Bui National Park is Ghana's second-largest national park, a 1,821 km² wilderness in the Bono Region (formerly part of the Brong-Ahafo Region), straddling the Black Volta River along Ghana's border with Côte d'Ivoire. **Location and how to get there.** The park lies roughly 150 km north-west of Sunyani and about 30 km from the town of Buipe, near the village of Bui. The main access is via Wenchi–Bamboi–Buipe, or from Techiman through Kintampo. The park headquarters is at Bui, with a smaller camp at Buipe. Roads are largely untarred, so a 4x4 is strongly advised, especially in the rainy season (roughly April–October). **Landscape and wildlife.** The park is dominated by the Black Volta and its gallery forests, rolling savannah woodland, and rocky hills. It is best known for its **hippopotamus population** — the largest in Ghana — which basks in the Black Volta and can be seen on boat trips. Other mammals include baboons, patas and green monkeys, bushbuck, duikers, waterbuck, warthogs, and occasional elephants and buffalo. Over 200 bird species have been recorded, including the African fish eagle, kingfishers, hornbills, and various herons and egrets, making it a quiet draw for birders. **The Bui Dam and the gorge.** The park's modern story is tied to the **Bui Dam**, a 400 MW hydroelectric project commissioned in 2013 on the Black Volta at the Bui Gorge, at the southern edge of the park. The dam's reservoir flooded part of the park, and the Bui Power Authority now manages the surrounding area. The gorge itself is a striking landscape feature, and the dam is one of Ghana's three major hydro stations alongside Akosombo and Kpong. **History and culture.** The area around Bui is historically linked to the **Brong/Akan and Guan peoples**, and the Black Volta corridor was a route for trade and migration long before the park was gazetted. The park was formally established in **1971**. Nearby communities include Buipe, Bamboi, and the traditional seat of the **Buipewura**, a prominent Gonja chief. **Practical notes.** Facilities are basic — there is limited accommodation at the park camps, so many visitors stay in Buipe or Sunyani and day-trip in. The best time to visit is the dry season (November–March), when animals concentrate near water and roads are more passable. Boat safaris on the Black Volta are the highlight, especially for hippos and waterbirds. A fitting Akan thought: *"Aboa a onni dua no, onni nea ɔde bɛkɔ"* — the animal without a tree has nowhere to shelter. Bui's gallery forests along the Black Volta are exactly that shelter for Ghana's largest hippo herd — a reminder that protecting the park protects the river's life.