Welcome to Nigeria, the economic powerhouse of Africa and the continent’s major technological and creative hub. With over 200 million inhabitants, this wildly diverse state is home to more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 distinct languages. Part of a region where voodoo was born and is still widely practiced today, we will wander fetish markets for relics, sail through floating villages and discover ancient cultural traditions.
The former capital of Lagos is a mega-metropolis of an estimated 21 million people, and the most populous urban area on the African continent. The center of the country’s “Nollywood” film industry, this city has it all, from historical sites and beautiful beaches to vibrant culture and nightlife.
Away from the city, Nigeria is a network of distinctive regions, from deserts, plains and swamps to mountains and steamy jungles. The country is an underrated gem for natural landmarks, from the UNESCO-recognized Idanre Hills area, with its spectacular valleys and massive granite mounds rising from the plain, to the famed Olumo Rock looming over the town of Abeokuta.
In the ancient city of Ife we’ll find the remnants of a great medieval settlement, once one of the largest urban centers in 14th century West Africa. The Ife Empire was the first kingdom of the Yoruba, the dominant ethnic group in Nigeria, rising to power and cultivating a sophisticated culture during the classical period from 1000 to 1420 CE.
An unmissable experience is the Osun-Osogbo Festival, a cultural tradition passed down for more than 700 years. Each August thousands of people gather in the sacred Osun-Osogbo Grove to make their annual offerings to Osun, the goddess of fertility, and witness spectacular cultural displays. With music, dance and more, the festival is a time of celebration for those in the Osogbo area, “cleansing” the city and symbolically reuniting the people with their ancestors.
Pack your sense of adventure…Let’s go!
Day 1 // Sat 9 Aug // Arrival
Arrival in Lagos, immigration clearance and overnight in hotel.
Day 2 // Sun 10 Aug // Idanre
We’ll hit to the road to the UNESCO-recognized Idanre Hills, with its plains dotted with large rock mounds jutting up from the earth. A place of great historical and cultural significance, the people of Idanre lived on these boulders for almost a millennium. We’ll tour the area’s highlights and learn more about Yoruba ideology and mythology.
Day 3 // Mon 11 Aug // Ife & Osogbo
The ancient city of Ife is the spiritual homeland of the Yoruba and, according to myth, the location where all life was created. At the 18th-century Ooni’s (King’s) Palace we’ll visit its sacred shrine and learn about Yoruba creation stories. We’ll pass by the 13th or 14th century Oranmiyan’s Staff, 20 feet tall and made entirely of granite, then visit Ife National Museum, with its impressive archaeological and ethnographic collections.
Day 4 // Tue 12 Aug // Osun-Osogbo Festival
Tour of Osogbo, visiting the Central Mosque, Susanne Wenger’s House, an important example of Brazilian-style architecture, and the Fetish Market, we’ll find ingredients for amulets and potions and discover local spiritual customs.
Next we experience the Osun-Osogbo Festival, the highlight of the Yoruba cultural and spiritual year. The two-week event culminates in a procession to the shrine in the sacred grove, where large crowds engage in drumming, dancing, musical performances, parading costumes, reciting praise poetry and more.
Day 5 // Wed 13 Aug // Abeokuta
Abeokuta (“Refuge Among Rocks”) was founded around 1830, chosen for its strong defensive position by Egba refugees fleeing the collapsing Oyo empire. Here we’ll climb Olumo Rock, a massive outcrop of granite above the city that served as a natural fortress for the Egba, and is still worshipped by members of the clan. Afterwards, we’ll stop by Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, then head to the local market and enjoy a Nigerian cooking lesson.
Day 6 // Thu 14 Aug // Lagos
Today we explore chaotic and vibrant Lagos, stopping at Nike Art Gallery, with its collection of around 8,000 artworks, then moving on to Lekki Conservation Centre, an ecological haven home to native plants and wildlife covering more than 78 hectares. Our last stop is Makoko floating village, the so-called 'Venice of Africa'. This enormous, impoverished community is partly on water and partly on land, with anywhere between 100,000 and 400,000 people living in stilt houses on the lagoon.
Day 7 // Fri 15 Aug // Departure
Its time to say goodbye to Nigeria and catch our flight home.
Level of difficulty: Easy
Activities: Sightseeing, walking, participating in tribal festival, cultural immersion.
Accommodation & meals: Hotels and lodges, double sharing rooms. Meals excluded.
Cost: AED 5,690 excl. flights / AED 9,490 incl. EMIRATES flights until JUNE 14th - past this date cost will change.
Specifically excluded: Meals, visas.
Visas:
Consulate visa or visa support at passport specific cost, 300-500 USD.
Yellow Fever Certificate is mandatory for this trip.
See yah in Nigeria x
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 0504848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup
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