A baboon |
Even our taxi driver looked confused as we entered the
deserted hotel grounds. Having reluctantly driven us all the way from Aburi – an
hour away, in the breezy Akuapem Hills – he must have thought we were heading
somewhere exciting, not this gloomy, run-down place. He pointed us towards the
reception and quickly sped away.
Inside, a large woman was slumped behind the desk, her head
resting on arms folded on the counter – a not atypical pose for Ghanaian staff.
Our arrival failed to stir her, and she only looked up when I asked about our
room.
“We don’t have any rooms for three people.”
“I rang earlier and reserved one.”
“We don’t have one.”
“Can you put a mattress in a room for two, please?”
Rising with the body language of a surly teenager, she
showed us to a room, before returning to her desk, her silence daring us to
disturb her again. Clearly one group of guests a night was one more than she
liked.
The bar staff after their snooze |
It’s hard to understand how a hotel with over 50 rooms and
several staff (we found others eventually, hidden away and doing nothing),
stays in business when so quiet. It’s a missed opportunity, as the Shai Hills
are pleasant and most people in Accra need little encouragement to get away. A
coat of paint and an injection of enthusiasm could quickly turn it into an
appealing retreat. As it is, it is among the most unwelcoming hotels in Ghana.
***
Two baboons |
After a peaceful night – one upside of staying in an empty
hotel – we set off along the busy Accra–Akosombo road to the main gate of the
Shai Hills Reserve. The gate area is often overrun by a large troop of baboons,
and we saw them scampering along the road as we walked. Several sat around the
gate as we entered, chewing on grass and acting like they were ignoring us,
while actually keeping a careful eye on where we went.
We entered the small office, which had information about the
various hikes and game drives on offer. While Hannah and Ariane selected, I
went to a stall across the road to buy water and bananas. This time, the
baboons took a much keener interest as I walked through the gate, having
spotted the bananas in the small plastic bag. As we sat and ate, the younger
ones came near, hoping for the chance to steal one. Stephen, our guide, shooed
them away and we set off on our hike.
A monkey |
The Shai Hills is a little underwhelming as a game reserve –
few visitors see much other than the baboons and kob antelope – but it’s a
lush, green landscape and we enjoyed our hike to a small outcrop near the
reserve’s northern edge. Cloud kept off the worst of the midday heat and we
scrambled up the steep rocks for a view of the surrounding plains and the hills
I had climbed with the Ghana Mountaineers.
The Shai Hills |
Despite its modest attractions, our visit to the Shai Hills was
an enjoyable and informative excursion. I learnt never to stay at the Shai
Hills Resort; I learnt how little wildlife guides in Ghana earn (around 150
cedis, or £50); and, over the course of the next week, I learnt that playing
around in baboons’ caves can give you an unholy case of the shits.
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