This trip to Idere Hills ought to have happened in July but was put on hold due to the herdsmen crisis in Ibarapa. #safetyFirst… I sent messages to every member of the Nomadic community who had shown interest and everyone sent in their payments before the departure date.
Since the plan was to Travel down and return the same day, I ensured my best foot was forward as far as preparation is concerned.
We hit the road, and it was a smooth ride from Lagos through Abeokuta, Igbo Ora, down to Idere Hills in Oyo state.
On getting to Igbo Ora, we caught a glimpse of the village celebrating “the world twins festival”
We were soon joined by “pastor” who served as our guide for the day and he wasted no time in leading us towards the palace and later to the foot of the Hill.
Nothing prepared us for the magnificence of this destination.
We hiked for about 2 hours as we navigated different destinations, each with its magnificent view. We thought we’d seen it all until we go to the topmost part of the hill. It was as though God made this place to convince us about her sense of creativity.
As the leader on this trip, I was responsible for everyone, so I had to call everyone’s attention to the fact that the day is far spent.
We needed to climb down asap if we really want to get into Lagos before nightfall.
This was the most difficult part of the day’s job because I had a hard time making everyone stop taking pictures and recording videos.
We finally got back into the coaster bus and it dawned on everyone how much hunger had in store
The rice and chicken with plantain were really nice. Each person had one liter of cold water and a bottle of orange juice each to go with.
The driver started the engine and we drove straight down to Lagos just the same way we had come
But only that this time, we all have conquered yet another destination and have learned a few more things like:
- The fact that calabashes are actually plants. In fact, they grow like fruits
- That Igbo Ora is the twins capital of the world and that
- There are only a few destinations in Nigeria with more awe-inspiring views
- Whoever is responsible for the design of the universe is the greatest
Quick tips on planning a road trip to Idere hills from Lagos:
- Leave Lagos as early as possible (the latest should be 8 am)
- Do not go through Ibadan. Go through Abeokuta instead
- Wear comfortable clothes (esp. ones long enough to cover hands and legs)
- Wear a hat to protect your face
- Come with plenty of water
- Have a backup for every provision (e.g food, transportation, etc)
- Have fun
Related: My journey to the forest of friendly beasts
