GH
Mole National Park
Ghana’s largest national park, where elephants gather at the waterholes and rangers lead walking safaris
Ghana’s largest national park, where elephants gather at the waterholes and rangers lead walking safaris
Several hundred elephants live in the park. In the dry season they come to the waterholes below the lodge, often in the early morning and evening.
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rangers lead walks in the early morning and late afternoon, often getting close to elephants. Jeep safaris cover more ground.
Wear closed shoes and neutral colours.
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0
Warthogs, baboons, antelope such as kob and bushbuck, and many birds are easy to see. Baboons around the lodge will steal food.
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0
In the village of Larabanga near the park entrance, this whitewashed mud-and-timber mosque in the Sudano-Sahelian style is traditionally dated to the 15th century and is among the oldest in Ghana.
Non-Muslims can view it from outside only.
Photo: Amuzujoe, CC BY-SA 4.0
Most visitors eat at the park lodge, which serves Ghanaian and Western dishes. In Larabanga and Tamale, try northern dishes such as tuo zaafi (millet or maize dumplings with leafy soup) and grilled guinea fowl.
Bring snacks and water for safaris.
Fly from Accra to Tamale in about an hour. From Tamale, the park is about 150km away on paved roads, around 2.5 to 3 hours by car; a daily bus is slower.
Inside the park, stay at the Mole Motel or a luxury lodge; Larabanga has simple guesthouses. Most non-African visitors need a visa; Ghana launched an e-visa in May 2026, and African nationals are exempt from visa fees. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required to enter Ghana. Check current rules before you travel.
Ghana uses the cedi (GHS), whose exchange rate changes often, so prices here are given in US dollars as a guide. Mobile money is widely used; carry cash for markets and small towns.
Prices are approximate.
Elephants and the savannah.
Travel from Tamale, visit the Larabanga mosque on the way and watch the waterholes from the lodge.
Join an early-morning walking safari and a jeep drive in the afternoon.
March and April are very hot; plan safaris for early morning.
Do not carry food openly near the lodge.
Malaria risk is high; take precautions.
Wildlife viewing is best in the dry season from December to April.
Quick answers for planning time in Mole National Park.
Fly to Tamale, then drive about 2.5 to 3 hours.
Yes, several hundred, often seen at the waterholes.
Yes, with an armed ranger.
No, non-Muslim visitors can view it from outside only.
December to April, in the dry season.
English is the official language, so translation is rarely needed.
Free
Guides, drivers and guesthouses arrange almost everything by WhatsApp.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Ghana travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.