Things to Do in Accra in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
December Weather in Accra
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
90°F (32°C)
High Temp
76°F (24°C)
Low Temp
1.1 inches (28 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ UV index 8 requires SPF 50+ and reapplication every 90 minutes - burn time under 15 minutes at midday
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Harmattan season brings drier air and less humidity. The 70% humidity feels almost refreshing compared to March's 85%. Locals call it Ghana's natural air-conditioning. Worth it.
- + Evena Beach parties and outdoor concerts happen every weekend in December. Labadi Beach turns into Ghana's biggest dance floor under moonlight. The bass carries across the sand until sunrise. Bring cash.
- + Fresh mango season overlaps with December. Roadside stands on the Tema Motorway sell well ripe Kent mangoes that drip sticky sweetness down your chin. Buy extra. Napkins optional.
- + Christmas street decorations transform Oxford Street in Osu into a neon wonderland that locals embrace rather than endure. Strings of lights crisscross above traffic. Vendors sell Santa hats in kente patterns.
Considerations
- − Harmattan haze can reduce visibility to 2 km (1.2 miles) some mornings. The coastal breeze usually clears it by 10am but morning flights sometimes delay. Photographers love the golden hour filter. Pack patience.
- − December 20-January 3 becomes peak pricing for everything. Hotels near Independence Square triple rates and taxi drivers start negotiations at double the usual fare. Book early. Haggle harder.
- − The UV index of 8 means you'll burn in 15 minutes without protection. Even Ghanaian locals complain about the intensity of December sun. Shade becomes currency. SPF 50+ mandatory.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Accra in December has a pulse you can feel. The rains are gone, the sun sits high and mean, and the mercury kisses the high eighties by noon. Humidity lingers, yet a breeze off the Gulf of Guinea slides in often enough to keep the coast bearable. December is not the absolute driest slot on the chart. But it lands between the big wet seasons. Expect one short, hard shower that vanishes fast and leaves the city smelling of hot tarmac and wet soil. Life spills outside now, chatter rising from roadside stalls and bright cloth flapping in the sun. No headline festivals means the month belongs to daily rhythms and private homecomings. Fontomfrom drums thump at neighborhood gatherings, charcoal smoke drifts from evening grills, and everyone seems to be outdoors under sharp blue skies. It is the right window to peel back Accra's layers, from colonial cores to green edges, without dodging daily downpours.
Ghana Heritage Tours - Beyond The Return
culturalcurates a raw, days-long journey out of Accra into the Central Region's slave forts and welcoming villages. You will stand inside stone dungeons, taste fufu pounded fresh and nutty, then join a community ceremony that folds you into the diaspora's living story.
It turns textbook history into something you can taste, touch, and feel on your skin.
Insider tip: Pack modest, comfy clothes fit for dungeons and dance circles alike.
Cape Coast and Elmina Castles Day Tour
guided_experiencedrags the past into the present. Cool, thick dungeon walls echo under torchlight while Atlantic waves slam the same ramparts that once loaded ships. Guides narrate in the dimness, making the silence heavy. Most trips add Kakum National Park, where a rope bridge sways above humid green canopy.
You confront the slave trade at the exact stone threshold where it shipped out.
Insider tip: Tuck a light sweater in your bag. The air-con van feels icy after coastal heat.
African Drum and Dance Lessons
otherhurl you into a sunlit courtyard of polyrhythms. Goatskin drums sting your palms, dust rises with every beat, and by the end your hips and hands lock into the groove. You sweat, you laugh, you sync.
You take part in living art instead of watching from a chair.
Insider tip: Book late afternoon, rest, then catch a live set in Osu after dark.
Makola Market Walking Tour
walking_tourshoves you straight into Accra's commercial bloodstream. Narrow lanes brim with red tomatoes, silver fish, smoked-seafood tang, and mango sweetness. Traders call, you dodge puddles, and your guide buys you hot kelewele straight from the oil.
It is the fastest, safest way to surf the market's glorious chaos.
Insider tip: Carry small notes and wear closed shoes. The ground is uneven and packed.
Full-Day Private Culture and History Tour of Accra
day_tripstitches Accra's contrasts together at your speed. Start in Jamestown among peeling pastel walls and gritty fishing nets, move to the clang of blacksmiths at the Arts Center, finish under the black marble of the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum. Pause wherever curiosity tugs.
One efficient route links the city's scattered landmarks without locking you to a group clock.
Insider tip: Ask for a chop-bar lunch stop. Order groundnut soup thick with chicken and spice.
Full Day Tour Waterfalls Quad biking and Aburi Botanical Gardens
adventurefires you from red-dirt Shai Hills trails to a misty forest waterfall. Quad-bike engines roar under you, coconuts taste sweet at Aburi, and kapok trees throw shade over orderly exotic plants. City noise feels a continent away.
Adventure, scenery, and calm cram into one tidy escape from Accra.
Insider tip: The trail is dusty. Wear old clothes and bring a bandana for mouth and nose.
Where to Stay in Accra in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Not in December - art remains visible
Chale Wote Street Art Festival
Jamestown's streets transform into Africa's biggest outdoor art gallery. Murals appear on colonial walls while performance artists use fishing boats as stages. The festival happens in late August but December visitors still see fresh murals since Harmattan preserves them better than rainy season. Bring camera. Respect artists.
Early December
Afro Bey Festival
This Ga traditional festival happens in December. Locals gather at the beach for purification rituals that involve sprinkling seawater while drummers maintain rhythms passed down through 400 years. Visitors welcome if they approach respectfully and bring small donations for elders. Remove shoes. Watch first.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Accra Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Download the 'TroTro' app before arriving. December's tro-tro routes change slightly due to holiday traffic patterns, and drivers won't explain detours to foreigners. Study routes. Ask locals.
The real Christmas shopping happens at Makola Market December 15-23. Vendors from northern Ghana bring crafts unavailable other months. But prices double after December 20. Go early. Bargain hard.
Beach bars expect you to buy drinks if using their chairs - order at least one drink per hour or they'll ask you to leave, even if half the chairs stay empty
Harmattan haze makes golden hour photography spectacular - the dust particles create natural filtering that turns sunset photos orange-pink around 5:45pm
Taxi drivers quote prices in old Ghana cedis during December - when they say 'fifty' they mean 50 pesewas (half a cedi), not 50 cedis
Avoid These Mistakes
Booking beachfront hotels for December - the ocean breeze can't compete with 90°F heat, and you'll pay premium for location that's too hot to enjoy midday
Assuming Christmas Day closures - most restaurants and attractions stay open since Ghanaians celebrate with family meals, not commercial shutdowns
Wearing new shoes for walking tours - December's humidity swells feet, and cobblestone streets in Jamestown will destroy unprepared footwear
Explore More Activities in Accra
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Accra.
See All Accra Tours on Viator