Tamale, the gateway to the north and to Mole, is a serious drive from Accra — around ten hours. Here’s the honest picture of the journey, where to break it, and whether to fly instead.
Tamale, the largest city in northern Ghana, is the gateway to a whole different side of the country — the savanna north, its distinct cultures, and the road to Mole National Park. But getting there from Accra is not a casual drive. It is a long haul up the spine of the country, and going in with a clear picture of the distance, the time and the options makes all the difference between a good journey and a gruelling one. Here is the honest guide.
Accra to Tamale is roughly 600 to 660 kilometres, running north through Kumasi and up through the middle belt of the country toward the north. The road is a major route and much of it is good, but it is a long way, passing through changing landscapes from the forest of the south to the open savanna of the north. It is the kind of drive where a comfortable, reliable vehicle is not a luxury but the difference between arriving refreshed and arriving wrecked.
Realistically, plan for around nine to ten hours of driving, more with proper stops, meals and the unexpected. That is a very long day to do in one go, which is why many people — and we’d usually agree — break it rather than attempt it in a single push, especially if you want to arrive with energy to spare for what comes next.
The natural place to split the drive is Kumasi, roughly the halfway mark and a city worth a night in its own right — see our Accra to Kumasi guide. Further on, Kintampo (with its well-known waterfalls) is another common stop in the middle belt. Breaking the journey turns a punishing single day into two manageable halves and lets you see something along the way rather than just enduring the road.
For many travellers the sensible answer is to fly to Tamale — there are regular flights from Accra — and hire a car on arrival for getting around the north and on to Mole. You save the better part of two days of driving and arrive fresh. Driving makes sense if the journey itself is part of your trip, if you want to stop along the way, or if you need the vehicle for the whole route. We can arrange either: a car and driver for the full drive, or a vehicle ready for you when you land. Our Mole guide covers the onward leg to the park.
Driving the whole way or flying up? Tell us your plan and we’ll sort a comfortable car and a driver for the north, with one confirmed price.
For the long drive, a comfortable SUV or a well-specified saloon with a driver is the sensible choice — a local driver sharing the long hours and knowing the route is worth a great deal. If you are flying up, we can have a vehicle (with or without a driver) ready at Tamale. We quote the journey as a whole, including the driver’s overnight costs where the trip is broken over two days. Tell us your plan, dates and group size, and we’ll confirm the vehicle and one clear price; no payment on the website.
Distances and times are approximate and reviewed October 2026; conditions vary. Flight availability changes; confirm independently. Rates are guide figures, quoted as one confirmed trip including the driver’s costs where applicable.