Shai Hills resource reserve is among the must-visit spots in Accra city. Spending your day hiking in nature among wildlife, falls, and the forest is so interesting. Climbing to the top of these hills guarantees scenic views of all the surrounding areas, particularly Accra city.
Shai Hills is a self-drive reserve. Therefore, you can bring your car or hire one for an easier drive through the park. All the roads within this park are in good condition, and therefore it is easier to explore the park. Besides, hiring a guide is required to help you explore the entire park and have some lasting moments.
Besides driving, tourists can also organize a mountain bike tour through this park. To organize a bike tour, you can call the reserve staff and management a few days prior to your visit to organize the bikes for you.
The perfect time to visit the Shai Hills resource park is in the morning. During this time, some animals, such as antelopes and baboons, gather around the entrance area of this reserve, and therefore it is easier to see them. You can also visit the reserve at any time of the day; you will spot some animals.
There are various sites within this reserve that visitors can explore. MogO Hill and Sayu Cave are among the most famous sites. Most people visiting Shai hills resource park also enjoy hiking at Mogo Hills; it is an easy hike that does not take much time. The hills offer amazing views of the entire Shai Reserve; you can see some animals running in the savanna grasslands at the top of Mogo Hills.
Shai-Hills Resource Reserve is home to various animals, including male and female ostriches, tortoises, antelopes, reptiles, zebras, and many others. Ostriches can stay up to seventy years in caged places. Although Zebras are among the endangered species in Ghana, they are available in this reserve and attract many visitors to this park. Some snake species in this reserve are non-poisonous; trained reserve personnel can hold them around their necks.
Museum and cultural heritage are prominent features within this reserve. There are a number of items at the museum indicating the place’s natural and cultural antecedent. The museum displays the skins and skulls of Africa Rock Pythons, Bush Buck, Dwarf Crocodiles, antelope, baboons, hippopotami, leopards, and others. The other things that can be spotted in this museum are the elephant’s thighbone, jawbone, huff, and skull—preserved tortoises, hedgehogs, ostrich eggs, bush cats, grass cutters, reptiles, and arthropods. Besides, a collection of pots and earthenware products were used by the first people who settled in this reserve.
The Shai Ancestral caves
The Shai lords used these caves till the end of the nineteenth century. They are unique features that were used as hiding places during battles. The caves have special stones, a shade, and an opening, making them a defendable place. A loud bat colony dwells in this cave, though it is scary but exciting to see the bats. Tourists enjoy strolling around these, identifying all the remains of the old Shai settlement in the reserve.
There are a couple of comfortable and convenient accommodations near this reserve. Tourists are encouraged to spend their night in these hotels in case of an early morning arrival at the reserve. The most enjoyable part of visiting the Shai Hills is the picturesque landscape and atmosphere. Do not forget to bring your camera along when visiting the Shai hills. If you’re a nature photograph fanatic, this will be a very exciting experience for you.
