The Shai Hills Game Reserve
Shai Hills is near the district capital Dodowa in the Dangme West District of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Birds and baboons are available as are vultures which circle above.
It’s curious to observe the social structure of the baboons where the male sits by himself, while females and juveniles groom themselves and socialize. The grasslands of the Shai Hills Game Reserve also have kob antelope.
The hills in the Shai area are base to several stone quarries. Its vegetation is a combination of open and wooded grassland, and fauna found there include guinea fowls, and francolins.
“The Shai Hills Reserve is a comparatively small fenced area, about 48km2 and made up largely of savanna covered plains, A mosaic of forest covers the 5 separate hills in the reserve, while grassland and low dry forests are found in intervening canyons. To date 31 mammals, 13 reptiles and 175 bird species have been identified in the reserve.”
The baboon troop at the front gate can be very amusing. The best time for wildlife viewing is early in the morning. A morning visit may include sightings of bushbuck or monkeys. Tourist can travel the park in a 4X4 vehicle or on foot with an armed escort from the hours of 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Nearby accommodations are available that are comfortable and convenient for an early morning arrival to the reserve.
In addition to the natural beauty and game viewing potential of the reserve, one could also enjoy the pleasure of visiting Obonu tem and Se yo caves on the Hioweyo and Sayu hills.
“The Shai people’s ancestral caves, these were used by the Shai king until the end of the 19th century. The primary cave was defendable in times of war due to the abundance of great stone rocks, a tunnel-like openings, and overhangs.
“Nearby is the village of Dodowa, where a refreshing forest hike to a fetish shrine and the 250 ft. Tsenku waterfalls is possible. The Dodowa Forest is where the Ashanti warriors were defeated by the British on August 7, 1826, marking the end of Ashanti domination of the then Gold Coast, now Ghana.”
