Adventure tourism is fast gaining grounds in Nigeria. Every day, we hear of one new activity we only thought was possible abroad, being done in Nigeria. So here are the 10 major adventure activities you can do in Nigeria.
- Climbing – Rock/Hill climbing and Mountaineering are trendy activities being organised by different tour companies in Nigeria. Tales of tourists conquering Olumo rock in Ogun state, Idanre Hills in Ondo State, Agbele rock in Oyo state or even Mount Patti in Kogi State has emboldened Nigerians to gear up and travel to other cities and states.
- Hiking – This is simply walking along a trail to explore the terrain of a region for a day. Like the Hike to Oke Ado to see the only suspended Lake in Africa (Iyake hanging lake) or a walk through Nwogo Pine Forest in Enugu state. Though there are different types of hiking , Day hiking is most common in Nigeria. Few tours include Backpacking which is similar to hiking except that it involves camping out and trekking with a backpack of supplies to make it to and fro the trip.
- Kayaking – Lagosians and Abuja residents have made this into a popular sport in Nigeria. Since the flood incident in Lagos where a white man was seen kayaking along a commercial street, more Nigerians have invested in getting the gear required for this activity. There are many places to Kayak especially in Lagos like Ikoyi waterside, La Campagne Tropicana in Ibeju-Lekki or Lil Zanzibar at Eleko axis. Now people can go kayaking on a weekend for fun.
- Scuba diving – Imagine the shock when @barnesthewa kawaka posted pictures of scuba diving in Nigeria on Instagram. Who knew we had coral reefs in Lagos that was worth seeing? This just makes deep sea diving real for Nigerians. Of course, we have seen Oyibo people scuba diving in Whispering Palms beach resort but with training, good swimmers in Nigeria can try to visit our own Coral Reef.
- Zip lining – did you just say shut the front door to this? Lol. We kid you not, Zip lining is now a thing in Nigeria. Zip lining is like riding a cable car except that your body is the cable car. You get strapped to a pulley and propelled from top to bottom along a suspended cable. You can Zip line around Zuma Rock in Abuja and at Lekki Leisure Lake in Lagos.
- Quad-biking – If you have ever gone to Dubai and enjoyed dune riding in the Desert, you will feel you can conquer quad biking. A quad bike is an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) used to navigate any kind of terrain from Sahel-Savannah rides to sandy beaches. It is ideal for fun or racing activities and can be seen in places like Sumu Wildlife park in Bauchi, Omu Resort in Ibeju-Lekki, La Campagne Tropicana, etc.
- Go-kart racing – In 2012, CNN covered the Go-Kart racing scene as it emerged in Nigeria. If you have fantasies of being a race car driver or you have the need for speed on wheels, this and quad biking are the sports for you. You can go to Get Arena in Lekki or Omu Resort in Ibeju-lekki (both in Lagos state) or even BushRiders Go-karting in Abuja for some Go-kart racing.
- Run a Marathon – You can time your visit with a 5km run that takes place annually at Badagry, Okpekpe, etc. People travel into Nigeria just to take part in Marathons like the Lagos Marathon or the Idahosa legacy run. You can time your vacation around the time a State Marathon is being held. It’s a great way to explore a part of Nigeria that is unfamiliar to you.
- Jet Skis – this might be hard to believe but you no longer need to travel out of Nigeria to experience a Jet ski ride. At Lekki Leisure Lake, the Jet Ski can hold two persons conveniently so you and your beloved can enjoy the thrill together. You can get jet skis to rent or buy at Benji Industries in Surulere, Lagos.
- Paintball – ever enjoyed playing police and thief with water guns growing up? Well, you will love paintballing. You get to hide behind obstacles and shoot paint at your opponent. You can enjoy paintballing in Ibadan and in Lagos.
There is a lot more in Nigeria that we didn’t mention like the Freefall Power Fan, Peddle boat or wave boat at Lekki Leisure Lake resort, the Canopy walkways in Obudu Conservation centre and Lekki Conservation centre in Lagos, etc. Mention in the comment section any adventure activity that can be done in Nigeria and in which part of the country we can find it.
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This article was first published on 5th November 2018
ann
Ann Esievoadje is a freelance writer who is passionate about encouraging a reading culture and personal development. She has authored two books, The Quilt (fiction) and Being Mummy and Me (non-fiction). She manages Pulchra Publishing which offers a content creation/editing, transcription, different forms of writing (including Ghostwriting) service and her blog, Life Love and Anything Goes at annesievoadje.blogspot.com.ng. You can reach her at annesievoadje@gmail.com
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