Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary
Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary
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Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary et attractions proches : les meilleures façons d'en profiter
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4.5
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Tabea L
2 contributions
avr. 2024 • En couple
We stayed in Talawona with Idris for two stays in end of April and it was insanely beautiful experience!
Our guide Idris picked us up at the airport and accompanied us the whole time we stayed at the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS). He supported us in buying groceries for the upcoming days, as in Talawona you have to cook for yourself. The guesthouse itself is basic and costs 100GHS per person per night.
It is a community-owned sanctuary, which means that alle the revenue is used for local development, among other building roads, schools and providing kids with scholarships for schools.
Outside the rainy season, the chances of seeing hippos are very high! We did three canoe safaris and saw up to ten in total. The canoe tour costs 50GHC / per person / per hour.
It was a wonderful experience for us and we would go back any time.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to write Idris +233 54 980 2594.
Our guide Idris picked us up at the airport and accompanied us the whole time we stayed at the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS). He supported us in buying groceries for the upcoming days, as in Talawona you have to cook for yourself. The guesthouse itself is basic and costs 100GHS per person per night.
It is a community-owned sanctuary, which means that alle the revenue is used for local development, among other building roads, schools and providing kids with scholarships for schools.
Outside the rainy season, the chances of seeing hippos are very high! We did three canoe safaris and saw up to ten in total. The canoe tour costs 50GHC / per person / per hour.
It was a wonderful experience for us and we would go back any time.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to write Idris +233 54 980 2594.
Écrit le 5 mai 2024
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
Badingu
1 contribution
janv. 2019
I would love to welcome you all there at the hippocity as we native of wechaiu called it,am putting up an event there on the 27th to 29th of December 2019. Come lets go have a feel of the hippos and river safari at the black Volta at wechaiu.
Écrit le 6 décembre 2019
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
LuckyHippo
Ljubljana, Slovénie36 contributions
juin 2019 • En couple
The Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary offers a lodge some 20km from Wechiau located in an amazing rural village. You can spend the night either in a basic room (50GHC pp) or under the stars and mosquito net (40GHC pp). You can also stay in Wechiau for 50 GHC for a double room. It is a community-owned sanctuary which means that the revenue is used for local development, such as building roads, digging water holes and providing learning materials and scholarships for local kids.
Hippos are very likely to be spotted, except in the months of July, Aug. & Sept. when the water levels are higher and the chances decrease. But there is more than just hippos that you can experience there! During the day, they offer several activities: tour in a Lobi compound, where you can see a traditional house made of clay and get to know the local village life; bird watching tour; plant tour; and a tour of Wechiau town. You can easily spend 2-3 nights there. The only drawback was that there is no drinking water or food at the lodge so we needed to bring our own (you can buy it in Wechiau). However, there is a kitchen that you can use. If you inform them about your arrival well in advance, they can (supposedly) prepare some meals as well. They will take you from Wechiau to the lodge with motorcycle, tricycle, tro-tro or you can rent a bicycle. Supposedly they also offer another accommodation that was not available during our stay; a tree platform just by the river where you can observe hippos from another perspective. You will be watching the hippos from a canoe on a regular hippo tour at 20 GHC / person / hour.
Upon arrival to Wechiau at 10pm, Idris welcomed us when we stepped out of the trotro and explained how everything works there. He is a very helpful and friendly guy. This is Idris's number: +233549802594; I recommend you to contact him for more info. He is available on WhatsApp as well.
It is quite far (1,5h Larabanga – Sawla; 2,5h Sawla – Wa; 1h Wa-Wechiau) but totally worth visiting if you're into nature, want to explore rural life & see some hippos. And trust me, there is far more than just hippos.
