Go with a plan.
Ghana’s safety score rose to 63 today, though the US, UK, and Canada maintain level 2 advisories alongside active health notices for Clade II Monkeypox and global measles.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Ghana
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Male homosexuality
Male homosexuality is illegal in Ghana. Vulnerable people suspected of being gay or queer face targeting and extortion.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Clade II Monkeypox in Ghana and Liberia
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •The standard emergency number for police, fire and ambulance is 112.
- •Ghana is a very safe, stable country with relatively low crime levels compared to other West African countries. Take sensible precautions but be assured it is quite safe.
- •Male homosexuality is illegal.
- •Cases have also been reported of people snatching mobile phones in the streets. Avoid using your mobile phone out in the open.
- •Accidental gas tanker explosions, including occurrences in heavily populated residential & industrial areas throughout the country, have been a recurring problem, with eight such cases in 2015–2017.
Staying healthy
- •Chloroquine-resistant malaria is widespread and you must take sufficient malaria protection including mosquito avoidance, mosquito repellants, and chemical prophylaxis.
- •Get vaccinations against hepatitis A & B, cholera and typhoid fever if you are planning to travel within the country.
- •There is a very high risk of meningitis in the northern third of Ghana which is a part of the Meningitis belt of Africa.
- •Although the AIDS/HIV rate is lower than other sub-Saharan African countries, do not have unprotected sex!
- •Some restaurants will approach high health standards, but be prepared to pay for this. Smaller restaurants, often called "chop bars," will likely not meet these standards.
- •Because of the tropical climate near the coast, travellers will need to stay hydrated.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers generally find Ghana safe for solo exploration, though it requires common sense and a tolerance for occasional stress. Violent crime is not the primary concern; instead, travelers face petty theft, particularly pickpocketing in crowded markets and buses. Road travel is the most significant danger due to frequent accidents and reckless driving. Police checkpoints can be a source of minor extortion, where officers may delay travelers until a bribe is paid. While locals are widely described as friendly and helpful, travelers should ignore persistent requests for donations or money. Avoid walking alone at night, secure valuables in transit, and rely on reputable ride-sharing apps or unionized bus services for safer, more reliable transportation.
“The only consistently negative interactions were at police checkpoints during road travel, especially after dark. Officers may stop you, ask you to exit the vehicle, check your passport, and delay you until you grease some palms.
— r/travel
“The main crime to look out for is pickpockets- for example, once when I was struggling opening the door of a shared taxi, and other passenger slid towards me to help but slid his hand in my pants pocket as he did so.
— r/travel
“Transport was by far the most dangerous aspect of the trip, as always.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
D / G · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 112
Show the receipts (11 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12