Ten Hidden Nigerian Gems No Visitor Should Miss

Tourism

Ten Hidden Nigerian Gems No Visitor Should Miss

As Africa’s most populated country; Nigeria is gifted with an incredibly varied landscape. From its 850km+ coasts on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea in the west, to the southern rainforests ripe with wildlife, all the way to the vast and incredible savannah in the northern regions below Niger. While the hustle and bustle of the Lagosian nightlife may attract you with its bright lights and grooving beats, here are the top 10 hidden getaway spots to visit in order to immerse yourself within the vast splendor and beauty of Nigeria.

1. Yankari National Park This extraordinary wildlife park located in Bauchi State hosts an immeasurable variety of flora and fauna and represents a unique opportunity to witness rare wild animals in their habitat: the park gives shelter to over 50 species of mammals as well as more than 350 species of birds.

2. Gashaka Gumti National Park Located in the extreme south-east of Nigeria, the national park covers over 6,000 square kilometres of land crossed by winding rivers that here and there morph into spectacular waterfalls. Its mysterious green depths are home to rare avian species as well as chimpanzees and African big cats.

3. Erin Ijesha Waterfall Speaking of waterfalls, how not to mention this breath-taking attraction, apparently known since the 1100s with the alternative name of Olumirin? The village of Abake dominates from above, guarding over the many visitors that come from all over the world to partake of the fall’s pure waters, said to have medicinal properties.

4. Okomu National Park One of the few remaining spots of the virgin rainforest that used to cover the entirety of southern Nigeria, this reserve is an oasis of purity and untainted nature that hosts rare creatures such as pangolins, leopards and forest elephants.

5. Lekki Conservation Centre If you’re staying in Lagos, be aware that one of the best natural reserves in Nigeria is located within the boundaries of the coastal megalopolis. Managed by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and covering an area of 78 hectares, this centre has a tract of wetland equipped with canopy walkways that allow visitors to see monkeys, birds and crocodiles among others.

6. Ancient Kano City Walls The origins of Kano, today a modern metropolis in northern Nigeria, date back to the early 10th century. The city was already a commercial hub in ancient times, and the walls that helped defend the city as well as monitor the flow of people and goods are still partly visible, silent witnesses of many centuries of Nigerian history.

7. Zuma Rock Located in the central Niger State, not far from federal capital Abuja, Zuma Rock is a 725 m tall monolith. One of the sides of the rock spots a formation closely resembling a human face, which earned the rock the nickname of “watchman of the federal capital.”

8. Idanre Hills Above the town of Idanre, in the western Ondo State, rise the majestic Idanre Hills, reaching the height of 900 metres above the sea level. The hills, one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Nigeria, guard a precious ecosystem and give shelter to a rich variety of flora and fauna.

9. Osun Sacred Grove Near Oshogbo, along the banks of the river Osun, there is a large area covered in rainforests. Within the area, one of the last traces of primary high forest in southern Nigeria, lies the shrine of Oshuno, the River Goddess sacred to the Yoruba people, that watches over the flora and fauna inhabiting the area.

10. Edumanom National Forest Enclosing the delta of the river Niger, this forest, punctuated with freshwater swamps, is populated by some of the largest remaining chimpanzee colonies on Earth, as well as other rare primates.