Tongo Hills and Tengzug Shrines
Tengzug, Upper East
A hill landscape of granite outcrops and caves around the village of Tengzug, holding the sacred shrines of the Talensi.
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Visiting information
- Address
- Tongo Hills and Tengzug Shrine - Tongo, Upper East Region.
- Opening information
- 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Some local bookings start as early as 8:00 AM)
- Accessibility
- Accessibility information has not been verified for this place.
- Suggested time
- The best time to visit the Tongo Hills and Tengzug Shrine is during the dry season, from November to February.
About this place
The Tongo Hills form a horseshoe-shaped chain of granite outcrops in the Talensi District, with the village of Tengzug set among them. The Ghana Museums and Monuments Board treats the hills and their shrines as one cultural landscape, with the Ba'ar Tonna'ab Ya'nee shrine as its best known feature. The Ghana Tourism Authority lists the site under the same combined name, and it appears on Ghana's UNESCO tentative list as the Tenzug-Tallensi settlements.
District profile
Tengzug
Tengzug is a village in the Talensi District, set among the Tongo Hills south of Bolgatanga.
Why stay here: Tengzug is the centre of the Tongo-Tengzug cultural landscape on Ghana's UNESCO tentative list.
Atmosphere: A stone-built settlement among granite outcrops, surrounded by Talensi ancestral shrines.
Tengzug is reached by road from Bolgatanga through Tongo; the shrines are visited with community guides.
Nearby attractions
More to explore around Tengzug and the wider Upper East.
Paga Crocodile Pond PagaA sacred pond at Paga where West African crocodiles live alongside the community and can be approached with local guides. Morning and early afternoon hours are ideal, as the reptiles love to bask under the sun along the shores.
Sirigu Art and Pottery Village (SWOPA) SiriguA women-led arts organisation in Sirigu village preserving traditional pottery, basketry and painted earthen walls. The best time to visit the Sirigu Art and Pottery Village (SWOPA) is during the dry season, from November to March.
Navrongo Catholic Cathedral NavrongoA mud-brick cathedral completed in 1906 in Navrongo, seat of the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga. The best time to visit the Navrongo Mud Cathedral is during the cool dry season from November to February, or when it aligns with major Catholic feast days and local cultural celebrations.
Recommended district
Tengzug
Tengzug is the centre of the Tongo-Tengzug cultural landscape on Ghana's UNESCO tentative list.
Plan the rest of your visit
Build an itinerary around this district, or check what Ghana requires for entry before you travel.
Sources and verification
Status: Verified. Last reviewed 2026-09-16.
Ghana Museums and Monuments BoardVisitAfrica publishes discovery and cultural information. We do not sell tickets, tours or accommodation, and we do not publish prices or ratings.