Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For budget sleeping, try Edo Motel Plaza. The
Lixborr Hotel
( 05 225 6699; Sakowpba Rd; s
N3000, d N3250-5000; )
is a popular, well-run place with comfortable rooms. Opposite
Brass Casters St, look for the giant statue of the Benin woman.
from Lagos (N45,000, 40 minutes). Iyaro Motor Park is the main place for minibuses to
Lagos (N1600, six hours), and to Calabar (N1900, eight hours). Also try the depot next to
the Edo-Delta Hotel on Akpakpava Rd which serves most destinations.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Calabar
087 / POP 500,000
Tucked into Nigeria's southeastern corner, the capital of Cross River State has a rich his-
tory and is well worth a trip. Originally a cluster of Efik settlements, Calabar was once
one of Nigeria's biggest slave ports, and later a major exporter of palm oil. A popular
stopover for travellers heading to Cameroon, this tourist-friendly city has an amazing mu-
seum and two excellent primate-conservation centres.
Sights
Calabar Museum
MUSEUM
(Court Rd; admission N100; 9am-6pm)
Housed in the beautiful old British governor's building
overlooking the river, the museum has a fascinating collection covering Calabar's days as
the Efik kingdom, the slave and palm-oil trade, and the colonial period.
Drill Ranch
WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
( 0803 5921262;
www.pandrillus.org
; Nsefik Eyo Layout, off Atekong Rd; donations appreciated; 9am-5pm)
Home to a colony of rescued drill monkeys and chimpanzees, the Drill Ranch is home to
Pandrillus, one of Africa's most progressive primate-conservation bodies, which places
emphasis on local education to combat poaching and the bushmeat trade. Spending time
with Liza, Peter and Tunje at the Calabar headquarters is fascinating. The organisation can
arrange trips to its excellent
Afi Mountain Drill Ranch
(community charge N250, guides N1000, per car/mo-
torbike N500/250, campsites N2000, huts N6000)
near Cross River National Park. This is one of Ni-
geria's highlights, with a rainforest-canopy walk and close primate encounters.
Cercopan
WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
