Hot, Spicy and Raw; An Eccentric Trio – Amazing places to spend time outdoors
Hot, Spicy, and Raw; An Eccentric Trio – Amazing places to spend time outdoors.
Exploring Nigeria is always as fascinating as it is tiring. Most times, you miss all the amazing spots because there is really no one to steer you in the right direction. It is always advisable to divide and conquer the vast intricacy and complexity of taste, culture, and scenic burst of flavours Nigerian foods and fun offer.
Let’s take a trip to the west, particularly southwest Nigeria.
It would be an error to explore the southwest without first examining the bustling and ever-thriving city of Lagos. Lagos may not look like the ideal choice for an adventurous wildlife experience because you haven’t figured out the perfect spots yet. Lagos is a combination of modern, urban, and a drizzle of wildlife if you know where to look. In a way, it is refreshing to be able to switch intermittently between the busy life and the scenic experience. The perfect place for this is the famous Lagos Bar beach.
Lagos Bar beach
Unlike most beaches, this beach lacks the traditional rows of coconut trees lined up along the seashore. However, it provides a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean. Its shores of a pure white sand stretch as far as the eye can see. It gives the beach a breathtaking view. The perfect spot to wind and unwind, an escape from the bustling city during the day. You can then return to explore the nightlife, tasty street food, and the rich cultural highlife of the metropolitan Yoruba people.
Agodi Garden
Next up on our list is the ancient town of Oyo. The destination is the beautiful Agodi garden in Ibadan, Oyo state Nigeria. This garden brings man closer to wildlife in the most unique way possible, all for a gate fee of 500 Naira (roughly $1). It is the perfect combination of quiet, reserved, romantic, scenic, and natural. Our exploration would be incomplete without tickling our taste buds.
The Ibadan people are known to love Lafun and reedy, white cassava flour meal and ewedu soup prepared with lots of chili and love. After bombarding our taste buds with that hot and spicy delicacy, we must continue our exploration of the great outdoors. Up next on the list is Osun state.
Scared Groove
We journey to the scared groove in Oshogbo, Osun state, Nigeria. This may not look like the typical great outdoor experience or a good spot to explore nature. However, this sacred groove, in an eccentric way, reconnects man to life as it did before industrialization and western civilization. It is living proof of the history of the Osun people. This groove tells the story of an ancient people who co-existed with wildlife long before western civilization ruined it. After moving through the sacred grooves, the journey takes a new course in this rich natural heritage called Osun state.
Our next spot is Erin Ijesha waterfall – now, this is wildlife!
Erin Ijesha
Erin Ijesha waterfall is a great spot for tourists who want to enjoy the waterfall, and take a good bath or go skinny dipping. It is also a good spot for hikers and those who want to explore nature in an environment that is not interrupted by human activities.
After taking a hike through the woods, the next day, you can continue your journey. This time we are saving the best for the last. Our final stop for this adventure is Idanre hills.
Idanre Hills
Situated in Ondo state, Nigeria, Idanre hills is surrounded by an ancient civilization that thrived until the introduction of western culture. Idanre Hills or Oke Idanre, as it is commonly called by locals, is surrounded by the Owa’s palace, a shrine, the old court, Belfry, Agboogan footprint, thunder water, and sacred grounds. It’s beautiful and brings one closer to the history of the Idanre people, the Yoruba ideology, mythology, and the confederacy.
This place will bring wildlife to you and test your tenacity and grit while you climb 682 hills to get to the top of the hill, but it is worth it. You might be lucky enough to see a Hyrax on your way up if the gods permit because they are almost extinct in Idanre hills. Remember not to get too close to the Hyrax because those cuties will bite.
Share your choice of eccentric places in Nigeria that match the description – Amazing places to spend time outdoors – in the comment section below.
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