Top 10 Caves in Nigeria And Their Locations
The top 10 Caves in Nigeria And Their Locations are the subjects of this article. Nigeria is endowed with some of nature’s most beautiful sights that serve as a significant tourist and historical attractions. Caves, for example, functioned as early settlers’ shelters as well as wartime hideouts. Continue reading to learn about some of the country’s greatest caves and their locations.
Caves in Nigeria And Their Locations
IN a previous article, we explored the Full List Of Waterfalls in Nigeria and their Locations, here we bring to you the top ten caves in Nigeria today, in no particular order, and their locations are as follows:
#1. OGBUNIKE CAVE, ANAMBRA STATE
The beauty of Ogbunike Cave is that it is a network of caverns that are interlinked or linked together by little tunnels and passages. It is located in Anambra State. The Ogbunike cave is undoubtedly one of Anambra State’s most popular tourist attractions today.
According to legend, this cave has served as an escape route as well as a hideout for indigenes in times of war for several years in the past, and that during the Nigerian Civil War, the cave played a significant role in once again providing shelter to people fleeing for their lives in that part of the country as the war raged on.
To enter the cave’s tunnel, one must climb 317 stairs, and it is stated that tourists/visitors must remove their shoes once inside the cave’s entrance, and ladies on their periods are not permitted to enter. The main chamber of the Ogbunike cave is a large structure with a vast open chamber about 5 meters high, 10 meters wide, and 30 meters long at the entrance. There are around 10 tunnels that lead into the cave’s main chamber.
A stream runs out of one of the tunnels into the fast-flowing River Nkissa, and a ceremony is known as “ImeOgbe” takes place every year in May to honor the caves’ discovery.
#2. OLUMO ROCK CAVES, OGUN STATE
The Olumo Rock Caves are located within the renowned Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, Ogun State. During the inter-tribal conflict in the 19th century, the rock, as well as its many caverns, served as a natural stronghold for the Egba people, who were the original occupants of Abeokuta. It offered security to the Egba people in times of need, and it is now one of the most popular tourist sites in the country’s southwestern region.
#3. OWERRE-EZUKALA CAVE, ANAMBRA STATE
In the Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, the Owerre-Ezukala Cave is a limestone structure with waterfalls. It’s also known as the Ogba-Ukwu cave, and it’s one of West Africa’s largest caves. This cave in Eastern Nigeria contains four rock shelters, two waterfalls, and other stunning characteristics, making it really unique. According to legend, one of the cave’s chambers, accessible by stone steps, contains an ancient elephant’s foot standing, long dead and dried.
#4. AWHUM CAVES, ENUGU STATE
Amaugwe Village, Awhum Town, Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State is home to Awhum Caves, also known as Ohum Caves. The cave, which is part of the Awhum Waterfalls, is a peaceful haven for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of large towns. The Awhum Cave is a limestone cave that winds its way through a stretch of steep-sided and beautiful hills that have been split in half by running streams. During the day, light filters into the cave from the ceiling through small sinkholes, illuminating the tunnels and creating a stunning picture.
#5. EDEGBAKE/OGHODOGHODO CAVES, EDO STATE
Near Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area, Edo State, is the Edegbake/Oghodoghodo caves. These prehistoric caverns are said to have been the home of an early man’s society. Edegbake, the smaller of the two caverns, can comfortably accommodate 50 people, while Oghodoghodo, the bigger cave, can accommodate around 200 people. The presence of a slow-moving creek that passes through Edegbake cave makes amateur fishing possible in the region, and the area in general where the caverns are located is excellent for excursions, picnics, general relaxation, and so on.
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#6. THE MARSHALL CAVES, BAUCHI STATE
The Marshall Caves are located in Mainamaji Village, Bauchi State, near kilometer 40 of the Bauchi-Gombe Expressway. The caves are a group of 59 homes excavated into sandstone escarpments that were found in the early twentieth century. Although no one knows for certain who utilized the caverns, it is certain that they were formerly inhabited.
Local indigenous people utilized the caverns to shelter from slave raiders linked with the Emir of Bauchi and/or Arabic slave raiders coming down from the Sahara region, according to legend. The Marshall caves have rock drawings and carvings in various lines, which were likely made by the cave’s first occupants.
#7. IHU-OGBA CAVE, ENUGU STATE
The Ihu-Ogba cave is located near the Ezeagu Tourist Complex in Enugu State, and it was found during the Nigerian-Biafran civil war when residents of the surrounding region were in urgent need of hiding places that could also serve as homes. The cave is entered by two large narrow tunnels with three chambers, and the locals believe it is the home of the Ogba ghosts.
#8. ESA CAVE, EKITI STATE
Esa Cave is located next to a mountain that rises to a height of roughly 10,000 feet above sea level. It’s in Ekiti State, in the southwestern part of Nigeria. The cave is claimed to have belonged to the Ijoro family of Okesale, IyinEkiti, Ekiti, and it was manned by their forefathers who discovered a cave in the region and used it as a shelter many years ago.
Esa Cave is 6 kilometers from IyinEkiti in the Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, and roughly 3 kilometers from Ado-Ekiti in the Ado Local Government Area, Ekiti State’s capital city. The Cave retains its natural appearance, and signs of human activity may still be found there. It has delineated chambers divided by low-height mud-brick walls that have proven sturdy and difficult to demolish.
Small stones used as “pillows” by previous residents may still be found in the cave today. The cave has a long history of serving as a safe haven for Iyin and Ado-Ekiti warriors throughout their inter-township battles with the Ekiti State’s Ikere-Ekiti people. After Ikogosi and Arinta Waterfall in Ekiti, the cave is the third most frequented tourist attraction.
#9. IHO ELERU CAVE, ONDO STATE
The Cave of Ashes, also known as IhoEleru Cave, is 24 kilometers south of Akure, Ondo State. The overhang of a large block of gneiss at the foot of an inselberg produced this cave, which is a rock shelter. Thurstan Shaw, a well-known archaeologist, discovered prehistoric man’s bones in these caverns in 1965, and the bones were radiocarbon dated to be over 8,000 years old. For anybody who like adventure, it is a must-see tourist attraction.
#10. AMANCHOR CAVE, EBONYI STATE
The Amanchor Cave is found in Amanchor, Afikpo South, Ebonyi State, in the country’s south-eastern region. The Cave, which is roughly 4 kilometers long, is one of Ebonyi’s major tourist attractions. The cave features a natural step-like structure at the entrance, which is supported by a wooden ladder built by the community. The Amanchor cave is made up of three tunnels, the second of which is known as the “window,” which opens onto the cave’s bottom level and allows visitors to see the cave’s floor. The “door” refers to the cave’s third opening.
On the last Orie market day of the year, in December, an annual celebration known as Orie-Ogba is held in the cave.
Conclusion
Here are the top 10 Caves in Nigeria And Their Locations you can include in your next visit.
