Top 10 Historical/Breathtaking places in Nigeria

The West African country Nigeria, is richly blessed with diverse cultural sites and tourist destinations, from the Ogbunike cave in the East, to Erin Ijesha waterfalls in the West, obudu mountain resort in the south right up north to Zuma rock, the country is blessed with these tourist attractions in abundance. 

Here are top 10 historical/Breathtaking sites In Nigeria. 

1 Olumo Rock

Located in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in the South West Region, this rock is among the most sought-after tourist destinations in Nigeria. One of the attractive features about Olumo Rock standing at a height of 137 meters above sea level, is the fact that it is easy to climb by foot. Even before the recent renovations, Olumo Rock had stairs carved into it for easy climbing. Never the less if you do not wish to go through climbing the rocks have been impeded with staircases or elevators for easy access to reach the peak.

2 Kogosi Warm Springs 

The ikogosi warm springs is a phenomenon of nature as it is both of a hot and cold nature, making it a warm spring. The warm and cold springs of Ikogosi flow parallel and meet somewhere down to form a confluence, with each maintaining its thermal quality. This is the first of such an occurrence in the world. The story about how that came about is also interesting. Legend has it that a hunter had two wives, a hot tempered wife and a mild mannered wife. One day the two wives had a fight and the result was that they both turned into springs of water, the hot tempered one turned into a spring of hot water and the mild mannered wife turned into a spring of cold water. 

According to data, The warm spring has a temperature of 70°c at the source and 37°c after meeting a cold spring. Ikogosi has become a tourist attraction of reckon among tourist goers worldwide.

3 Yankari Game Reserve 

Located in the Northern part of the country in Bauchi state to be precise. As the name implies, it is strictly a game reserve, containing the largest surviving elephant population in Nigeria and one of the largest remaining in West Africa. 

It is home to important populations of lions, buffalos, hippopotamus, and other very endangered species of animals. The best time of the year to have the full experience of Yankari game reserve is during the dry season with warmer temperatures, typically between March and April as this allows you to see a wider range of animals in all their glory. 

4 Badagry 

Badagry a town Located between the border of Nigeria and Benin Republic is a popular town in Lagos and it is one of the most searched locations when tourists (both local and International) are looking for places to visit within Nigeria. Why? It was a major slave trade port during the transatlantic slave trade period. 

Though the town had a gruesome past, as a result of the slave trade activities, today it is a major tourist attraction with monuments, points of interests, beaches, resorts, artifacts and relics from the slave trade period. 

The top attractions to visit in Badagry are the Black slavery Museum, Gberefun Island ( Point of no return) which Is very popular among tourists and the velekete slave market amongst others. 

5 Obudu Mountain Resort 

The Obudu mountain resort is located in Obudu, Calabar, Cross River state Nigeria. Associated with peace, calmness and serenity. This is why the Obudu mountain resort is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Nigeria. It is suited for honeymoon, vacationing, relaxation, and moutain hiking. 

It is best to visit the resort between October and February as the weather during this period makes trekking enjoyable. Also, the Calabar carnival is one of the richest and most anticipated carnival in Nigeria that takes place in December, and the Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race known as “the world’s richest mountain race”, that takes place in late November. Also it snows in Obudu, one of the reasons foreigners are attracted to the resort. 

6 Oduduwa Grove 

Located in Ile-ife Osun State, the oduduwa's Grove is one of the most sacred traditional temples in Nigeria. According to legend - This place is famous for Oduduwa, who was the legendary ancestor and progenitor of the Yoruba nation. He was also a founder of Ile-Ife. This city which became his last resting place in the world. It stands as one of the best, if not the best tourists attractions of Osun State. 

7 Emir Of Kano's Palace 

Located in the heart of Kano, in Kano state Nigeria, the Emir of Kano's Palace is a beauty and ancient landmark to behold. The sheer amount of traditional artifacts, buildings, drawings and paintings, makes this a breathtaking experience for any tourist, both local and International. 

8 The Walls Of Benin 

Benin, located in Edo state Nigeria, the walls are a marvel to behold, as it is said to be the largest man made construction lengthwise. The construction is believed to have started in 800AD and was said to have been finished in the 15th century. This wall was made as  protection surrounding the whole Benin empire. Imagine the length and height of it all, little wonder it is a point of attraction for tourist. Though much of it was destroyed by the colonisers, a great share still stands tall and proud to this day. 

9 Zuma Rock 

Located in the Northern part of the country, Abuja to be precise, it is located off the city centre, but nevertheless attracts lots of visitors. 

Astonishingly, there is a considerable distance from it to other rocks, which the Zuba people see as a form of respect being paid by the other mountains to Zuma Rock for its royal presence in the locality. 

Tourists can visit Zuma Rock all year round as the weather is both conducive and warm. However, if you are looking to see the spectacular Zuma Rock fire which only occurs during rainfall then the perfect time to visit Zuma Rock is between April and October. Over time, this has remained one of the wonders to behold.

10 Ogbunike Caves 

Located in the southern part of the country, South-East region of Anambra to be specific. 

The cave, has about 10 inner chambers and several tunnels, some of which are interlinked. Several streams also flow into the caves, and another stream within flows out into river Nkissa. The caves have a spiritual significance for the local people, and a festival is celebrated to commemorate the discovery of the caves. Bats are the main occupants of the caves, but other animals can be found in the tropical rainforest vicinity, including antelopes, porcupines, and snakes. 

Nigeria is blessed with these historical sites and ancient landmarks, which hold traditional and spiritual significance to the locals, but as well has become tourist attractions, a process where cultures, interactions and different worlds meet, all for the love of art, culture and heritage.