Mole National Park is one of the largest National Parks in Ghana and the most popular only Kakum National park is as well known as Mole. Mole is in the Norther part of Ghana where the geography is more rolling grass lands which in West Africa rather than Savanna is known as Sahel region. This belt is between the forested belt of West Africa and the Sahara.
Mole is about 2 hours form Tamale the capital of the Northern Region of Ghana. Most people access mole by flying to Tamale and then hiring a car and driver to get to mole. There are some bus trips also. When I visited in 2011 it was one stop on a big loop I was taking through the country by road with a driver and a taxi cab. Then there was only one place to stay in the park, Mole Motel. Mole Motel is a government owned hotel and until about 2015 was the only option until Zaina Lodge was built which is a luxury 4 star option.
The hotel sits on an escarpment over looking a number of water holes in the terrain below. If you look closely here you can see an elephant in the middle of the picture. The best time to visit is during the dry season for 2 reasons. The water holes become fewer and farther in between so more of the wildlife comes around the large watering holes below the hotel. The other reason is that the grass become short enough to be able to see over and easily walk through.
Here you can see the view of the hotel looking up from the water hole.
While staying at the hotel some of the wildlife even comes to you. This mama baboon can be quiet the nuisance though as she would jump on table in the morning and steal sugar cubes to eat and give to her baby.
The male baboons with their red butts also follow suit. When I was swimming one even stole a box of juice I had on a table pool side and ran to some near by bushes and dissected it and enjoyed what they could leaving a mess behind.
Here is another visitor to the hotel. It might be a little hard ot see him in the middle of the picture because he is the same color as the back ground. But there is a big warthog there.
The best way to experience Mole it to take a walking safari. Vehicle safari's are offered and you might be able to see more of the park but that is not unique to Ghana and in East Africa on a vehicle Safari you can probably see many more animals than you would in Ghana. The advantage of a walking safari is that you are much more in touch with your surroundings and you can get closer and be more respectful to the wildlife you might get to see. This guide is carrying a gun though as a rogue elephant could be dangerous. And even though they are rarely seen by visitors to the park there are wild cats like lions and other that do live in the park.
Here is a type of bush buck or deer we came upon as we walked through the bush.
In the distance we got our first sight of an elephant.
This juvenile male elephant definitely let us know we were in his territory and strutted his stuff. After making his show though the aggression was gone and he went back to doing his own thing.
This is a good picture to show about how close we could safely get to these large beautiful animals. We kept the water between us though and kept our safe distance still.
This pair posed for a few pictures.
Here is an old picture of me with the elephant in the back ground.
We went an sat up in a wildlife hide. It is like a platform with some benches to be able to view the wildlife. These two young males made their way to a near by watering hole and drank some water.
One started to dip its front legs into the water.
The next moment it disappeared into the water.
His buddy began to follow him in.
They were eventually both in the deep water with just their heads showing above the water.
As if the whole display was scripted they started putting on a show. Wrestling in the water. Butting heads, locking tusks and tussling .
It was quite the battle royal and they looked to be really enjoying themselves and the competition.
It went on long enough that we even left the hide and walked along the watering hole on our way back to the hotel and they were still at it.
We ran into a pack of trouble makers on our way back to the hotel before climbing the hill up.
It is probable that this is the same pack that terrorizes the hotel.
They are not really aggressive toward people though that are just minding their own business too.
The heat is really something though and in the afternoon a dip in the pool is needed to really cool down and wash the dust and heat off from the day. The way the hotel is positioned though you can be sitting on the pool deck and even see the elephants in the watering hole below.
Eventually the sun sets on another beautiful day in the Sahel. I hope you enjoyed your day at Mole National Park.
