Qibla · Volta
Qibla direction in Ho
To face the Kaaba in Ho, turn to 64.6° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-east (25.4° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,536 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Ho should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Ho as a needle at 64.6°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 65°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Ho
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 25.4° towards north: the result is the bearing of 64.6°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 25° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Ho, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Ho to Mecca points to 68.7° (east), 4.1° away from the correct 64.6°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 6 km longer than the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.
The value of 64.6° is the direction in which the shortest route from 6.6008° N, 0.4713° E sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Ho to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,536 km from Ho as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,615 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 50 min, although most pilgrims from Ho connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Ho run 3 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Ho rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Ho
On 152 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Ho while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 15 April 2027 it happens at 11:31 local time.
On 213 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 16:55.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 16:55 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 16:29 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 15:40 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 14:55 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 14:07 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 13:19 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 12:19 |
| 15 April 2027 | 11:31 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:37 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 09:53 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 09:08 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 08:48 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 08:55 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 09:25 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 10:13 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:55 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 11:44 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 12:23 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 13:09 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 13:50 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 14:43 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 15:29 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 16:20 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 16:52 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Ho: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Ho compared with other cities
Compared with Accra, 138 km away, the Qibla in Ho is turned 0.8° further clockwise (64.6° against 63.8°), and Mecca is 117 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Koforidua (98 km), prays towards 64.4°, a difference of 0.2°.
Across the 12 cities in Ghana on this site, the Qibla ranges from 63.8° in Takoradze to 68.0° in Tamale, a spread of 4.2°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Ghana.
Qibla in cities near Ho
Qibla in Ho: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Ho?
It is 64.6° from true north, which is north-east: 25.4° north of east.
How far is Ho from Mecca?
4,536 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,615 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Ho?
On 152 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Ho not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 68.7°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Ho at 64.6°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 64.6° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.