us at [email protected] to inquire about other possible camp dates.
Transport
Transport will be provided from Accra’s international airport to Busua Beach, a 3-4 hour ride on a paved road. This service will not be provided back to Accra as many of our guests choose to visit other parts of Ghana before they return to Accra. However, if you are immediately headed back to Accra after attending our surf camp, we can provide shuttle service for a fee or we will provide you with travel information and recommendations to ensure a pleasant and safe trip back to Accra and the airport.The surf instruction
Surfing is relatively new to Ghana, yet our experienced group of local and international surfers has provided surf lessons in Busua for over a year now with great results. As a show of confidence in our ability to teach the brave and curious how to surf, we offer a money back guarantee for standing up and surfing after only one lesson. As of yet, we have not had to give anyone their money back!
We can’t offer this same guarantee for our week-long surf camp packages- as it may encourage some misguided academy award performances, but our high instructor-to-student ratio of 1-to-3 allows for extensive individualized attention and the best results. We are confident that after a week at our surf camp you will not only stand up and ride the waves straight into shore, but that we will have you riding and carving down the face of the waves yelling, “Awesome wave dude!”
Camp activities
Below is a summary of the daily group activities as well as some other useful information to help you visualize what your week at Black Star Surf Camp will look like:
| Day | Itinerary | Group Activities | Sleep In | *Meals |
| Day 1 | Arrive in Busua | No scheduled event | Busua | D |
| Day 2 | 1st Surf Lesson, surf beach break | Welcoming Party | Busua | B,D |
| Day 3 | 2nd Surf Lesson, surf beach break | Visit Fort Batenstein | Busua | B,D |
| Day 4 | 3rd Surf Lesson, surf beach break | Roof top cocktail party | Busua | B,D |
| Day 5 | 4th Surf Lesson, surf beach break | No scheduled event | Busua | B, D |
| Day 6 | Travel to Akwidaa, 5th Lesson, surf secret spot | Group Dinner/Bonfire | Akwaadi | B,L,D |
| Day 7 | Back to Busua, surf beach break or Dixcove |
Lobster Dinner, Bonfire w/drumming & dancing |
Busua | B,D |
Accommodations
Black Star Surf Camp has partnered with local hotels, inns and hostels to offers a variety of surf camp options to meet your surfing, accommodation, and cuisine needs. All of our surfing accommodations are within a one minutes walk to the surf school and shop, with four of the five being a close neighbor.
Here are some pictures of the different accommodation options for our surf camp. You can also visit the websites of and African Rainbow (www.africanrainbowresort.com) Busua Inn (busuainn.com), and Ezile Bay Village (www.ezilebay.com) for a much more detailed description of their rooms and cuisine. The Dadson Lodge will soon also have a website. Unfortunately, there is no website for the bungalows at Sankofa and Kobi’s. However, as you can see from the pictures below, the rooms are basic and on the beach — perfect for the backpacker or adventure traveler on a budget!
Prices
Black Star Surf Camp package options are represented below by the colors of the Ghanaian flag (Red, Black, Green, and Gold). Each of these packages are guaranteed to keep you well rested and well fed so that you can get the most out of your surf camp experience. The four packages that are presented below include breakfast and dinner. For the Red Package the meals are basic with only a few options of Ghanaian and international dishes. For the Black, Green, and Gold options, the breakfasts are hearty and plentiful while your dinner options are both extensive and varied in order to meet your individual tastes. The Green and Gold options also include an appetizer with your meal.
Our surf camp packages reflect prices for rooms with double occupancy. Upgrades and single rooms are available. A non-refundable deposit of 20% is required in order to reserve your spot.
Surf Camps are available (December-May and July-October)
| Package Options |
6 Nights Busua |
1 Night Akwaadi |
Meals (7 Days) |
Surf Lessons |
Surf Board Rental |
Price (€ Euro) |
Deposit (€ Euro) |
| Red | Sankofa, Kobi’s |
Ezile Bay | *Breakfast, Dinner | 5 Lessons | 6 Days | 300 | 60 |
| Black | Dodson Lodge | Ezile Bay | *Breakfast, Dinner | 5 Lessons | 6 Days | 330 | 66 |
| Green | Busua Inn | Ezile Bay | *Breakfast, Dinner | 5 Lessons | 6 Days | 380 | 72 |
| Gold | African Rainbow | Ezile Bay | *Breakfast, Dinner | 5 Lessons | 6 Days | 400 | 80 |
* Includes an additional Lunch in Akwidaa where there are no local options for food and Lobster Dinner on the last night
** Click here for terms and conditions of Black Star Surf Camps
*** You are entitled to a full return on your deposit if you cancel your surf camp or tour 120 days or more prior to trip departure. For more information see “Summary of deposit and full payment cancellation policies”
Other important information
Flights:
Black Star Surf Camps does not make flight bookings for travel to Ghana. However, we do have some experience in finding the cheapest and most suitable flights and will give you recommendations to help you with your search.
Travel Insurance
It is highly recommended that you purchased a comprehensive medical travel insurance, one that will fly you home in an emergency. There are medical facilities throughout Ghana and very near our surf camp- there is a District Hospital in the next village over- that can provide adequate care for most illnesses and minor injuries. However, in case of a more serious injury or sickness requiring specialized attention, the care and access to technology in Ghana, in our opinion, is not adequate.
Vaccinations
Malaria is widespread in Ghana so it is necessary to take a prophylactic malaria medicine. The most common pill forms are for Mefloquine (Lariam), Malarone, and Doxycycline. A yellow fever vaccination is required for all travelers. It is also recommended that that your vaccination be up to date for tetanus, polio, diphtheria, hepatitis A and typhoid.