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🐊 From Sacred Waters to Wild Savannas: Why a Trip to Mole National Park Completes Your Paga Adventure

If you’ve had the unforgettable experience of touching a crocodile at Paga, you’ve already stepped into one of Ghana’s most unique cultural and natural destinations. But to truly round out your journey through the Upper Regions of Ghana, there’s one more stop that belongs on your itinerary — Mole National Park in the Upper West.

Together, Paga Crocodile Ponds and Mole National Park offer a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife and cultural loop — blending sacred traditions, real-life safari adventures, and the stunning landscapes of northern Ghana.



🐊 Why Start at Paga Crocodile Ponds?

Located near Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso, the Paga Crocodile Ponds are world-famous for one reason: here, humans and crocodiles coexist peacefully.

At this sacred site:

  • You can touch, sit on, or even take a photo with a live crocodile

  • Learn about the spiritual connection between the crocodiles and the local people

  • Discover centuries-old myths, taboos, and traditions

  • Visit the Chief’s Palace and surrounding cultural heritage sites

Paga offers a rare blend of wildlife, culture, and spirituality — all in one location. It’s interactive, photogenic, and deeply rooted in Ghanaian identity.

Papa elephant, Baby Elephant, mama Elephant, Mole National park

Triple group of elephants with baby elephant, at Mole National Park

🐘 Why Head to Mole National Park Next?

While Paga gives you a close, sacred encounter with crocodiles, Mole National Park opens the door to a full-scale African safari. Located in the Upper West Region, Mole is Ghana’s largest and oldest protected park — covering over 4,500 km² of pristine savannah and rolling hills.

Here’s why it’s the perfect complement to your visit to Paga:


✅ Wildlife Like Nowhere Else in Ghana

In Mole, you can spot:

  • Elephants

  • Antelopes, warthogs, and buffaloes

  • Monkeys and baboons

  • Over 300 species of birds

Unlike the sacred, stationary crocodiles at Paga, Mole offers wild, free-roaming animals in their natural habitat — just meters away from your safari jeep or walking trail.


✅ Safari Your Way: On Foot, By Jeep, or Bike

Choose from:

  • Guided walking safaris

  • Exciting 4x4 jeep drives

  • Adventurous bike safaris

  • Tree hides for overnight wildlife viewing

Whether you’re a nature photographer, wildlife enthusiast, or just curious, Mole lets you connect with nature up close.

Buffalo at Mole National Nark

Buffalo at Mole National Nark

✅ Scenic Views & Hidden Treasures

Don't miss the Konkori Escarpment, a 250-meter sandstone ridge that gives you a bird’s-eye view of the park — especially magical at sunrise or sunset.

You’ll also discover:

  • Seasonal rivers like the Lovi and Polzen

  • Mognori Waterfall

  • Traditional Gonja villages and cultural experiences


🌍 One Northern Ghana, Two Incredible Destinations

When you visit both Paga and Mole, you’re not just checking off places — you’re experiencing two sides of Ghana’s northern identity:

FeaturePaga Crocodile PondsMole National Park
WildlifeSacred crocodilesWild elephants, antelope, monkeys
CultureDeep-rooted spiritual beliefsGonja traditions & eco-village visits
ExperienceInteractive, guided crocodile encountersSafari tours, hikes, waterfalls
SettingSacred pond, cultural siteVast savannah, hills, rivers
RegionUpper East RegionUpper West Region



For guided visits and cultural experiences of Northern Ghana, see also various tour offers, below:

Top Mole & National Park Tours

Sacred Taboos: The Unspoken Code of the Guardians

In Paga's sun-cracked earth, the crocodiles aren't mere wildlife—they're the reincarnated souls of Kassena ancestors, totems woven into the fabric of survival and spirit. To harm, kill, or even taste their flesh is the gravest taboo, a rupture of the ancient blood-oath that binds man to myth, inviting misfortune on the offender and the land alike. No weapons near the ponds, no boasts of conquest—only offerings of milk or chickens, whispered in ritual harmony, honor the pact forged when a hunter's desperate plea spared a beast and sealed eternal guardianship. Visitors, heed this: Approach with bowed head, leave no trace of hubris—these elders demand respect, not spectacle, in the quiet pulse of Ghana's northern heart.

"They pose no danger to those who honor the bond—only to the fool who forgets." – Kassena Elder
Embrace the Code – Paga & Kulmasa - Kaleo Crocodile Ponds Guided Rite