Before writing this article I sat down and thought about why Nigerians seldom visit tourist location in their own country. So I took it upon myself to remind Nigerians of some of the interesting places to visit anytime they feel the need to know their country better.

These 10 places on this list, are places were 100s of tourists troop to every year, and yet you rarely find Nigerians (who should own the place) visiting them. More than one of the places I’ll mention on this list I’m sure you already know about but certainly have not visited.

So if you’re looking for an interesting place in Nigeria to visit during this holiday or the next; here are the top 10 places you should visit.

1. Obudu Mountain resort

If you haven’t visited the Obudu Mountain resort then I take it you are not much of a tourist or sightseer. Any day you make up your mind and decide to visit a tourist attraction in Nigeria, I encourage you to take a trip to the Obudu Mountain resort located in Obaniku local Government area of Cross River State.

Also known as the Obudu cattle ranch, the atmosphere at the Obudu mountain resort is something out of this world. Visitors are treated to ride on a cable car from where they can have a better view of the mountains.

2. Yankari game reserve

If you want to see how blessed Nigeria is, in terms of the amount of wildlife we have in the country, the one place you should head to is the Yankari national park, better known as the Yankari game reserve. The Yankari game reserve is located in Bauchi State Nigeria.

Want to see a lion, a leopard, a baboon, a chimpanzee etc.? You need to visit the Yankari game reserve whenever you can, although some of these animals are quite shy and you might end up not seeing the scary ones.

The yankari game reserve is also blessed with a warm spring were visitors can cool-off in the natural waters provided by mother nature.

3. Bar beach

Bar beach is arguably the most popular beach in Nigeria. You must have heard a lot about this beach, but if you really want to get a feel of what an outing at the Lagos Bar beach feels like, you need to visit it and see for yourself.

The cool wind, the salty coastal waters, and the never ending fanfare makes the Bar beach a very interesting place to visit and cool-off.

4. Gashaki-Gumpti National Park

Worthy of mention is the Gashaki-Gumpti national park located in Gashaki Taraba State Nigeria. Referred to as Nigeria’s largest and most diverse National Park, the Gashaki-Gumpti park is listed as by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a world heritage site in Nigeria.

What can you find here? Mountains with heights of over 2400meters above sea level, thick vegetation and forest as well as primates such as chimpanzees and baboons.

Other wildlife you could run into here includes buffalo, forest hog, lions and the hippo. These makes the Gashaki-Gumpti national park an eerie place to be in, but with a guide by your side, you’ll have no problem whatsoever.

5. Tinapa leisure resort

The Cross River State government spent hundreds of millions of dollars building a reputable resort in Calabar and what they came up with was an absolute beauty. The Tinapa resort is a place to be if you want to treat yourself to a vacation to remember.

The Tinapa resort is loaded with everything you need, either you want to carry out trade or just want to take a business vacation.

6. Oban Hills

Also located in Cross River State is the Oban Hills which is another interesting geographical location in Nigeria. The Oban Hills is said to be the home of some 400 chimps; so if you haven’t seen a chimpanzee in real life, a trip to Oban hills will definitely bring you face to face with one. Other rare breed of wildlife which can be found here includes the Bat Hawk, the crested Guinea fowl as well as the Cassin Hawk eagle.

The Oban Hills also shares a border with the Korup National Park of Cameroon.

7. Kainji National Park

Another interesting spot where you can find plenty of wildlife is the Kainji national park located in Niger State, although it is closely bordered by Kwara State. This Park is segmented into 3 parts, namely; the Borgu Game Reserve, the Zugurma Game Reserve and the Kainji Lake.

The wildlife in this park have been segmented into the Borgu and Zugurma game reserve, while the aquatic life is preserved in the Kainji lake. So if you live close to Niger or Kwara States, and do not want to travel too far to find a tourist attraction, you could head to the Kainji National Park.

8. Idanre Hills

The Idanre hills is quite popular in Nigeria. If you are an avid watcher of Nollywood, you must have seen some wonderful scenes shot in this location (Idanre hills). The Idanre hills is also listed by UNESCO as world heritage site.

Located at Oke-Idanre, Ondo State, the Idanre hills offers a panoramic view of valleys, and the surrounding landscape. The Idanre hills is quite a breathtaking place to be.

9. Ogbunike Caves

The Ogbunike caves is a beauty to behold and usually takes the breathe away from those who dare to step into the caves. Tourists usually flock to Enugu State to catch a glimpse of the Ogbunike caves and usually return ecstatic.

The creepy feature of the cave is the 317 steps you’ll need to take before reaching the bottom of the cave, were you are now greeted with all sorts of traditional markings on the cave walls.

The Ogbunike caves is also listed as one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites in Nigeria.

10. Olumo Rock

The Olumo rock is another natural endowment which we are blessed with in Nigeria. Located in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Olumo Rock is a renowned tourist attraction in the country and one of the interesting places you should consider visiting if you haven’t done so already.

The Olumo Rock was used as a vantage point for warriors during inter-tribal wars in Abeokuta in the 19^th century. The surrounding environment of the rock has undergone a lot of facelift and is now a beehive of activities on a daily basis.