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Forget what you think you know about Nigeria, this may be one of the most underestimated countries in Africa. It’s culturally rich, geographically diverse and filled with unique wildlife. Remote towns cling to age-old customs, modern cities thrive with beautiful parklands and in between are national parks, sacred forests and animal reserves screaming out to be explored…
Nigeria is a warm and captivating country, rich with diverse cultures, fascinating tourist attractions, a highly rewarding investment environment and the happiest people on earth. After all, there are few places in the world where one can find 850 kilometres of uninterrupted coastline, just teeming with sandy unspoilt beaches.
Despite the many challenges faced by Nigeria’s tourism sector, tourists have been voting with their feet. Not many people know that Africa as a whole is the only region in the world where tourism has been grewing continuously at a double rate of growth over the last 10 years. . No sub-Saharan African country – where growth has been the most intense – wants to be left out of this influx of foreign cash.
And Nigeria is doing its part too – to promote Nigeria’s tourist attraction, a special Tourism Policy was introduced by the government in 1990 with the basic objectives of transforming Nigeria into a major tourist destination in West Africa.
The main thrust of this government policy is to generate foreign exchange, encourage infrastructure development, promote tourism-based rural enterprises, generate employment and accelerate rural urban integration and cultural exchanges.
LAGOS: CULTURE CAPITAL
The largest city in Nigeria, Lagos is a bustling metropolis with an unexpectedly groovy music scene that pulses through nightclubs and bars all around the city. And there’s something to be said for a place that has a sea setting and also leads the way for the country in a financial and economic capacity. Second only to Cairo in size within the continent of Africa, Lagos is a large and culturally important city and the financial powerhouse of Nigeria.
According to the UN, Lagos could become the third largest city in the world after Tokyo and Mumbai. Although the city struggles to match its infrastructure with the rapidly growing population, Lagos has a true sense of being alive. People from many different cultures live side by side in the non-stop action, and as you plunge into this strange and wonderful world you will have a travel experience you will never forget.
While you are in Lagos, take a break from the chaos of the city for a while to relax in the hot African sunshine on one of the city’s beautiful beaches. There are more than a dozen beaches in and around Lagos to choose from.
At Lagos Bar Beach you will see both kinds of bars, the kind that you drink at as well as the sand bars that run along the coastline. It is the most popular inner city beach, and as a result it is often crowded, which might be desirable if a party atmosphere is your scene.
If you are looking for more of a quiet getaway, try Tarkwa Bay Beach which can be reached from the Tarzan Jetty by ferry. It is a safe and friendly beach for children, and has facilities for jet skiing and water skiing.
Even more secluded is Lighthouse Beach, where you have a chance of being the only person on the beach at times.
Lagos has three main districts that make up the majority of its expanse — the mainland, greater Lagos, and the islands. It began as a series of islands that were distinguished by creeks that ran through them. A quick guide to the city will tell you that the mainland is where your flight will land and where you’ll find most of the locals, but the rest of Lagos is worth seeing as well.
Lagos Island is the site of the Central Business District and Victoria Island, where shopping, bars and beachfront live in perfect harmony with more business headquarters.
There are several interesting museums in Lagos where you can escape from the heat and learn a bit more about African history and culture. The Nigerian National Museum has quite an impressive collection of Nigerian art, including many beautiful statues and carvings. Lagos is also home to the Black Heritage Museum, which has artifacts and documents from the historic slave route that once ran through the region.
With so many things to see and do in Lagos Nigeria, a trip here will be an action packed adventure for the intrepid traveler, which will not soon be forgotten.
TRAVELLING AROUND
Travelling around Nigeria, travellers are confronted with a veritable feast of landscapes. Forests, mountains, savannahs and desert — all can be found within Nigeria’s borders.
Simply put, there is something for everyone: national parks, UNESCO world heritage sites, ancient villages, incredible waterfalls, and even game reserves featuring rare, enchanting wildlife. All this in a country that enjoys year-round sunshine.
