The reserve consists of a very striking and attractive range of rocky hills set in the middle of an expansive open and wooded grassland plain. The rocks are visible in many places as impressible and sleep cliffs and large and attractive rocky outcrops. The reserve is fenced to prevent animals from straying out. It consists of a prominent isolated hill ridge of hornblende gneiss surrounded by an area of Accra Plain savannah. There are beautiful scenic views across the Accra Plain from the top.
LOCATION
Shai Hills Resource Reserve is situated in Doryumu in the Dangme West district with Dodowa as the district capital. The Reserve is about 17 km from Accra, the regional capital.
SIZE
It has an area of 52km2. There are five hills and the highest is 290m. In total, the hills take up 20% of the reserve.
VEGETATION
The vegetation is a coastal savannah with dry forest occurring on the slopes.
KEY FAUNA
Kobs, Baboons and Guinea fowls, Francolins, Grey hornbill which are just a few of the 150 birds recorded in the reserve. There are grey duiker, bushbuck, civet, genet, vervet monkey and spot-noised monkey.
OTHER FEATURES
Ancestral caves (ancestral people of the area hid in during wars in the olden days), Ancestral revered shrine of Dangme Shai people, dams
TOURIST SITES
Aburi botanical gardens, Wli waterfalls, Akosombo dam (the power house of Ghana), Christiansborg Castle (Accra), Accra Zoo, National Theatre, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, Du Dois Memorial center, Independence Square
COMMUNITIES
Doryumu, Kordiabe, Agomenda all noted for their Dipo rites. This is a ritual performed for adolescent girls from these communities to initiate from childhood to womanhood.
FESTIVALS
Payami Festival is celebrated in March
Asafotufiame is an annual festival celebrated by the people of the Ada
Ngmayem is celebrated in October by the people of Dodowa
TOURIST ACTIVITIES