5 Facts About Olumo Rock That Will Blow Your Mind.

Olumo Rock in Abeokuta is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable day trips that you can take from Lagos.
In fact, the Lonely Planet has described Olumo Rock as:

“having a rich history and great spiritual significance”

That’s spot on and so proud are we of this great monolith, that we have decided to put together a list of 5 mind blowing facts about Olumo Rock. We start with number one on the list, which gives some details on the Olumo Rock’s history…

# 1 The History of Olumo Rock

Olumo Rock has a long history stretching back to ancient times. The rock is a build-up of granite rocks that has been in existence for thousands of years.
The rock is situated in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State. In fact, Olumo Rock gave its to Abeokuta which means “under the rock”.

According to the history books, Olumo Rock once served as a sanctuary and fortress to the Egba People in the early 1800s. For the history buffs among you, you will know that the Egba People were once part of the powerful Oyo Empire but which then became independent after the empire collapsed in
In more recent time, extensive renovations were carried out at Olumo Rock in 2006 and the new tourism complex features a new restaurant, museum, water fountain and a market where you can buy some superb tie-and-dye arts and crafts.

# 2 Olumo Rock’s Towering Height

Olumo Rock has a height of 137 meters above sea level. That’s pretty high and is half the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (300 meters)! However, it’s nowhere near as high as Zuma Rock, which is 725 meters above sea level.
Perhaps Olumo Rock is lacking in height but this means that it’s easy to climb. There are in fact man made stairs carved into the rock, making the climb fairly easy even for less fit visitors to the Olumo Tourist Complex. For those who don’twant to do any climbing, an elevator to the top of the summit has been installed for visitors but you will be charged extra for this luxury.
Once you reach the summit, you will be able to see stunning views of Abeokuta, including the First Church of Nigeria, the Central Mosque, the River Ogu and the family house of the late Moshood Abiola.

# 3 There’s a Gate Fee for Olumo Rock

Many of our readers have asked us “what is the gate fee for the Olumo Rock”? This is a fair question given that many visiting Olumo Rock will have already dished out the cash to reach Abeokuta.
At the time of writing, the gate fee for Olumo Rock is 700 Naira plus a camera fee of 200 Naira and a parking fee of 200 Naira. We also understand that there is an additional charge those wishing to make use of the elevator at the site.

# 4 Where Is Olumo Rock Located?

As we mentioned above, Olumo Rock is located in Abeokuta. The exact address is the intersection between Ijemo-Alape Road and Ita-Bayinbo Street.
If you are driving to Olumo Rock from Lagos, then the best route to take is the A5 towards Papalanto. The drive is around 2 hours until you reach Abeokuta.
If you don’t have a car, then you can take the Lagos – Abeokuta train on the west line of the Nigerian rail network. There’s only 77km between Lagos and Abeokuta. What’s more, trains leave each hour during the morning and a second-class ticket should set you back around 180 Naira.

# 5 Abeokuta Has Plenty Else To Offer Visitors

If you’re planning a day trip to Olumo Rock, keep in mind that there’s a whole host of other fun things to do in Abeokuta such as the Abeoukuta Museum, Centenary Hall, Oyan Dam, Old Manse and many others.
By the way, if you are interested in other tourist sites in Nigeria, why don’t you check out our fascinating piece on Zuma Rock?
If you have been to Olumo Rock, please share your experiences below and let us know if you have any tips on making the most of a visit.

5 Facts About Olumo Rock That Will Blow Your Mind. 2017-01-04T04:27:00-08:00 Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Tunde Victor Olonitola