10 VACATION FRIENDLY PLACES TO VISIT IN NIGERIA

10 VACATION FRIENDLY PLACES TO VISIT IN NIGERIA

So it’s the second half of the year and I decided to go through my goals for 2018 and see which I have accomplished and which I am yet to accomplish. At the start of the year, I made a goal/bucket list for 2018 which is way different from my blogging goals and blogging bucket list.

Going through my list, I realized that I haven’t travelled that much. My goal is to visit four new places this year and so far, I have only visited one. So I began to research on vacation friendly places to visit in Nigeria and I found some amazing places and decided to share with my readers.

The goal is to document them down and continue to share with you all when I eventually embark on any trip.

There are a lot of amazing places to visit in Nigeria. After reading this post on vacation friendly places to visit in Nigeria, I bet you will be itching to go explore them as soon as possible. I came across so many beautiful, serene and adventurous places to visit in Nigeria. So I’m going to be grouping these places into four zones namely

1. Vacation friendly places to visit in South-West Nigeria
2. Vacation friendly places to visit in Northern Nigeria
3. friendly places to visit in Eastern Nigeria
4. and South-South, Nigeria.

This is a well-detailed post and from the list above, you can see I’ve got you covered.

You might be wondering why I grouped it that way, it’s because each area has got what to offer. Different weather and land conditions. Besides visiting, places in Nigeria should cut across the four major zones in Nigeria.

N.B Kindly note that this post is tailored to fit adventurous people who love to visit exciting new places that are serene and offer a lot of leisure activities and also have a knack for historical spots.

Vacation Friendly Places To Visit In South-West Nigeria

The western part of Nigeria is a truly beautiful region. Well known for its vegetation, mountainous landscape and of course lots of water bodies (Natural lakes, The Atlantic ocean, springs etc). It consists of six states namely Oyo state, Ekiti state, Ondo state, Lagos State, Ogun state and Osun state.

The only place I have really been to in the west is Lagos State and I definitely want to explore more places such as Ekiti state, Ondo state and more of Lagos State because I have been to practically nowhere of interest in Lagos State.

Vacation Friendly Places in Ekiti state – The Ikogosi Warm Spring.

This natural spring is the most popular tourist attraction in Ekiti states and it definitely earned the right to be number one. This spring is a beauty to behold. The spring has two points, one gushing with hot water and another point where cold water comes from.

However, they both meet at a spot and yet they continue to flow whilst maintaining their thermal identities. I.e they remain in their original state of hot or cold while flowing together. This is so amazing and it’s on record that the Ikogosi warm spring is one of its kind in the world.

This spot is top on my list of vacation Friendly Places to visit in Nigeria because who doesn’t want to experience such an amazing phenomenon.

How to get to the ikogosi warm springs

The Ikogosi warm springs is located at Ipole Iloro Efon Alaaye Road, Ikogosi, Ekiti State, Nigeria and is only accessible by road. Its roads are maintained and good for motorists. If you aren’t too keen on travelling by road from wherever you are to the Ikogosi warm springs, you can take a flight to the Akure airport and board a vehicle to the Ikogosi warm springs as it’s just about 45-55km from the airport.

Lodging and Accommodation at Ikogosi warm springs.

It’s possible to visit the spring and return the same day if you set out early and if you reside in a nearby state. However, if that’s not the case, then you will probably need a place to rest your head after the hike to the spring and all.

You can check out the Ikogosi warm springs resort which is a place named after the spring. It’s a fairly good looking place and you can read more about it here.

Other fun places to visit + things to do in Ekiti state

I am a strong advocate for fully exploring the history and culture of wherever I visit and I think you should be too. There’s so much to learn about a place through their culture, items of clothing, food etc. So I recommend you visit the main town of Ado-Ekiti and enjoy the beautiful scenery. And While at it, don’t forget to indulge in the traditional Ekiti food of Iyan (pounded yam) and Egusi soup.

Other adventurous places in Ekiti state includes Oloro waterfalls and the Ikere hills.

Vacation friendly places to visit in Ondo state – The Idanre Hills

The Idanre Hills is a wonder from foot level and if you think that’s the best part, wait until you get to the hilltop where you will find houses dating back to the 19th century. Little wonder it’s one of the UNESCO world heritage sites.

