Our Nigeria holidays and tours allow you to understand the complexity of one of Africa’s most exciting and lively destinations, taking you beyond the stereotypes to show you the real nature of this colossus of a country. The surging powerhouse of West Africa, Nigeria has a brash and bold attitude that brooks no compromise.
This is no country for first-time visitors to the continent. But for sturdy travellers looking for something utterly different, it’s hard to beat.
Nigeria stands apart from other countries in the region. It’s the most populous by far – Lagos is a seething mass of around twenty million people – and the extremes of wealth and poverty are much more marked here. It’s an economic giant, with enormous revenues from oil, yet the shantytowns and rural villages stand in stark contrast to the modern buildings of the capital.
Nigeria is both modern and arcane at the same time – you can go from an air-conditioned mall to a ramshackle voodoo market in no time at all. It’s this juxtaposition that makes it fascinating. Nigeria straddles two worlds.
This is reflected in its geography as well. Nigeria is a country that was cobbled together by the British, awkwardly marrying the arid, Sahelian, Muslim northern emirates with the traditional kingdoms of the humid coastal regions. Despite many gloomy predictions of break up and disintegration, somehow the country works, although often just barely.
Top highlights on Nigeria holidays and tours
- Explore the ‘forgotten world’ of the Idanre Hills
- Witness a traditional ritual performed by the priestesses of Oshogbo
- Spend time with one of Nigeria’s most traditional ethnic groups, the Kamberi
- Learn about the heritage of the slave trade at Badagry
- Experience Nigeria’s lively nightlife in a local bar
Nigeria isn’t a traditional holiday destination – travelling here is very much an experience, yet for the experienced traveller with the right mindset, it offers many rewards.
From the fading Afro-Brazilian architecture of the Yoruba cities of Ibadan and Abeokuta to the wild tribal lands of the Kamberi, the virtually unknown heritage of the Idanre Hills to the Ife priests of Oshogbo, Nigeria is a land that will surprise you at every turn. With almost no tourism, and few westerners outside of Lagos, our Nigeria holidays explore the final frontier of African travel – and are all the more exciting for it.
Culture
Nigeria is a vast country with around 160 million people, and so as you might expect it is incredibly diverse. Roughly speaking, in terms of religion, there is a north/south divide, with Islam dominating the north and Christianity the south. Yet throughout the country there are a huge number of different ethnic groups that still follow traditional religions. Discovering their cultures and customs is one of the highlights of travelling here.
Nigeria’s official language is English, a legacy of its colonial occupation, but other key languages include Hausa, Fulani and Igbo. The English spoken here is often of the pidgin variety with many colloquialisms. It can be difficult to understand at times although a lot of fun.
When to go on holiday to Nigeria
Nigeria has distinct wet and dry seasons and it almost goes without saying that it’s best to travel in the dry season, from October to March. Outside of this time travel can be hard and some unsealed roads can be very difficult to negotiate. In the dry season, you should expect it to be hot, with humidity increasing from March onwards until the rains arrive, usually in April or May.
Start planning your Nigeria trip
Check out our scheduled small group tour to Nigeria, Lost Kingdoms of Nigeria. Although many of our trips are small group adventures with set departures, as a bespoke operator, we can design and create trips to suit any traveller, from solos to larger group. If you would like to find out more about tailor-made Nigeria holidays or our group tours, call us on 01473 328546 or email us via our contact page. We’d love to hear from you.
