Samuel Afari Dartey, the man behind Ghana’s new $25 million Safari resort

Samuel Afari Dartey is becoming one of the household names in Ghana’s hospitality industry. Since 2015, his investment in the sector has been concentrated on providing eco-friendly resorts for Ghanaian and foreign holidaymakers.

Dartey started with Aqua Safari Resort in the Volta Region of Ghana, a unique venture at the time. Following the success of the resort, he decided to replicate it in other parts of the country. His latest resort, Safari Valley Resort, located in the Eastern Region of Ghana, is a breath-taker. 

Termed the “African Disneyland,” Safari Valley Resort is built in a way to allow visitors to engage with nature. It focuses more on forest resources, wildlife resources, and the ocean and marine environment.

The eco-resort sits on a 500-acre land that provides visitors with modern comfort as it has other facilities such as theatre and arts. It also boasts of caves and lakes. One can enjoy luxury accommodations, spa services, golf and organic meals as well.

Building resorts across Ghana was not easy to conceptualize, Dartey told Paakwesiasare.biz. “A friend of mine invited me to visit his farm and encouraged me to get into the same enterprise,” the CEO of the Aqua Safari Group said.

“We acquired a few acres and started to develop some rubber plantations but anytime I visited, I thought the place was unique and I knew I had to come up with some idea, an idea that could optimize the use of this beautiful renewable natural resource.”

“I started one business in the hospitality industry already, Aqua safari resort, which was doing extremely well, one of its kind in the country so it wasn’t difficult to conceptualize something that will relate,” he added.

The first phase of the project is currently in operation. It consists of 102 rooms and surrounded by palm trees, lush, green landscapes and infinity pools. According to Dartey, the resort was developed in such a way as not to destroy the environment. 

“Because it is an Eco-lodge, we’re planning to put into consideration that we won’t destroy the environment, such that where a tree has to be taken out, we will make sure that four trees replace that particular tree,” he said.

The resort facility is home to dozens of species of wildflowers and wildlife with local and exotic animals such as antelopes, zebra, and giraffes. This environment will enable visitors to “engage with the animals without any form of fear”, Dartey said.

The natural resource economist said he will expand his resort venture to every region of Ghana with Safari Palm Lands in the Western Region and Safari royal gardens soon to hit the Ashanti Region.