The Spark Magazine (Feb 2018)

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Social Prefect On Exciting Destinations
to Visit in 2018
The Nigerian tourism industry has unfortunately being undermined for years. But it does offer a plethora of
beautiful experiences that should be explored.
- By Chiamaka Obuekwe
When Nigeria is mentioned, tourism hardly ever comes to mind.
Nigerians travel a lot to other countries for tourism, leaving
Nigeria out. Many blame it on lack of tourist centres in Nigeria,
but nothing could be farther from the truth. Nigeria is a country rich in
culture, beautiful landscapes and adventurous destinations begging to be
discovered. One only needs to open their eyes to see the beauty within.
There are so many places to explore and this list is not exhaustive; it just
contains a few exciting ones we believe you will enjoy exploring this year.
Kajuru castle, Kaduna - Like something out
of a fairytale, Kajuru castle is located in
Kaduna. This medieval style castle which was
built in 1980 by a German expatriate was
built as a private apartment, but is now open
as a tourist attraction due to its architectural
splendor. The castle stands on a collection of
hills and is complete with a dungeon, tower,
a swimming pool and sauna.
Obudu mountain resort, Crossriver –
Obudu would leave you mesmerized with
the breathtaking views of the mountains
and greenery. The resort has a wide range
of activities that everyone can enjoy, ranging
from the swimming pool, to the canopy walk,
the forest trail, the scenic mountains, to the
mini waterfalls and especially the cable cars.
Fifth Chukker Polo resort, Kaduna – Fifth
Chukker resort is one of Kaduna’s best kept
secrets. It is a Northern styled polo resort
with a fully functional equestrian academy.
They host polo tournaments and also have
lots of attractions for guests like quad bikes,
a club house, swimming pool and sporting
facilities. Fifth Chukker Resort is a good
option if you want a scenic environment to
learn to ride a horse.
Rufus and Bee, Lagos - Rufus and Bee is a
new arcade game center that offers
maximum fun for both kids and adults. If you
want to have unlimited fun, it is a place worth
exploring.
Idanre hills, Ondo – With 660 steps to climb
to the top of the hills and standing proudly
at 3000ft above sea level, Idanre hills is one
of the most beautiful natural landscapes in
Nigeria. More interestingly is the fact that
an ancient civilization existed there over 800
years ago and the ruins of that civilization
can still be seen. If you love nature and
history, you should visit Idanre hills.
Lekki conservation center, Lagos - The
conservation center is an off-shoot of
Nigerian conservation foundation, an
NGO which preserves nature parks and
conservation centers around Nigeria.
Founded in 1990, the center is complete with
nature trail, a canopy walkway and the family
park. The Canopy walkway is the longest
canopy walkway in Africa with a height of
22.5 ft that gives you a bird’s eye view of the
forest and some other parts of Lagos.
Abeokuta – The ancient town of Abeokuta
has a lot to offer travelers. Olumo rock is
one of the foremost tourist attractions in
Nigeria. The rock holds a lot of history for
the Egba people. Abeokuta also houses
the newly completed Olusegun Obasanjo
presidential library and Green legacy resort.
The innovative library and museum contains
history of Nigeria. There are other places
like the Itoku adire market, the Abeokuta
golf course, the Herbert Ogunde museum,
University of Abeokuta Zoo and Alake of
Egbaland’s palace.
In this season where buying Nigerian made goods to improve the Naira is a recurring narrative, then enjoying the beautiful sites that Nigeria has to offer
should be a priority as well.
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