10 things to know before you visit Kano, Nigeria
Located in the North West geopolitical zone in Nigeria is Kano.
Judging by the date on my phone, it has been 7 months, 6 days since my first magical visit in Kano.
I was invited and sponsored to Kano to speak at an event called : The Creative Tribe Summit.
Before my visit to Kano, I was not sure of what to think of the city/state.
Yes, the capital of Kano is Kano city, so please follow me and do not get confused.
As mentioned in my recent Instagram post, the state is rich in diverse cultural attractions and eco-tourism.
Here are some basic facts about Kano:
- Kano is the second largest city in Nigeria after Lagos State.
- The popular religion practiced in Kano is Islam. However, Kano city has a town that accommodates individuals of other religions. More on that in my YouTube video
- Kano’s Motto: Centre is Commerce is derived from her history of being Nigeria’s number 1 commercial trading center before Lagos picked up.
- The Durbar festival takes place in Kano to celebrate the two Muslim holidays – eid el Kabir and eid el Fitri.
- In terms of natural resources, Kano is rich in Gassiterite, Copper, Gemstone, Glass-sand, Lead/Zinc, Pyrochinre & Tantalite.
Photo Credit: Michael “Ama Psalmist” Akinrogunde.
Now to your burning questions:
Is Kano Safe to Travel?
YES (raised to power 100)!
Haha!
Kano has never been safer.
The truth is during my brief stay in Kano, I kept wondering why there was a false scare of Kano on the media.
Kano reminded me of Lagos, I felt at home while I was in Kano.
If you are still not sure about this answer, feel free to reach out to a local in Kano on Instagram, Twitter, or what ever way you choose to socially connect with people.
For more context on what Kano is like, watch this video.
2. Are there resorts in Kano?
Yes there are, unfortunately I did not visit any during my brief stay in Kano.
3. What are the fun places to visit in Kano?
Being that fun is relative, I will be your travel guide and highlight the tourist destinations I visited in Kano.
The Emirs Palace
Now this is my warning to you before you go visiting;
DRESS LIKE A LOCAL.
I got to the Emir’s palace, but I was not allowed entrance because it was obvious I was a tourist.
When going to emirs palace you can do either of this two; 1, seek permission from the authorities, 2, dress like a local to avoid questioning.
Why should you visit the Emir’s palace?
Well, for me I honestly went there to get good Instagram pictures because the architecture of the palace is beautiful.
Yes ke! In case you have not heard, there is a new form of tourism called Insta- Tourism, Google it.
The other reason to visit the palace is to get informed on the history of Kano, as well as the Queen of England’s visit to Kano.
Kano Zoological Gardens:
Fam! For the first time in my life, I saw an Elephant in Nigeria.
I know I have seen pictures and heard alot about how rich Northern Nigeria is in game reserves, but nothing prepared me for the joy I felt when I saw one on Nigeria’s soil.
I know, I know, you might be thinking to your self if you are a regular consumer of my content: “Fisayo why so excited? You have seen a lot of Elephants in the Maasia Mara Game Reserve in person.”My answer to you is this:
1. This one is on Nigeria’s soil, so the excitement is double.
2. While I was at the zoological garden, I felt up close with the Elephant.
That has been the closest I had felt with any Elephant, so the experience was different for me.
3. It never gets old seeing such wild animals in person.
By the way, guess the gate fees?
NGN100 only (this is less than a USD).
Watch the video below to see other animals at the zoo.
Now, there are other places to visit in Kano, in fact, a YouTube viewer left a comment mentioning how disappointed he was that I only showed two places in the video.
However, I only had 2 days and 1 night to experience Kano and I tried to cover a number of places during my limited time in Kano.
I could not have covered it all.
Nonetheless, this makes me look forward to my next visit to Kano so I can tick every destination off my list.
4. How do I travel to Kano?
If you are concerned with how to get transported to Kano as a foreigner or a Lagosian, you have two options.
Travel by air or by road.
I traveled by air from Lagos Nigeria and it was a 1 hour 30 minutes flight.
This is the longest air travel I have ever had within Nigeria.
By car or bus, it could be between 8 – 12 hours from Lagos, I am not sure.
Below is a video review of the airline I used.
5. Do they speak English?
Yes, they do.
As you may know, English is our official language here in Nigeria.
You might find an illiterate with poor fluency in English, but it is rare that you find someone that can not speak English in Kano city.
In conclusion, if you are in search of a travel agency in Kano, contact travel@travcp.com or CLICK HERE to book Kano tour.
So tell me, what did you think of Kano before reading this article, and what do you think after reading the article.
The comment box is open. 🙂
Please share the article with friends and follow me on Twitter and Instagram – @TheFisayo.
What did you think of Kano before reading this article, and what do you think after reading the article.
I am TheFisayo, the award-winning travel blogger! Click the picture to find out more about me :)
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Emmanuel Obarhua
Thefisayo, it’d mean a lot to travel to Kano and tour it, in that it’s radically different from the south that I’m from and have always been.
thefisayo
I know, I look forward to exploring more of the North.
Eromonsele Emmanuel (ericotrips)
Kano seems like an awesome place to visit and I love how they parade their horses in gallant attire for festive seasons. Thanks for sharing Fisayo!
thefisayo
Yes it is. I really want to document more of the Northern states.
Yukay
I look forward to them when you visit a second time.
Well detailed post by the way. Thanks for the heads up on visiting the Emir’s palace. I found it really helpful.