Wli Waterfalls is a predominately farming community located in the Hohoe Municipality. It is in fact closer to the Republic of Togo than the capital city of Ghana, Accra. The Akwapim-Togo range provides the perfect setting for what is to become arguably, the most impressive waterfall in Ghana. Some even believe it is the highest waterfall in West Africa. The Wli people like all other Ewes of Ghana originated from the city of Notsie in what is now Benin. The Wli people were led by their King named Togbe Ametornu I and Togbe Afaladze.
Legend has it that Togbe Ametornu I after fighting some many wars successfully decided to take his warriors around to look for food and water. After several attempts through the jungle the King and his subjects came into contact with a river that was pure and tasty. They therefore decided to look for the source of the water that took them across the same river at eleven different locations until they finally heard loud splashing water from the mountains.
They decided to climb the mountain to ascertain the source of the fall. It is believed that at the peak of the mountain, they saw beautiful water falling from the mountain. They named it Agumatsa, “let me flow through, describing the force with which the water is trying to escape from the “throat” of the mountain. This spectacle amazed the people to a great extent that they decided to worship the waterfall as their god. Accounts have been given as to how the river god refused to be photographed until some rituals were performed not only to allow for its photography but to allow women to come closer to it. The day on which the ritual was performed is celebrated as Agumatsa festival which falls on Easter Monday each year.
The forest around the wli waterfall has been preserved into what is known as the Agumatsa wildlife sanctuary. Nature lovers will find this place very interesting to visit. There are about 200 species of birds, 400 butterfly species and fruit eating bats. A visitor/tourist can choose between visiting the upper waterfalls which requires more effect as this calls hiking uphill or the lower falls. The lower falls has a plunge pool where visitors can bathe.
There river that flows downstream through the woods is so cold that it feels like drinking a refrigerated water. Popular with many ecotourism projects is the provision of alternative forms of livelihoods for natives. Wli is not short of that. There is an ostrich farm where visitors are taking through processes and procedures used in rearing those “giant” birds.
There is no limit to when periods of visitation. Visits can be done throughout the year but during the dry season that starts from October each year and ends in early march the following year the volume of water decreases. The raining season presents the best opportunity to see the falls it is “glory and spender” but that also presents its own challenges. Rainfalls are heavy and usually “unannounced” all the time and conditions become a bit treacherous. However, visitors should not worry about the rains and the terrains since these conditions provide a perfect setting for the adventurous. Visitors or tourists are encouraged to start their tour of the wildlife sanctuary and falls at 8:00am and the falls are opened till 5:00pm each day.
Visitors coming from Accra should take any Accra-Hohoe bound trotro from the numerous trotor stations dotted around the capital. At Hohoe, visitors can obtain more information from the Tourism information centre on how to get to the falls or can just go straight away to trotro station where there numerous trotors and taxi specifically meant for Wli. Those connecting from Ho should also take a Ho-Hohoe trotro from the main lorry station. Follow the steps described above and you will safely get there.
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