Skip to content
Mixroutes
Tamale
Traditional Mesoamerican dish

Tamale

A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaves.

Plan a trip to Tamale→From Kumasi

The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, herbs, chilies, or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned.

Get in

Getting to Tamale

  1. 01
    Tamale International Airport

    A primary aviation hub for the Northern Region.

See

Worth seeing

Good point from which to visit Bongo (Moon Landscape) Tongo and Congo or if heading to Burkina Faso (neighboring country). Visit the Paga crocodile pond and all the slave camps near Paga. Also visit Sirigu Art Village to learn about all the arts and craft of the northern people of Ghana.

  1. 01
    Red Clay
  2. 02
    Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art
  3. 03
    Nkrumah Voli-ni
  4. 04
    Ahmadiyya Central Mosque

    The main mosque of the Ahmadiyya movement in Ghana.

  5. 05
    Ambariya Sunni Community

    This is the headquarters of the Sunni community in Ghana.

  6. 06
    Masjid Bayaan Institute

    Headquarters for Masjidul Bayaan.

Eat

Where to eat

Koose is a local snack made from deep fried bean flour dough which can be bought just off the main street across from the taxi station. Note that there is a risk of food poisoning from roadside food stalls. As always, make sure the food you buy is hot.This local snack compliments with Koko for breakfast.

  1. 01
    Zaachi Ice Cream
  2. 02
    De Shallot Eatery

    They sell all kinds of local foods, including a selection of rice and meats.

  3. 03
    Asanka Local Chop Bar

    A very low-key restaurant without any "Asanka Local" signage – but it is the only restaurant in the vicinity.

  4. 04
    Oasis Lounge Bar & Restaurant

    The managers are very friendly and accommodating.

  5. 05
    Kamara's Chop Bar Nyabɔtrɛ
How locals move

Getting around Tamale the local way

  • Get inDuring the annual Hajj pilgrimage season, special charters, frequently flown by airlines like EgyptAir or other chartered carriers, operate direct flights to Tamale from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, allowing pilgrims from northern Ghana to bypass Accra entirely.
  • Get inIf you want to secure a ride-share or private transport, you can check local tour operators like Uprise Travel or Grassroot Tours Ghana for specialized ground handling and regional transfers.
  • Get aroundYellow-yellows (motorised cycle rickshaws) are ubiquitous, and for a shared ride you can get from "town" (the centre) to anywhere in Tamale for GH₵6 or less.
  • Get aroundMake sure you tell the driver that you want a shared ride, otherwise prices will skyrocket.

From Wikivoyage: Tamale, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.