Olumo Rock – My only day trip

This was my only excursion from Lagos. The rock is situated in the city of Abeokuta which in the local Yoruba language appropriately means “under the rock”.  It’s about an hours drive from Lagos. I spent the day with my super guide Ray from Tripzapp.

The original inhabitants of the rock were the Egba’s who strategically used the rock as a vantage point to view any potential incoming threats from their enemies. Their triumph lead to the growth of the town.

The rock with its many nooks and crannies went on to act as an ideal fortress during the inter tribal warfare which took place  in the 19th century.

A trip to the rock will involve climbing some stairs carved into the rock, followed by a little rock climbing. Nothing to get to worried about if you are in fairly good shape. Look out for some interesting carvings along the way.

When you get to the top you will be greatly rewarded by some stunning views of the town and surrounding area.

Today the rock is much revered and is a popular tourist destination.  The one place that aroused my curiosity was a small locked door. According to the guide the door is only opened once a year by the high priest and the village chief. No further details were upcoming and no one knows what is behind the door, however it seems to this day sacrifices are performed on an annual basis.

Tinyteddy’s feedback: “Look lets get something straight here. I’m only 3 inches tall with a leg span of just over an inch. Those sort of statistics don’t get you very far when it comes to climibing.  I enjoyed the view. That was enough for me thank you very much”