Lake Bosomtwe

About this place

Lake Bosomtwe is the only natural lake in Ghana, filling an ancient impact crater about 10.5 km across. Green hills surround it on every side, so it appears as a calm circle set into the forest. It is a popular outing from Kumasi, which lies about 30 km to its north-west. The Asante consider the lake sacred, and tradition holds that the souls of the dead come here to bid farewell to the goddess Asase Ya. For that reason fishing was allowed only from wooden planks, not boats. Some 70,000 people live around it in about 30 villages, and it holds a fish found nowhere else. The main draw is the view of water and hills, with the colours changing under the clouds. On the shore are small wooden jetties and boats. Abono, the most visited village, has simple places to eat. You can take a boat or walk between villages, and the lake is at its most pleasant late in the day. It is about 31 km from Kumasi in a straight line, so a day trip works well. The road down to Abono is steep and easier by car. Ask villagers before swimming or taking a boat, as they keep customs around the lake. The middle months of the year are wetter, so bring rain cover.