Stand on Stewart Avenue at the Okomfo Anokye Sword Site and you are standing where, by tradition, the Ashanti Empire was founded in 1701. A few minutes' walk away, Kejetia Market spreads out in grids of stalls and crowded surrounding streets, and the towers of St. Peter's Cathedral rise beside it. Kumasi rewards travellers who come for Asante history, markets and green space rather than polished resort comforts.
This guide suits independent travellers who are comfortable with tro-tros and taxis, and who want to combine palaces, museums and festivals with gardens and a crater lake. It covers the sights and experiences named in the source material, with practical notes on timing and what to pair with what.
Top things to do in Kumasi
1. Manhyia Palace Museum
Built in 1925 by the British as the residence of King Asantehene Prempeh I, this museum is also a palace. Walking through it, you learn the function of each room when it was used by the kings, and see artwork and artefacts from the Asante kings.
It is open daily 09:00–17:00. A tour of the palace grounds explains the history of the Ashanti people and the significance of the Ashanti cultural history, so allow time beyond the rooms themselves.
2. Kejetia Market
Kejetia Market is the largest market in West Africa, with subsections selling clothes, fabrics, home goods and most anything else, including hot meals. The new enclosed market centre is laid out in grids, but the surrounding streets are more crowded and lined with vendors.
It can be loud and overwhelming or a rewarding, local experience; use your own judgement. It sits next to St. Peter's Cathedral, so the two are easy to combine in one outing.
3. Okomfo Anokye Sword Site
On the grounds of Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital on Stewart Avenue, this is the legendary site of the foundation of the Ashanti Empire in Kumasi in 1701, where the "immovable" sword driven into the ground by Okomfo Anokye remains.
It is open 09:00–17:00. Pair it with the Ghana Armed Forces Museum on Steward Ave, which is also on your route through the centre.
4. Ghana Armed Forces Museum (Kumasi Fort)
The museum is housed in the Kumasi Fort, built by the British in 1896 after they destroyed the Asante Fort that used to stand here. It predominantly features information and artefacts related to the British-Asante War, but also includes many artefacts from World War I, World War II, and information about modern Ghanaian military history.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday, 09:00–17:00, at 22 Steward Ave. Tour guides are friendly and very knowledgeable, so take the guided option rather than walking through alone.
5. Prempeh II Jubilee Museum
This museum features artefacts and personal belongings of former Asante kings, including a reproduction of the golden stool.
Opening hours are Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00–16:00. It works well as a quieter counterpart to the Manhyia Palace Museum on the same day.
6. Rattray Park
Rattray Park is one of Kumasi's premier recreational parks, developed by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and opened in 2015 as part of efforts to restore Kumasi's reputation as the Garden City of West Africa. It is named after Captain Robert Sutherland Rattray, a Scottish anthropologist and colonial administrator who documented the history and customs of the Ashanti Kingdom.
The park offers landscaped gardens, paved walking paths, an artificial lake, a children's playground, restaurants and cafes, and is popular for picnics, photographs, exercise and leisure. It is open 08:00–23:00 on Victoria Opoku Ware Street in Nhyiaeso, close to Golden Bean Hotel.
7. Lake Bosumtwi
This is the only natural lake in Ghana, created by a meteor impact. It has lush, green surroundings and is a sacred lake, as Ashanti believe it is where departed souls come to bid farewell to goddess Asase Ya.
Take Lake Rd SW; the drive may take about one hour. It can be reached by tro-tro or private taxi, and lodging is available at Paradise Resort. Do not go to the tourist information centre "Jakad" in Abono, the town you will most likely be dropped off at; the source describes it as a community donation scam.
8. Kumasi Zoological Garden (Kumasi Zoo)
All of the animals from the former Accra Zoo were transferred here, making it a straightforward stop for families or anyone wanting a break from the city centre.
It is open 09:00–17:00. Combine it with the nearby cultural institutions in the centre if you are planning a single day of sights.
9. Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary
The sanctuary holds about 161 bird species, plus butterflies, antelope, bushbuck, bushpig and monkeys, and is the only inland Ramsar site in Ghana. The Bamboo Temple is very pretty and worthwhile.
It is open Monday to Friday 08:00–16:00. Guided walks can be arranged at the visitor centre; you can reach it by tro-tro to Esaase or Owabi tro-tro stops, from where the Esasie stop involves a walk of about 1–2 km, or else get a private taxi. May want to call to confirm price and location.
10. St. Peter's Cathedral
A Kumasi landmark built in 1913, St. Peter's Cathedral stands at Roman Hill, next to the Kejetia Market.
Because it is immediately beside the market, the practical approach is to see it before or after your walk through Kejetia rather than making a separate trip.
11. Wesley Methodist Cathedral
This cathedral has been a long-standing feature in Adum, in the centre of the city two blocks south of Kejetia Market. It is said that the missionaries who came to plant the church were killed by lions, and that the statue of a man standing on a lion in front of the church is testament to victory over that.
It is open Monday to Saturday 08:30–17:30. It fits neatly into a walk that takes in Kejetia Market and St. Peter's Cathedral.
12. Knust Botanical Garden
The Knust Botanical Garden is a peaceful green space on the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. It has a wide variety of indigenous and exotic trees, flowering plants, medicinal species and ornamental vegetation, and has become a popular recreational destination for residents and tourists seeking a quiet escape from the city's bustle.
It is open 07:00–17:00. Go in the morning if you want the coolest part of the day for walking.
13. Adae Kese Festival
The Adae Kese Festival is a very important, albeit rare, celebration of the Ashantis, held in a large open space in Kumasi and normally well attended. The public celebrations take the form of a colourful durbar of chiefs and queen mothers presided over by the Asantehene, involving the display of cherished regalia and paraphernalia accompanied by traditional drumming and dancing as well as firing of musketry.
It is a magnified form of the Sunday Adae festivals celebrated every six weeks in accordance with the Akan calendar, with the last Akwasidae festival set aside for Adae Kese. Because it is rare, check locally whether your dates coincide before building a trip around it.
14. Nurom Hat Museum
At the top of the Nurom Hotel in Suame, this is a collection of some 2,000 hats from around the world belonging to Chief Nana Kofi Gyemfi II.
The source notes it may no longer be open, so confirm before travelling out to Suame.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Manhyia Palace Museum when it opens at 09:00, and take the tour of the palace grounds for the history of the Ashanti people. Move on to the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, which opens at 09:00 on weekdays.
Afternoon: Head to Kejetia Market and walk the grid of the enclosed centre before braving the crowded surrounding streets. Step next door to St. Peter's Cathedral, then walk two blocks south of the market to the Wesley Methodist Cathedral in Adum. If time allows, add the Okomfo Anokye Sword Site on Stewart Avenue before it closes at 17:00.
Evening: Finish at Rattray Park, which stays open until 23:00, for the landscaped gardens, the artificial lake and a meal at one of the restaurants or cafes.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Kumasi?
Kumasi has a tropical savanna climate with two rainy seasons: the major season usually from March to July and the minor season from September to November. If you want to avoid the wettest conditions, plan around those months.
How do I get to Lake Bosumtwi without a car?
You can reach it by tro-tro or private taxi, taking Lake Rd SW; the journey may take about one hour. Lodging is available at Paradise Resort if you want to stay over.
Which museums are open at weekends?
The Manhyia Palace Museum is open daily 09:00–17:00, and the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum opens Saturday and Sunday 10:00–16:00. The Ghana Armed Forces Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday only, and the Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary is open Monday to Friday only.
Is Kejetia Market suitable for every traveller?
The source notes it can be loud and overwhelming or a rewarding, local experience, and advises using your own judgement. The enclosed market centre is laid out in grids, while the surrounding streets are more crowded and lined with vendors.
Decide your dates around the rainy seasons, confirm the opening days of the museums you most want to see, and start mapping your days in Kumasi.