Why Obudu Mountain Resort is Nigeria’s Best Vacation Hotspot?
Obudu Cattle Ranch, now known as Obudu Mountain Resort, is a one-stop destination for Nigerian tourists and vacation enthusiasts.
Situated in Obudu Plateau, which is at the North-East of Cross River State, Nigeria, the destination is 72.4km away from the border of Cameroon and in a deep tropical jungle with a moderate climate.
In 1951, Mr. Caughley and Mr. Hugh Jones developed the Obudu Mountain Resort. Early development was an idea by Mr. Caughley (a rancher from Scotland), who visited the spot in 1949 and was awed by his experiences.
Obudu Mountain Resort is about adventures, spiced with pleasures and other views in a beautiful natural environment.
You will discover here what makes Obudu Mountain Resort Nigeria’s best vacation hotspot;
Grotto
The Grotto is a customized deep pool in the form of a small waterfall. Because the collection is non-natural, it modified its size to be the way it presently is.
Visitors to Obudu Mountain Resort enjoy the Grotto because it has a place with shade and seats where you can sit down and grill while enjoying your bonfire parties.
Furthermore, to ease coming to the Grotto, there is a laid-down direction and a staircase with handrails leading to the spot.
Becheve Nature Reserve and Tree Nursery
Another top spot at Obudu Mountain resort for vacation and tourism is the Becheve nature and tree nursery.
The spot houses various types of animals and trees with unique significance, and most of them are historical.
It is a conservation forest run by the Obudu conservation center occupying 65 hectares of land. The entrance has a nursery of trees, among other preserved plants and species of animals.
Angel’s view and presidential villa
Obudu mountain resort has many valleys, and the spot where these mountains form a V shape is popularly known as the ‘Angels view’.
This fascinating spot will awe you and leave you with no option but to take a deep breath and appreciate nature. It lies in between the
Presidential Villa and the Helipad.
Intestinal Road View
The road leading to the prestigious Obudu Mountain Resort has a zig-zag outlook. This spiral road is called the Intestinal Road view.
The beautiful intestinal road view has white and black walls, and viewing the road from the top is fascinating.
Also, while passing through the road, you will hear the sounds of water flowing down the mountain.
Visitors can either intestinal road view from the road that shows the left of the road or from the newly tarred road, which previously was the only road leading to Obundu Mountain Resort.
Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race
The Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race is an annual race every November at the Obudu Mountain Resort.
This race brings together mountain race lovers from across the globe as they race on the resort’s mountains for a considerable sum of money.
Considering the price tag of the race, which is the biggest in the world, people tend to call the race ‘World’s Richest Mountain Race’.
The Obudu Plateau
The Obudu Mountain Resort was built on the Obudu Plateau, which originated from the Oshie Ridge in Sankwala Mountain of Obanliku local government area of Cross River State.
A home for wide species of birds, the Obudu Plateau occupies 40sq miles with the peak of a height of 1,716 meters above sea level, rising an approximate 5200foot above sea level.
Cable Car
The cable car is a fascinating ride that almost all visitors to the Obudu Mountain Resort will enjoy every time they visit.
To get to the top of the Obudu Mountain Resort’s center, which is an 11km distance, you will need to drive for about 25 minutes, but your drive can come down to just 6 minutes with the cable car. Interesting right?
Additionally, the cable car is one of Africa’s most extended cable. On the cable car, you will enjoy the view of the green forest and hills, a total appreciation of nature.
Canopy Walkway
Forgetting not to do canopy work will not spice up your visit to the Obudu Mountain resort if you do not visit and walk through the canopy walkway.
It is a bridge above the forest with 100 meters and 700 meters above the ground. The bridge kind of swings as you walk on it. It can be a frightening task to climb the canopy walkway, but at the end of it all, it is an exciting experience.
Holy Mountain
Obudu Mountain Resort has a range of plateaus and mountains, and the mountain with the tallest peak is popularly known as the ‘Holy Mountain.’
Missionaries and many other people who came to the mountain to pray were the first to discover the mountain, and that is how it got its name.
Historically, during the Nigerian civil war, the natives of Obudu built bunkers with one entrance where they hid on the mountain. Up till now, boxes for offering and those bunkers are still in existence at the Holy Mountain.