The Idanre Hills is 677 steps hill with five designated resting spots. After watching an interesting documentary on the Oke Idanre Hills, I knew it’s definitely a top vacation Friendly Place to visit in Nigeria. Consider a trip to the Idanre Hills as a historical excursion of some sort. As the tour guides are well known for telling the robust history of the people and town of Idanre. Including stories of the festival of the Goddess Of Oroso, life on the hill and many more. Be sure to visit the Owa palace and the Arun river as well while in Idanre.

How to get to Idanre Hills

Travel by road to the Idanre Hills. It’s 24km Southwest of Akure which is the capital of Ondo state.

Lodging and Accommodation at Idanre Hills.

The beauty of the Idanre Hills can hardly be experienced in just one day. Hence getting Accommodation sorted out before your trip is a must. You can find lodging from online travel booking sites like Hotels.ng and Jumia travels.

Find out more about the Idanre Hills on this your review by social prefect.

Hill climbing is a gruelling task, don’t forget to dress properly for the occasion. comfort clothes and sneakers are great options.

Other Fun Things to do in Akure, Ondo state.

If you are a book lover like I am then it’s a must you visit the National Library of Nigeria and explore.

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Vacation Friendly Places in Lagos State – The Lekki leisure lake.

The Lekki leisure lake is a very serene spot for nature lovers. Overlooking the beachfront, this place is a beauty to behold. Large space with facilities such as zip-lining, quad biking etc. I have been to the Lekki leisure lake and I completely fell in love with the place.

If you are a constant blog reader, you would know that I’ve got a thing for beaches especially beaches in Lagos. (if you are not a frequent reader, do well to subscribe to my blog to get steady updates). There are a lot of fun activities to indulge in at the Lekki leisure lake and afterwards, you can buy a delicious meal from their restaurant.

Lagos State is Nigeria’s biggest city in terms of development. Hence it is the perfect city for living life to the fullest. There are several vacation friendly places in Lagos, Nigeria.

Beaches – The Oba Elegushi beach, Ilashe Beach, Tarkwa bay and many more

Resorts – The whispering palms resort, etc.

Arts & Nature – The lekki conservation centre and the Lekki art and craft market.

The list is endless!

Vacation friendly places In South-South Nigeria

The Obudu Cattle ranch, Calabar, Nigeria.

This is a well-known vacation spot in Nigeria. The Obudu Cattle ranch or the Obudu mountain resort as it’s also known as a large place with facilities such as service rooms, pools, cable cars and so many more. The Obudu Cattle ranch is a perfect holiday spot for families. There are leisure and adventurous activities at the Obudu cattle ranch such as hiking, canopy walks, horse riding, bird watching, mountain climbing etc. Don’t forget to take a ride in the cable cars!. The ranch has accommodation facilities.

How to get to the Obudu cattle ranch

The ranch is accessible by road and is a very long journey from the city’s capital as its located on the Obudu plateau bordering Cameron.

The Abraka turf and country club, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria.

Not a lot of people know about the Abraka Turf and country club. It’s a beautiful country club with full Accommodation facilities and beautiful environs. This vacation Friendly place in Delta State, Nigeria is home to one of the world’s most beautiful river.

Its river is an emerald green river that’s crystal clear. You can see the bottom from the top. Amazing right? I thought so too!. You can go swimming, canoeing, horseback riding or take a hike through the rainforest with a guide of course.

lodging and accommodation at the Abraka turf and country club

They provide several accommodation packages and their hotel has facilities such as a spa, gym, wi-fi etc.

How to get to the Abraka Turf and country club

The Abraka turf and country club is located at Oria, Abraka, Delta State. You can get to the club from Warri city by taking a ride from the city centre to Old Sapele – Agbor Road and from there to Oria.

Tinapa Busiuness resort, Calabar, Nigeria.

Hold on! Just before you begin wondering why a business resort made it into a post for vacation friendly places in Nigeria, you need to know that it’s a business resort with a lot of leisure facilities and activities. And in my world, that’s the kind of place I would love to do business. After all, they say all work and no play makes _________ (fill in the gap).

The Tinapa business resort is located in Calabar and don’t be surprised places in Calabar made it twice on the list. The tourism sector in Calabar is a strong one. They have some of the finest resorts and not to mention the annual Calabar festival which is a pretty big deal as tourists from all over the world come to experience all the glitz, glam and rich culture of the Calabar’s.