Yet, despite all these natural gifts, the country’s greatest asset must be its people. 150 million in number, Nigeria’s population is amazingly diverse. Muslims, Christians and a host of other religious groups can be found, while an incredible 250 languages are spoken nationwide. There are also hundreds of ethnic groups, with the Hausa in the north, the Yoruba in the south-west and the Igbo in the south-east comprising the dominant three groups.
Nigerians are warm and friendly to outsiders. Most are not used to seeing tourists and travellers who have explored beyond the bustling city of Lagos have been touched by the level of hospitality that they have received.
Until relatively recently, the country’s history of corruption and poverty had dissuaded many travellers from discovering Nigeria’s many treasures. However, with the introduction of democracy in 1999 and the country’s remarkable achievement of becoming the first African nation to pay off its foreign debt, there has never been a better time for the country to expand its tourist sector or for tourists to visit this largely unexplored land.
Yankari Game Reserve
The Yankari National Park is the premier game reserve in Nigeria. Yankari Park and Wikki Warm Springs are located around the Gagi River, approximately 1 1/2 hours by road, southeast of Bauchi Town. The beauty and size of The Yankari Game Reserve make it the most popular reserve in Nigeria.
Set up in 1956 and opened to the public in 1962, the main game-viewing areas of the reserve are open all year round. Japanese, Western Europeans, Americans and Southeast Asian tourists visit this park in abundance.
The reserve covers 2,058 square kilometres of savanna woodland and is well-stocked with elephants, baboons, waterbucks, bushbucks, oribi, crocodile, hippopotamus, roan antelope, buffalo and various types of monkeys. Lions are occasionally spotted as well, despite their natural camouflage. The best time to visit is between November and May, when tourists are likely to see more game since the dense vegetation has dried out and the animals congregate around the rivers.
The Wikki Warm Springs is one of the best features of the game reserves. Flood-lit at night, it is wonderful after a hot day’s game-viewing to relax in the warm water. The spring gushes out from under a cliff, where the water is at least 6 feet deep, with a bathing area that extends for 600 feet to an open area. The park is inhabited by a variety of birds, including the huge saddlebill stork, golliath heron, bateleur eagle, vultures, kingflshers, bee-eaters and more. It is excellent for serious bird-watchers.
Mambilla Plateau
The Mambilla Plateau, in the southeast corner of Taraba State, shares a border with Cameroon. A high grassland plateau averaging about 1800 metres, it is scenic, cool and a pleasant change from the heat and humidity of Lagos. Because the roads are still under construction, a sport utility vehicle or jeep is recommended and visitors should pack essentials, camping equipment and food. As an option, there are a few hotels on the plateau.
The Park provides an attractive setting, well worth a visit. Mambilla has cattle ranches, tea plantations and rolling, grassy hills. It is different from the rest of Nigeria with regard to flora and fauna and is home to some rare species of birds and animals, especially at the Gashaka-Gumti National Park.
Gashaka-Gumti National Park
This is a vast land of spectacular wilderness (6,000 square kilometres) in the southeast corner of Taraba State, adjoining the Mambilla Plateau. Mostly mountainous, from 457 to 2407 meters, it contains Nigeria’s highest mountain, Chapal Waddi (2,409 metres). It is the most ecologically diverse conservation area in the country and contains swaths of guinea savanna, gallery forest, moist forest, mountain forest and grassland. Many rivers flow through the park, including the Taraba, a major tributary of the River Benue.
A wide variety of animal life can be found, including buffalo, roan antelope, chimpanzee, colobus monkey, hippopotamus, hyena, giant forest hog, lion and leopard. The park is a birdwatcher’s paradise with a wide variety of species, and there is excellent fishing in the River Kam. The reserve headquarters is in the Forest Rest Houses at Serti, on the main road between Bali and Mambilla Plateau.
These rest houses provide self-catering accommodation at a small fee. The entrance to the park is about 15 kilometres south of Serti. In the dry season, it is possible to drive to the former headquarters at Gashaka village, some 30 kilometres from the entrance gate, where more self-catering accommodation is available. The park is best explored on foot and it is possible to hire game guards; guides and porters are available at Serti or in Gashaka village.