Women’s Woodlot Reserve
Some trees and plants at Obudu Mountain resort have gone extinct by tree knockouts, cows grazing, and even fire.
Negative changes have dramatically affected the villagers as they depend solely on firewood for heat and cooking as there is no electricity at the Obudu Mountains.
In this regard, some women from the communities replant damaged areas liaising with the Obudu Conservation Center.
This replanting program is called the ‘Women’s Woodlot Reserve’. The reserve is open for women and children to come in and gather as much firewood as they want.
Cataract Waterfall
From the holy mountain, you can see the cataract waterfall, which got its name because of its view from the waterfall thus;, it is a very long waterfall.
Indeed, it is an exciting activity to hike on the Cataract waterfall even though it is the easiest to get up to among other waterfalls in the Obudu mountain resort.
Banana Village and Opazanga Village
There are up to about seven villages in the Obudu Mountain Resort, a community on the mountain. These villages have diverse heritage and significance.
You can go for tourism across the villages and learn about their customs, cultures, means of continued existence, and history.
The historic primary school since 1954 and the banana village with various banana plantations are among the many exciting places of interest in the community. These bananas are sweet and large.
Furthermore, you can visit the factory that produces honey. The honey from this factory is raw of good quality.
Natural Pool and Waterfall
The natural pool in Obudu Mountain Resort is a mini waterfall that looks quite inviting and beautiful. The collection has two stages, of which the beds of the two waterfalls form a natural pool.
The first stage is a little waterfall and a small natural pool, while the second is an extended waterfall and a deeper natural pool. You can dive in and swim in the pool, which is usually incredible.
What is Obudu Cattle Ranch known?
Obudu Cattle Ranch, also known as Obudu Mountain Resort, is among the fascinating destinations for tourism in Africa.
It is popularly known for its many attractions such as the canopy walkway, Holy Mountain, Grotto, cable car, intestinal road view, among other tourist attractions mentioned above.
How much does it cost to visit Obudu Cattle Ranch?
Upon your visit to Obudu Mountain Resort, you have to pay a gate fee or access fee of 200 Naira, and this is to permit you into the premises.
However, the many attractions at the ranch have various fees. The hiking routes and rates are here;
- ∙ Waterfall – 6 hours – N4,000
- ∙ Cataract view – 3 hours – N2,000
- ∙ Facilities tour – 1 hour – N2,000
- ∙ Grotto – 40 minutes – N1,000
- ∙ Grotto – group picnic – half-day – N2,000
- ∙ Airplane field overview – 2 hours – N800
- ∙ Monkeyface view – 1 hour – N600
- ∙ Holy mountain – 2 hours – N2,000
- ∙ Intestine road viewpoint – 1 and half hours – N800
- ∙ Cameroon border viewpoint – 5 hours – N3,000
- ∙ Igaga waterfalls – 3 hours – N3,000
- ∙ Retest viewpoint – 5 hours – N3,000
- ∙ Mountain and village walk – N2,000
- ∙ Bird watching – N3,000
- ∙ Horseback riding (Round trip) – 1 hour – N2,000
- ∙ Cable car (round trip) – Adults – N1,500
Children (5-12yrs) – N1, 500
Groups Children (10 or more pass) – N1, 200
- ∙ Water park – adults – N2,200
Children (5-12yrs) – N1,100
Groups Children (10 or more pass) – N880
- ∙ Becheve nature reserve/canopy walkway – Entrance fee: Adults – N600
Children – N100
- ∙ Game house – charge per round or invoice per game
How high is Obudu ranch?
Obudu Mountain Resort is at the height of about 1,576 meters (5,200 feet) on elevation above sea level.
It occupies a landmass of approximately 134 square kilometers and mainly has a cool climatic temperature.
Final Words
The Obudu Mountain Resort is best to visit during festive periods, especially in December. This time is the dry season, and the weather is favorable, even though you can see it at any time of the year.
The resort has restaurants serving local and continental dishes, including lodging accommodation of different specifications, price range, and facilities.
Depending on your preferences, the numerous attractions and facilities at the Obudu Mountain resort will leave you with a fun-filled experience.
You have to remember to grab your binoculars, hiking shoes, comfortable clothes, and other preferred essentials when visiting the Obudu Mountain Resort.
These attractions and more are the reasons why Obudu Mountain Resort is Nigerian best vacation and tourism hotspot.
