By Rostelie Mavoungou
Obudu Mountain Resort, formerly known as Obudu Cattle Ranch, is one of the most beautiful and pleasant tourist centers in Nigeria. It is located on the Obudu Plateau, close to the Cameroon border, in the Northeastern part of Cross Rivers State. This resort center has grown to become a major destination choice for tourists. It has an attractive landscape and calming ambience, with clouds smiling down on its peaks and valleys. It offers visitors a good blend of warm and cold temperature, as it has very temperate weather.
The rooms in Obudu Mountain Resort are made up of chalets, standard rooms, executive rooms, huts to presidential suites. Although this resort is open to visitors throughout the year, the period between October and February is the best time to visit, as it is the time when the sky is very bright and the air is frosty.
The History of OBUDU MOUNTAIN RESORT
The history of this resort located in Obudu Plateau can be traced back to when Mr. Caughley, a Scottish Rancher, first explored the mountain ranges in 1949, as he camped on the mountaintop for a month before returning with Mr. Hugh Jones, a fellow rancher, in 1951. Thus, it was developed in 1951 by two ranchers; Mr Hugh Jones and Dr Crawfield.
Fun knows no end at Obudu Mountain Resort, albeit the best time to visit Obudu Mountain Resort is the festive period, December, as you are sure to have fun at its peak during this period. The weather during this period is also favourable, as the festive period falls within the dry season in Cross Rivers, where Obudu Mountain Resort is located.
HOW TO GET TO OBUDU MOUNTAIN RESORT
There’s a direct flight from Lagos and Abuja to Calabar, from where you can get a Bus to the Resort. When you arrive in Calabar, take a bus going straight to Obudu, in order to save time, as other buses may have several stops on the way. The distance between Obudu and the ranch is about 1 hour. There are taxis at Obudu that will transport you to the Ranch. Driving from Calabar to the mountain resort could take up to 6 hours, which gives you ample time to enjoy the sight of the vegetation and the scenery on your way.
Things you can do at Obudu Mountain Resort
1. Get on the Cable Car
When you visit the Obudu Mountain Resort, either drive from the bottom of the hill or take the cable car to get to the top of the resort centre. The hilltop is about 11 km of winding road from the base. Driving up takes about 25 minutes while using the cable car takes about 6 minutes. This Cable Car transport is the pièce de resistance at Obudu Mountain Resort and has been described as the longest cable car in the African continent. Tourists who visit this resort are always eager to get on this cable car and enjoy the fun of riding to the top of the resort in this car, as it affords you enlivening and exciting vistas of green rolling hills.
2. Play Outdoor Games
At the Obudu Mountain Resort, the fun never stops, as there are loads of fun outdoor activities to get involved in. You can let loose with activities like swimming, horse-riding, golfing and hiking. This resort has two large river-sized swimming pools, where you can enjoy time in the water and also relax in the outdoor pool bed. When hiking, it is recommended that you go with firm boots and be psychologically prepared for the climbing expedition. With its 9-hole golf course, you are allowed to play a game of golf. The lush vegetation around the golfing area is an amazing sight to behold.
3. Join the Obudu Mountain Race
Obudu has a race competition it holds every year, where it offers an attractive cash price. It is usually held in November. Against this backdrop, in the event that you visit Obudu in the month of November, make it a date at the Obudu Mountain Race.
4. Work out at the Gym
Obudu Mountain Resort has a fitness centre stocked with state-of-the-art facilities cities to help you stay fit and in shape. This gym boasts of facilities such as Dumbbells, a Sit-up bench, and Treadmills.
5. Take a walk on the canopy walkway
The Canopy Walkway is a 100m swaying bridge which is suspended in the air. It stands 70m above the bottom of the forest. Taking a walk on the canopy walkway would afford the opportunity of enjoying the view of the beautiful forests around Obudu Mountain Resort. Climbing this canopy walkway can prove to be a daunting task but it comes with a whole lot of fun and excitement.
6. Go sightseeing
For lovers of nature, go on a sightseeing adventure at the Obudu Mountain Resort. The Resort houses about 250 varying species of birds. You will have an astonishing time watching the birds with your binoculars.
Some Important Things to Note:
- Go along with some warm clothing
As I mentioned earlier, Obudu Mountain Resort is a site of trees, waterfalls, and cloud-covered mountains. This means that even in the dry season, the place isn’t as hot as the rest of the country. So, traveling with a sweater, a jacket or two isn’t a bad idea.
- Take the shorter route
When traveling to Obudu, you can make your journey through either Calabar Airport or Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu. From the former, it takes seven whopping hours to get to Obudu mountain resort, while journeying through Enugu keeps you on the road for five hours. Besides the fact that you stay longer on the road when you go through Calabar, you also get to endure a bumpier ride as the roads are nothing to write home about. Moving through Enugu appears to be the lesser of two evils.
Whenever you find yourself in Nigeria, ensure you pay a visit to the Obudu Mountain Resort.
Source: www.obudumountainresort.com , Global African Times
