“Man, I should’ve worn sandals or something,” I groan, walking barefoot on tiny stones, rocks, pebbles, and anything else you could think of that surrounded the waterfall.
…
“Oh my god. I’m so glad the further we get into the falls, there’s barely rocks here,” I say with relief. Malcolm and I were the only two out of the five of us who decided to go barefoot into the waterfall. I had just gotten a pedicure several days before, and the callus that was removed was definitely going to come back after this trip.
…
“That’s so nice that there’s sand here to stand on. I don’t know what I would do if there were rocks,” I say, looking at the cohort.
“I don’t think that’s sand,” Porter says nonchalantly.
“What do you mean?” we all ask. Porter looks up at the bats nesting and flying next to the waterfall.
Day 1: I’m FALLING for Wli Falls
This last weekend, the Media in Ghana cohort went on a two-day trip to the Volta region to explore nature and have our final trip together. The Volta region is west of the Republic of Togo, which was very close to where we were for the weekend.
The alarm clock blared at 4:30 a.m., and I rolled out of bed with the enthusiasm of a person who went to bed very late the prior night. Why? Because I wanted to make sure I secured my seat on the bus. By this time, we all knew the best places to sit on the bus. The front and middle of the bus were the more preferred spots. The back of the bus risked a bumpier ride – supposedly, you feel it more in the back than the front! Also! This year, the cohort was smaller than in previous years, so we had more room to spread out on the bus (think a whole row to yourself). By the end of the trip, I learned how to sleep successfully without falling off my seat while going through the bumpy roads of Ghana.
We hit the road by 5:45 a.m., with backpacks and pillows in hand, and set off on our journey to the town of Hohoe.
The drive was a solid five hours, and while that might sound daunting, the scenic route through lush greenery and rolling hills made the time fly by (and catching up on Z’s). So much of the scenery reminded me of driving through the Columbia Gorge roads or towards Mt. Rainer – a little reminiscent of home! We arrived in Hohoe and were ready for a stretch and food. Lunch was served at the hotel’s restaurant—a hearty Ghanaian meal that was exactly what we needed after the long drive. The jollof rice and grilled chicken were a highlight, but, to be honest, I didn’t want to eat too much because we were about to hike the Wli Waterfall.
The hike to Wli Waterfall is about 45 minutes to an hour (I wasn’t keeping track of time), but it’s the kind of hike that makes you wish it were longer. The path winds through a lush forest where the sound of birds, streams, and rivers passing by fill the air, and fascinating critters keep us company. I saw different kinds of butterflies I had never seen before. We also saw clusters and clusters of bats on the mountainside! Where is Batman?
The hike was so relaxing. Coming from Oregon, I love hiking. This reminded me of hiking the Oneonta Gorge to swim in the waterfall my family used to do.
I started listening to an audio dramatization of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, and the sound effects, dialogue, and nature brought the story to life – I was too busy listening to tales of Big Brother when I realized we had reached the waterfall! Taking my headphones out, I heard the sounds of water crashing. Approaching, there it was: Wli Waterfall, in all its glory.
Now, I’ve seen my fair share of waterfalls (come on, Multnomah Falls!), but this one? It was something else. The water cascading down from such a height was so beautiful. Wli Waterfall is the tallest water in West Africa – 1600 feet, which doesn’t even compare to Multnomah Falls’ 620 feet!
We wasted no time; our shoes were kicked off, and we entered the cool water. Okay, well, my shoes were kicked off while others had sandals and Crocs. Note to self: bring Crocs next time. There’s something magical about swimming next to a waterfall. The mist was in our faces and the sun shone at that perfect spot– creating a rainbow. The sounds of laughter erupting from visitors were those of kids in a water park. There was no better way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
After a bit more of swimming through rock and sand (which we deduced wasn’t sand), we pulled ourselves away from the waterfall, snapped a couple of pics, and headed back to the bus. Not knowing when I would ever be back, I tried to take in as much of the scenery as possible. Ghana has been so kind to us.
Day 2: I’m Going Bananas for Volta Lake
We started the next day at a slightly more humane hour—8:30 a.m. After breakfast, we packed up and hit the road, this time with monkeys on our minds. Our first stop was the local monkey sanctuary, where we got up close and personal with some of the cutest little primates ever. Several weeks ago, TikTok started suggesting videos of people who had monkeys as pets. Now, I’m not not saying I want a monkey as a pet, but I was excited. The last time I had been around monkeys this close was in Vietnam; however, those monkeys were a bit more violent.
The monkeys at the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary And Cultural Village were so well-behaved. It was fascinating to learn about the culture of each group of monkeys in the sanctuary. For example, the monkeys all respect their elders. When Grandpa Monkey eats, they wait.
If you’ve never had a monkey eat out of your hand, let me tell you—it’s an experience! These little guys were curious and playful, and their tiny hands felt surprisingly human. We couldn’t stop laughing as they would jump up, perch on our arms, and squeeze the banana out of its peel. It was like hanging out with a bunch of furry, hyperactive toddlers.
Grandpa Monkey, on the other hand, was very different. He took a banana from our hands and peeled the peels back rather than squeezing it out wildly. He was modest. Cutesy. Very mindful. Very demure.**
After we’d had our fill of monkey feeding business, it was time for us to fill our tummies. We headed to Volta Lake. The drive was shorter than the previous day, and by the time we arrived, we made our way to Afriko, a restaurant on the lake. The sound of the water lapping at the shore was the perfect view for our final meal on our final vacation.
But, we weren’t done yet! After lunch, we headed down to the dock for a boat ride on Volta Lake. There’s something about being out on the water that is so calming. This lake is the largest artificial lake in West Africa and the fourth largest in the world! As we cruised along, the breeze in our hair and the sun on our faces felt like the perfect way to wrap up our trip. We waved to the passersby on other boats and enjoyed our last moments as a cohort family in Ghana.
As the boat ride came to an end, so did our adventure in the Volta Region. We loaded back into the car, a little sun-kissed and a lot happy, and began the drive back home. Looking back, the two days we spent in the Volta Region were the perfect end to six weeks of adventure, relaxation, and discovery.
I don’t know when I’ll be back, but hopefully, I’ll be back soon.
Medaase,
Tai Le
Wonderful narrative, Tai!