Day 1: Arrive Lagos
Arrive Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Transfer to hotel. Evening welcome dinner and briefing. Overnight Lagos.
Day 2: Lagos — The Megacity Unleashed
Full exploration of Africa’s biggest city. Morning: National Museum (Nok terracottas, Benin bronzes), Freedom Park (converted colonial prison, now a cultural hub), and Tafawa Balewa Square. Afternoon: Lekki Conservation Centre with Africa’s longest canopy walkway — a 401-meter suspension bridge through the treetops where monkeys swing past at eye level. Visit Nike Art Gallery with its 10,000+ artworks spread across four floors. Evening: experience Lagos nightlife in Victoria Island. Overnight Lagos.
Day 3: Badagry Slave Route
Coastal drive to Badagry. Visit the Heritage Museum, the Slave Route, the Attenuation Well, and the Point of No Return. The experience is profound: standing on the beach where more than half a million souls were loaded onto ships. Return to Lagos for overnight.
Day 4: Abeokuta & Olumo Rock
Drive to Abeokuta. Climb Olumo Rock and explore the shrine caves. Visit the Itoku Adire market for stunning indigo textiles. Drive to Ibadan. Overnight Ibadan.
Day 5: Ibadan to Oshogbo
Morning: explore Ibadan — visit the University of Ibadan (Nigeria’s oldest), the Bower’s Tower panoramic viewpoint, and the Mapo Hall colonial landmark. Afternoon drive to Oshogbo. Visit the Nike Art Centre and meet local artists. Overnight Oshogbo.
Day 6: Osun Sacred Grove & Ile-Ife
Full day at the UNESCO-listed Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove — walking forest paths past dozens of shrines dedicated to Yoruba deities. Afternoon: drive to Ile-Ife, the Yoruba spiritual capital. Visit the Ooni’s Palace and the Ife Museum for the famous bronze heads. Overnight Oshogbo.
Day 7: Esie Museum to Lokoja — Niger River
Morning: visit the Esie Museum, home to over 1,000 soapstone figures (the largest collection of stone carvings in Africa) — their origin remains a mystery. Continue north to Lokoja at the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers. Visit Mount Patti for panoramic views of the river merge. Overnight Lokoja.
Day 8: Lokoja to Abuja
Drive to Abuja. Afternoon: visit Zuma Rock and Bwari Pottery Village. Overnight Abuja.
Day 9: Abuja — Nigeria’s Capital
Full day: National Mosque, National Christian Centre, Millennium Park, Abuja Arts & Crafts market. Afternoon: Aso Rock viewpoint, Jabi Lake. Overnight Abuja.
Day 10: Jos Plateau — Volcanic Landscapes
Drive to Jos (elevation 1,200m — a cool escape from the tropical heat). The Jos Plateau is a volcanic highland with dramatic rock formations, waterfalls, and ancient archaeological sites. Visit the Jos Museum (excellent Nok culture exhibits), Shere Hills for hiking, and the Riyom Rock (a naturally balanced rock formation). Jos is also where the famous Nok terracotta civilization flourished from 1000 BC to 300 AD. Overnight Jos.
Day 11: Kano — The Ancient Hausa Metropolis
Fly from Jos to Kano (or drive 5 hours). Kano is one of the oldest cities in West Africa, a major trans-Saharan trade hub for over a thousand years. Visit the Gidan Makama Museum (housed in a 15th-century palace with Hausa architectural mastery), the Emir’s Palace, and the legendary Kurmi Market — operating continuously since the 15th century, a labyrinth of alleys selling everything from indigo cloth to camel saddles. Most extraordinary: the Kofar Mata Dye Pits, where men stand waist-deep in vats of fermented indigo dye, using techniques unchanged for over 500 years. The deep blue pits are a photographer’s dream. Overnight Kano.
Day 12: Departure from Kano
Morning visit to the ancient Kano City Walls (extending 14km, built in the 12th century). Transfer to Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport for departure.