Hippos are very likely to be spotted, except in the months of July, Aug. & Sept. when the water levels are higher and the chances decrease. But there is more than just hippos that you can experience there! During the day, they offer several activities: tour in a Lobi compound, where you can see a traditional house made of clay and get to know the local village life; bird watching tour; plant tour; and a tour of Wechiau town. You can easily spend 2-3 nights there. The only drawback was that there is no drinking water or food at the lodge so we needed to bring our own (you can buy it in Wechiau). However, there is a kitchen that you can use. If you inform them about your arrival well in advance, they can (supposedly) prepare some meals as well. They will take you from Wechiau to the lodge with motorcycle, tricycle, tro-tro or you can rent a bicycle. Supposedly they also offer another accommodation that was not available during our stay; a tree platform just by the river where you can observe hippos from another perspective. You will be watching the hippos from a canoe on a regular hippo tour at 20 GHC / person / hour.
Upon arrival to Wechiau at 10pm, Idris welcomed us when we stepped out of the trotro and explained how everything works there. He is a very helpful and friendly guy. This is Idris's number: +233549802594; I recommend you to contact him for more info. He is available on WhatsApp as well.
It is quite far (1,5h Larabanga – Sawla; 2,5h Sawla – Wa; 1h Wa-Wechiau) but totally worth visiting if you're into nature, want to explore rural life & see some hippos. And trust me, there is far more than just hippos.
Écrit le 25 juin 2019
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
Michael K
Melbourne, Australie724 contributions
avr. 2019 • En famille
Getting to the Hippo Sanctuary takes commitment. We drove from our hotel at the Mole National Park and it was a three-and-half-hour drive in both directions. As you head north the quality of the roads deteriorate dramatically, from a fully sealed road to want amounts to not much more than a goat track when you reach the Black Volta where hippos live. That said, the effort is well worth it.
It is an amazing to see these huge creatures in the wild and it is an amazing sensation to be out on the Black Volta (the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso) a thousand miles from home. There is an incredible sense of isolation and adventure to be out on the river searching for the hippos.
We travelled with a guide and a driver who organised our access to the sanctuary at the Wechiau Community Centre. The centre is not really much to speak about but it does provide access to the river and hippos. The centre will also organise a local guide and someone to paddle your canoe.
Our local guide said they had fewer than 1000 tourists in the last year. So they need outside support if they are going to sustain this worthwhile project. I travelled there with my 14 year old daughter and other than the usual stares we felt welcome and completely safe.
It is an amazing to see these huge creatures in the wild and it is an amazing sensation to be out on the Black Volta (the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso) a thousand miles from home. There is an incredible sense of isolation and adventure to be out on the river searching for the hippos.
We travelled with a guide and a driver who organised our access to the sanctuary at the Wechiau Community Centre. The centre is not really much to speak about but it does provide access to the river and hippos. The centre will also organise a local guide and someone to paddle your canoe.
Our local guide said they had fewer than 1000 tourists in the last year. So they need outside support if they are going to sustain this worthwhile project. I travelled there with my 14 year old daughter and other than the usual stares we felt welcome and completely safe.
Écrit le 1 mai 2019
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
schlegal1
Rural Virginian965 contributions
déc. 2018 • En couple
We loved our short trip spotting hippos on the Black Volta. It's a wonderful community effort. Our guide was friendly and an excellent spotter. He also had appropriate concerns for everyone's safety.
We also visited a typical Lobi village so that was educational as well.
We also visited a typical Lobi village so that was educational as well.
Écrit le 8 mars 2019
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
KofiJr
Ashanti Region, Ghana109 contributions
janv. 2019 • Entre amis
It was a long dusty road through Tuna to Wechiau but the experience was worth it. Got there late afternoon but still saw about 8 hippos. And the Black Volta was the no man's land between Ghana and Burkina Faso/Ivory Coast
Écrit le 13 janvier 2019
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
shaynes129
Nanaimo, Canada1 contribution
mai 2018 • Entre amis
I had read online that you couldn't see the hippos during rainy season, but we were in fact able to spot them on our river safari. We saw a group of five of them, including a baby hippo! For the most part the hippos stayed in the water, so you could see mostly eyes and ears and occasionally more of their heads, but to see a hippo in the wild is still a cool experience. The river is beautiful and I love being out on the water, so I think it would have still been a fun morning even without seeing the hippos. The boats look quaint, but they are safe, and the boatmen have lots of experience on the river. Definitely bring a hat and sunscreen, the trip in the canoe can take an hour or more and if the sun is out is can get very hot. We also watched the cultural display (xylophone playing and dancing) and visited the Lobi compound, which are pretty interesting.
