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Kakum National Park is located in the Central Region of Ghana, about 20 kilometres north of Cape Coast, and covers 360 square kilometres of rainforest. Although the areas near the Kakum River were declared a protected area in 1931 and placed under the management of the Forestry Division, poaching continued until 1989. During this period, valuable tree species, including mahogany, were cut down and vegetation was replaced by hardwood trees, vineyards and lianas. Development and management plans for the reserve were developed and adopted in 1991, taking into account the advice of biologists, forestry and wildlife specialists, local communities, Ghanaian universities and other concerned individuals.

To date, seven species of primates, over 500 species of butterflies and about 250 species of birds have been recorded in the National Park, among them the rare Fraser's owl, African grey and Senegalese cranes, and white-breasted guillemots. Endangered species include Diana monkeys, giant bongo antelope, yellow-backed duiker and African elephant; civets and forest cats, turtles and porcupines, varanas, pygmy crocodile, etc. are common. As of 2012, it is Kakum Park that has the largest number of forest elephants in Ghana.

A special attraction of the reserve is the Komfo Boateng shrine, a round rock near Aboabo, approximately 100 metres in diameter. The park also has a long series of suspension bridges, known as the Kakum Kanopi Walkway, located at tree crown level to provide access to the forest. This trail is unique on the entire African continent. Standing at a height of 40 metres, visitors can get as close as possible to plants and animals that are inaccessible to view from another point. The suspended walkway consists of 7 bridges with a total length of 330 metres. The Canopy Walkway was built by two Canadian engineers from Vancouver at the initiative of biologist Joseph Dudley, who coordinated the development of the national park's management and development plan.

The reserve is located near the small village of Abrafo and is easily accessible by taxi from the city centre, as well as by tour buses. The park centre has a restaurant, recreational bungalows, camping and a wildlife department education centre.