Tamale
Ghana · Northern Region · 180 m
Description
Tamale (Tʋmaale) is the third city of Ghana and the gateway to everything north of the forest belt, a flat Dagomba town of wide dusty avenues where bicycles and motorbikes outnumber cars by a large margin. It is predominantly Muslim, which makes it feel closer to Burkina Faso than to Accra, and the central mosque and the chief's palace are the two poles of the old town. Most visitors use it for one night on the way to Mole, but the shea butter and smock weaving cooperatives around it are worth the stop.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 1 day)
Travel season
Best time to visit: November – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Tamale Central Mosque
- Tamale Central Market and the smock stalls
- Bicycle and motorbike traffic of the wide avenues
- Shea butter cooperatives of the villages around
- Dagomba chief's palace and the drumming
- Northern smock weaving workshops
- Tuo zaafi and the northern kitchen
- Damongo road and the drive west to Mole
- Fire Festival Bugum Chugu (approx. July)
Getting there
- Airports:
- TML