Cross River National Park
The Cross River National Park was created from two existing forest reserves of Bashi-Okwango and Oban Forest Resveres. It is famous for its unique rain forest vegetation which, according to conservation experts, is some of the richest in Africa. This park contains the last remaining rainforest in Nigeria, which is being preserved with the help of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation. It has a herd of forest elephants, the white-faced monkey (indigenous to Nigeria only), buffalo, leopards and lowland gorillas, besides over a thousand other animal species. The park has a tropical climate characterized by a rainy season between April and October and a dry season between November and April. The moist green vegetation cover makes the forest an excellent place to see birds and butterflies.
The Obudu Ranch
The Obudu Ranch is a popular holiday destination for adventurous tourists wishing to explore the remote corners of Nigeria. Situated in the northeast corner of Cross River State, only 45 miles from the Cameroon border, a tourist can enjoy the countryside of both Nigeria and Cameroon at the same time.
The Obudu Plateau is spread over an area of 40 square miles. It is 5,200 feet above sea level. The climate is cool and pleasant with no mosquitoes.
The landscape is spectacular, with rolling grasslands, deep-wooded valleys and waterfalls. Iris best to visit Obudu in the dry season since during the rainy season much of the ranch may be covered in mist and low clouds and there are thunderstorms. Between December and February, the harmattan is heavy; therefore, the best times for a visit are the end of October to Decdember and March to May before the rainy season.
There is the popular Gorilla Camp, 13 kilometres from the hotel – accessible either by vehicle or on foot, where one can take a long, picturesque walk to the camp, and observe gorillas in their natural habitat. Guests may also ride horses or embark on hiking trips into the wild (comfortable shoes and a guide are recommended). Birdwatching here is unparalleled and there is a pleasantly shaded natural swimming pool near the Ranch House. If visitors accept the challenge of a three-hour hike, they’ll be rewarded with a stop at the waterfall, nestled amid captivating scenery. In spite of the altitude, it can get quite hot in the day, with five sunshine hours in the dry season (October – April) and roughly two during rainy season (July to August). Other activities include: golf, badminton, lawn tennis, squash and horseback riding.
Accommodation
• The Wheatbaker is a one of the newest luxury boutique five-star hotels in Lagos. The hotel features a business center, conferencing for up to 200 delegates, and provides wireless internet access to guests. Additionally, the Wheatbaker offers airport shuttle and car rental services on request, which is highly recommended when travelling to Lagos. There are many dining options, which include a restaurant, two bars, a delicatessen, as well as 24-hour room service. The hotel also has a fitness center and world-class spa, along with laundry services and a doctor on call.
• The Southern Sun Ikoyi is one of the new five-star hotels in Lagos that should be on every business traveler’s list of preferred hotels. The business center is good, though slightly small considering the size of the hotel. The business center offers a full range of services including a number of onsite meeting areas. Importantly, complimentary Internet connectivity is stable and fast throughout the hotel. The hotel also offers fine dining at its restaurants, 24-hour room service, as well as a 24-hour fitness center.
• The Federal Palace Hotel & Casino is a recently renovated, five-star hotel overlooking the beach. It offers the full range of expected five-star business class hotel services. The rooms include a kitchenette, which seems to be a legacy from the previous property users because not many business travelers today use them. The hotel hosts a business center, with full business service amenities, as well as boardrooms for meetings. Additionally, the Federal Palace Hotel offers guests assistance with organizing transfers, as well as local transport. The rooms are Internet accessible and room service is available 24 hours. The hotel gym is brand new and open 24 hours a day, with luxuries ranging from flat screens televisions to Wii-Fit.
• The Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel is a modern and trendy hotel located directly on the water. The lobby is one of the see and be seen places among business professionals in Lagos. The hotel offers a business executive lounge as well as fully equipped conference rooms. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available throughout the entire hotel. Though there is no 24-hour room service, the three hotel restaurants offer a great variety, and are great for business meetings. Guests also have access to a fitness center, as well as 24-hour concierge services.