A friend had gone to the sanctuary a couple years ago and told us we would there pit toilets and bucket showers available, but we were happy to find they had built a new lodge with flush toilets and showers. The rooms have comfortable beds, fans and mosquito nets, and the kitchen has a sink, gas burners and dishes. I would definitely recommend the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary for nature lovers and culture junkies, and for those who like their travel experience to support both conservation efforts and the local community.
A friend had gone to the sanctuary a couple years ago and told us we would there pit toilets and bucket showers available, but we were happy to find they had built a new lodge with flush toilets and showers. The rooms have comfortable beds, fans and mosquito nets, and the kitchen has a sink, gas burners and dishes. I would definitely recommend the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary for nature lovers and culture junkies, and for those who like their travel experience to support both conservation efforts and the local community.
Écrit le 1 juin 2018
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
komari_vosa
121 contributions
févr. 2018
Der Besuch des Hippo Sanctuary bei Wechiau war das Highlight meiner Ghana-Reise.
Die Anfahrt ist recht kompliziert. Man fährt am besten zunächst nach Wa per Bus und steigt dort in ein TroTro um, das einen innerhalb von 1,5 h über eine ungepflasterte Straße nach Wechiau bringt. Ein privater PKW würde die Reise erleichtern. Der Rückweg dann eben umgekehrt. Der Besuch lohnt sich daher nur, wenn man tatsächlich großes Interesse an Flusspferden hat und vielleicht gerade sowieso in der Gegend ist.
In Wechiau angekommen meldet man sich beim Informations-Center. Freiwillige Helfer nehmen einen in Empfang und stellen die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten vor. Man kann verschiedene Touren buchen. Zudem empfiehlt sich eine Übernachtung vor Ort. Leider waren außer der Übernachtung im 20 km weit entfernten Dorf alle anderen nicht möglich.
Die halbstündige Fahrt ins Dorf ist nochmal recht holprig. Vor Ort gibt es kein fließend Wasser, aber immerhin Strom und Zimmer mit Ventilator. Sein Essen für den Abend aber unbedingt bereits im Dorf kommen. Es gibt eine Küche zur Selbstnutzung.
Am nächsten Morgen ging es dann früh zum Black Volta und mit dem Kanu den paradiesischen Fluss entlang. Und tatsächlich sahen wir etwa sechs Flusspferde inkl. eines Babys! Man darf nur nicht zu viel erwarten. Die Tiere befinden sich den ganzen Tag über im Wasser, mehr als den Kopf sieht man also nicht. Die Erfahrung war dennoch unglaublich. Auch wenn es die gefährlichsten Tiere Afrikas sind, in Wechiau ist noch nie etwas passiert, indem der Sicherheitsabstand eingehalten wird. Und auch die idyllische Reise auf dem Fluss ist einen Besuch wert.
Das Besondere an dem Sanctuary ist, dass es vollständig von den Dorfbewohnern auf freiwilliger Basis betrieben wird, um die Flusspferd-Population zu schützen. Der Staat finanziert das Projekt nicht. Diese Eigeninitiative halte ich für äußerst unterstützenswert und das Erlebnis, Flusspferde in freier Wildbahn beobachten zu können, ist einmalig.
