By Patrick Wisdom
The first time I heard about Zaina Lodge was from the management team at The Royal Senchi Hotel and Resort, Akosombo Ghana. They described it as one of those luxury safari lodges in Africa where you can experience wildlife closely in their natural habitat.
What made it even more exciting was knowing that some of Nigeria’s top tour operators who are experts in West African tours were also part of the trip, guys like Bolaji Seun of Naija Explorers, Chiamaka of Social Prefect Tours, Balogun Sewedor, TripHolics Nig, and my boss Amb. Ikechi Uko. I already knew the trip was going to be filled with fun conversations, networking, learning and amazing experiences. There was no way we were going to return the same way we left.
We arrived in Accra and had breakfast at Ibis Styles Accra Airport before catching another flight to Tamale, the capital of Northern Ghana and the country’s third-largest city. From Tamale, we continued on a three-hour road trip to Zaina Lodge located inside Mole National Park.
On arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the staff and introduced to the lodge. Zaina Lodge features 24 spacious luxury tented chalets overlooking the beautiful savanna landscape of Mole National Park, which is the largest and most developed national park in Ghana. After the welcome briefing, we checked into our rooms and settled in.
The next morning started with one of the most beautiful sights ever, a herd of elephants drinking water near the lodge. Not long after, we headed out for our morning safari. Driving through the park, we came across elephants, antelopes, warthogs, baboons all in their natural habitat.
One of the most amazing things about the park is that there is a small community of people living inside it. Imagine stepping outside your house and seeing elephants casually walking past your street. That feels unreal.
READ: Africa: Nigerian Tourism Team Led by Ikechi Uko Explores Zaina Lodge in Mole National Park
We also had a tea break inside the park before heading back to the lodge for breakfast. The safari drivers and professional rangers were extremely knowledgeable and professional. They understood the terrain perfectly, followed safety procedures carefully, and genuinely cared about the protection and wellbeing of the wildlife. one could see it from the way they smiled and had passion for their work.
Later in the day, we went for the famous Mognori River Experience, a canoe safari located in Mognori Eco Village, about 30 minutes from the main gate of the national park. The experience takes visitors on a canoe ride along the Mole River to explore birds, crocodiles and monkeys that often come around the river for water.
Thankfully for me, we didn’t come across any crocodiles because honestly, I was already scared of anything suddenly jumping out of the water.
After the canoe experience, we returned to the lodge for lunch and prepared for another adventure…a night safari.
Yes, a night safari.
At first, I wondered how scary it was going to be. Everyone was given flashlights to help spot animals in the dark forest while driving through the park. It was exciting but at the same time I was nervous because in my mind, what if an animal suddenly jumped into the safari truck?
Still, it turned out to be worth the experience beacuse we could spot some of the animals walking around while some were resting. Thankfully, from what the rangers explained, there has never been any dangerous clash between the animals and humans inside the park. After about an hour, we returned safely to the lodge.
The following morning, we went on a cultural tour to the Larabanga Mosque and the famous mystical stone in the Larabanga community.
The Larabanga Mosque is believed to be the oldest mosque in Ghana, dating back to the 1420s. According to history, it was built by an Islamic trader named Ayuba Ibrahim from Saudi Arabia who was travelling through the area.
The story says that Ayuba Ibrahim slept near a stone after discovering the place was mystic and spiritually special. While there, he reportedly received divine instructions to build a mosque. He threw a spear from the spot, and the spear landed exactly where the mosque stands today.
By the time he reached the location, the foundation of the mosque had already been mysteriously laid by unseen hands. The mosque was built using mud and sticks in the traditional Sudanese architectural style and remains one of Ghana’s most important historical and religious sites.
After visiting the mystical stone, we returned to Zaina Lodge for lunch before heading out for another afternoon safari. This safari took us deeper into the national park to a special viewing point built for observing animals quietly without disturbing them.
The experience was both adventurous and fun because we eventually had to walk and hike through a mountainous path back to the lodge. By the time we returned, everyone was tired but happy. We had dinner, rested and prepared for our departure the next day.
Looking back now, the trip was more than just a safari experience. It was a beautiful mix of adventure, culture, wildlife, history, knowledge sharing and amazing memories. You could literally see from everyone’s expression that nobody wanted to leave because the experience was truly special and beautiful.
