Although Nigeria doesn’t have the best reputation as travelers often associate the country with corruption, scams and crime, it is a true tourism gem with unsurpassed natural beauty, a rich cultural history and vibrant cities.
Nigeria is situated in the western coastal region of the African continent. Its capital city, Lagos, has become a business hub over the past few years as the country is showing huge economic growth potential thanks to its vast oil reserves, improved political landscape and various reform plans. As business travel has flourished, leisure travel and tourism is also expected to gain momentum.
The country’s natural beauty is one of its greatest selling points. The national parks in Nigeria each showcase a rich and unique array of ecosystems, and a great variety of wild fauna and flora. The habitats found in the national parks support more than 1,300 species of animals.
The Yankari National Park in the northeastern part of Nigeria has become the most developed wildlife park in the country with a lot of attractions for visitors. With about 550 elephants, this park has the largest elephant population in West Africa. Wikki Warm Springs is a famous attraction in the Yankari National Park. It is located near the park lodge and contains crystal-clear water at a temperature of around 88 degrees. Baboons and elephants often come down to the springs to keep tourists company.
Near the Cameroon border, the Cross River National Park is one of the richest areas of tropical rain forest in West Africa. The humid tropical rain forest covers the northern and central parts of the park, while mangrove swamps cover the coastal areas. Rare species of baboons, gorillas and leopards dwell in the park as does the Nigerian-Cameroon chimpanzee, which is listed as the most endangered of all chimpanzee subspecies.
The Cross River National Park and the adjacent Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary harbor one of the only populations of gorillas in West Africa. Efforts have been made to conserve them over the years, and it is now being partially opened for limited visits by tourists. While there is no guarantee that gorillas will be sighted, there are a few expeditions that afford an opportunity to view natural-size drill groups in captivity at the Drill Ranch at Afi.
Also at the Cross River National Park are the Kwa Falls, a spectacular waterfall located in a narrow, steep gorge on the headwaters of the Kwa River. A deep plunge pool forms at the bottom of the waterfall, which, before deforestation, was hidden under the thick canopy of the tropical rain forest.
Adventure-seekers can visit the Chad Basin National Park in northeast Nigeria, which is a real heaven of adventure. The park features varied ecosystems, including a wetland reserve and a waterfowl sanctuary. Visitors can participate in sand dunes walks and picnics. They can also go camel or horse riding in the Sahara, sport fishing at Dagona Ox bow Lake, hike the nature trails in the Oases, count birds at Baturiya Wetlands or go boating on Lake Nguru. Besides eco-activities in the park, Lake Chad offers visitors the opportunity to go on boating excursions to the numerous fishing villages in the area.
Besides the national parks, Nigeria offers numerous other sites of natural beauty, such as its waterfalls, its caves and its beaches. The Awhum waterfall, for example, is situated at Amaugwe village and cascades over a massive outcrop of granite rock. The water of this waterfall seems to be always warm and is believed to have healing powers.
To round off an activity-packed holiday, a visit to one of Nigeria’s beautiful beaches is a must. Ibeno Beach, in Akwa Lbom State, is one of the most beautiful beaches in Nigeria. To the north of the beach lies Calabar, one of the oldest trading centers in Nigeria. The old town of Calabar is remarkable for its great variety of small shops where tourists can get just about anything as long as they are prepared to bargain.