Die Anfahrt ist recht kompliziert. Man fährt am besten zunächst nach Wa per Bus und steigt dort in ein TroTro um, das einen innerhalb von 1,5 h über eine ungepflasterte Straße nach Wechiau bringt. Ein privater PKW würde die Reise erleichtern. Der Rückweg dann eben umgekehrt. Der Besuch lohnt sich daher nur, wenn man tatsächlich großes Interesse an Flusspferden hat und vielleicht gerade sowieso in der Gegend ist.
In Wechiau angekommen meldet man sich beim Informations-Center. Freiwillige Helfer nehmen einen in Empfang und stellen die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten vor. Man kann verschiedene Touren buchen. Zudem empfiehlt sich eine Übernachtung vor Ort. Leider waren außer der Übernachtung im 20 km weit entfernten Dorf alle anderen nicht möglich.
Die halbstündige Fahrt ins Dorf ist nochmal recht holprig. Vor Ort gibt es kein fließend Wasser, aber immerhin Strom und Zimmer mit Ventilator. Sein Essen für den Abend aber unbedingt bereits im Dorf kommen. Es gibt eine Küche zur Selbstnutzung.
Am nächsten Morgen ging es dann früh zum Black Volta und mit dem Kanu den paradiesischen Fluss entlang. Und tatsächlich sahen wir etwa sechs Flusspferde inkl. eines Babys! Man darf nur nicht zu viel erwarten. Die Tiere befinden sich den ganzen Tag über im Wasser, mehr als den Kopf sieht man also nicht. Die Erfahrung war dennoch unglaublich. Auch wenn es die gefährlichsten Tiere Afrikas sind, in Wechiau ist noch nie etwas passiert, indem der Sicherheitsabstand eingehalten wird. Und auch die idyllische Reise auf dem Fluss ist einen Besuch wert.
Das Besondere an dem Sanctuary ist, dass es vollständig von den Dorfbewohnern auf freiwilliger Basis betrieben wird, um die Flusspferd-Population zu schützen. Der Staat finanziert das Projekt nicht. Diese Eigeninitiative halte ich für äußerst unterstützenswert und das Erlebnis, Flusspferde in freier Wildbahn beobachten zu können, ist einmalig.
Écrit le 15 mars 2018
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
Charles K
12 contributions
déc. 2017 • En couple
Although the hippos were submersed when we visited (except for ears and noses), the trip was well worth it. The guide was good and the trip in a traditional canoe very interesting. The supplemental trips to a xylophone house, traditional compound, and Shea Butter factory were really interesting. Highly recommend.
Écrit le 1 janvier 2018
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
OliviaLuong
Toronto, Canada19 contributions
août 2017 • Entre amis
I was with a group of young people and was doing volunteer work in Wa, Ghana. On a whim, we decided to visit the hippo sanctuary. The trip took almost 2 hours on a tro tro from Wa. A tro tro is like a minivan, except that it was in poor shape. After we arrived at the office, the sky opened up. After a 30 min wait for the rain to stop, we were put on an ATV to travel to the river bank. The river bank was very slippery and some of us slipped. We were then put on 3 leaky wooden canoes and set off to 'find' hippos. Young muscular Ghanaian peddled. We were not disappointed and found 2 hippos in the water. The return trip to the river bank took much longer as we travelled upstream. The scenery was amazing--beautiful, serene and breathtaking.
We arrived at the office in early evening. The office very nicely arranged a tro tro to take us back to Wa. An experience not to be forgotten!
We arrived at the office in early evening. The office very nicely arranged a tro tro to take us back to Wa. An experience not to be forgotten!
Écrit le 23 novembre 2017
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
What is the current cost of accommodation, entrance and transportation? Are there guides and do we need to pay more for them?
Rédigé le 10 mars 2018
The Sanctuary entrance fee is GH₵15, accomodation at the lodge is GH₵10 for Ghanaians and GH₵20 for Non-Ghanaians, though there is an option of doing a homestay or camping. There are guides and the most of the tours cost GH₵10 for Ghanaians per hour /GH₵ 15 per hour for Non-Ghanaians.
Rédigé le 1 juin 2018
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