Now, back to the Tinapa business resort, it’s a beautiful place located not far off from the Calabar River. It has several facilities such as a game arcade, shopping complexes, canoeing etc. Tinapa operates a trade free zone and hence you can find products at low cost.

There’s also a film studio and so if you want to get adventurous and see some behind the scenes of Nollywood, you can contact the studio.

Lodgings and accommodation at the Tinapa business resort

The resort comes with lodging facilities. The Tinapa lakeside hotel provides several accommodation packages to visitors.

How to get to the Tinapa business resort

You can get to the resort straight from the Calabar city centre by boarding a vehicle heading for the resort at the park or getting a cab straight down to the resort.

Vacation friendly places in Northern Nigeria

The Kajuru castle, Kajuru village, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

An edifice that looks like something taken out of the German Medieval era. This place looks grand and magnificent. Amazing spot for a vacation with family. There’s a tour guide to take you around the castle.

See Nigerian Youtuber Akah Nnani’s video of the Kajuru castle.

Security is assured as the castle comes with a sturdy gate and a crocodile pit with live crocodiles in it to stop intruders. There are also several caves you can explore if your adventurous side starts kicking in. But if you want to just relax and take in the beauty of nature, then you can do that lounging at the pool area.

However, the castle is private property and hence you need to make reservations before your visit. The castle has several rooms hence is a perfect place in Nigeria for a group vacation.

how to get to the Kajuru castle.

This castle is located in Kajuru village and it takes about one to one and a half-hour drive from Kaduna city to get to the castle. It’s advice-able to look for a driver who knows the terrain of the village because the Kajuru castle is located on a hill.

lodging and accommodation at the Kajuru castle

The castle provides accommodation services. You can rent the full castle for a day or more. Although there are several rooms, the castle has to be completely rented out.

The Yankari Games Reserve, Yankari, Bauchi State, Nigeria.

This is a well-known vacation spot in Nigeria. It’s one of the top vacation friendly places to visit in Nigeria and it is an amazing place. If you love nature and wildlife as I do, then the Yankari games reserve or the Yankari national park as it’s also called is a fantastic vacation spot.

It is a wildlife park of about 866 sqm. It has so many attractions and there are five springs in Yankari, namely Dimmil, Gwan, Nawulg, Tungan Naliki Spring and the most popular Wikki warm springs.

How to get to the Yankari games reserve

Getting to the Yankari games reserve is by road. However, you can take a flight To the Tafewa Balewa airport in Bauchi rather than travel by road to save the stress of travelling such a long distance by road. From the airport, you can take a cab to the yankari games reserve.

Lodging and accommodation at the yankari games reserve

the yankari games resort offer various accommodation packages ranging from affordable to expensive.

The wonderland/magic land Amusement Park, Abuja

The magic land amusement park is a fast-rising tourist attraction in the nation’s capital city. There are very few well managed and functional amusement parks across the country and the magic land makes the cut as one of them. The amusement park comes fully loaded with an arcade centre, beautiful gardens and fancy restaurants. It’s an amazing place for a family vacation and Abuja is almost always in summer, hence the plants and flowers in this place are always blooming.

Vacation friendly places in Eastern Nigeria

The Oguta lake resort in Imo state, Nigeria

if you thought you have heard the last of Nigerian rivers and lake with unique confluence points, you are wrong!. The Oguta lake is the biggest lake in Imo state. It is a clear blue water lake and at the confluence, this beautiful blue water lake meets with muddy water from the urashi river. This makes a spectacular sight. At the oguta lake, you can take hire a boat from the locals and embark on a boat cruise at the lake.

Oguta Lake Motel and Golf resort has lodging facilities and is located close to the lake.

You can also host parties at the lake house, I got to know about this place after a coursemate attended a reunion party at the lake house.

The Ngwo pine forest, caves and waterfall in Enugu state, Nigeria

At number 10, I went down to find an amazing site in the coal city and I came across the Ngwo caves and waterfall. It is an adventurer’s dream come true and if you are up for some adventure, this is definitely a place to visit. Read an in-depth review of the Ngwo forest and waterfall here.

If you were presented with the opportunity of an all expense paid trip, which of these places will you want to visit?.

I love wildlife, adventurous places with rich cultural backgrounds. What about you?