Cost and Payment: The basic cost of a two week tour including room, board and all transportation within Nigeria and a guide or teacher is $1000 per person. Shorter visits, longer visits and group rates can all be negotiated.

General Notes on Travel in Nigeria

Communication: You will always be reachable by mobile telephone. Telephone service is expensive in Nigeria, however, and we suggest that you arrange to have people call you, or take advantage of the internet telephone services in Lagos,Iseyin. and Abuja. Oddly enough, a call to the US,Japan,Canada,Australia through the Voice Over Internet Protocol normally costs 30 naira a minute, while phone calls within Nigeria cost 40 naira per minute. Internet service is available in cafes for $2-3 per hour.

Money: At this writing, one dollar is equal to 137 naira. The currency floats, and you can change dollars either at bureaux de change or at occasional informal currency markets. 

Remember that credit cards should not be used in Nigeria. You should bring enough cash to pay for any shopping or excursions you might wish. With advance notice you can arrange to deposit money in the US,Canada,Japan,Britain,Australia and have it available in naira when you arrive in Nigeria. As the Nigerian currency is bulky (the largest denomination is equivalent to about $3.50) you may wish to draw on these accounts in small quantities.

Medical Care: Consult your personal physician before planning a visit to Nigeria.  Malaria is endemic in Nigeria, and  malaria prophylaxis can only be taken under the supervision of a physician acquainted with your medical history. 

Security: As you prepare for your journey, friends and acquaintances may look at you like you are crazy for planning a visit to Nigeria. Nigeria has a fearsome reputation, and we have to admit that reputation is not entirely undeserved. We don't want to minimize the difficulties of living and traveling in Nigeria, and we urge you to read advisories on travel to Nigeria from the US State Department or the British Foreign Office before you decide to come.

Clothing: You should bring casual, comfortable clothing with you. Dress for women is somewhat more modest than in the US, and shorts and halter tops should be avoided. Most visitors end up buying African clothes, and these are appropriate for any occasion in Nigeria.

Travel Arrangements: DDK¡Çs associates in the US ,Canada,Japan,Australia,Britain will be in touch with you by email or telephone to assist you in planning your visit to Nigeria. Dabi and colleagues in Nigeria want to know what your particular interests might be; let them know if there are any places or any people you are anxious to see. 

Scheduling Your Visit: Nigeria doesn't have the four seasons of the higher latitudes, but the weather patterns are pronounced enough to make some months better than others for a visit. The big rains come from late April through early July, and the heavy downpours make travel difficult. July through September are the best months for a visit, when cool breezes and occasional rains drop the temperatures throughout the country (you may even want to bring a long sleeve shirt to Iseyin). The ¡Èlittle rains¡É come from September through early November, another good time to see Nigeria. In December and January high winds blowing across the Sahara - ¡Èthe harmattan¡É -bring clouds of dust that block the sun and drop the temperatures, but some people find the dust irritates asthma or other bronchial problems, and the dust casts a yellowish pallor over everything that is aesthetically unattractive. The temperatures begin to rise in January, and March/April are the warmest months in Nigeria. 

As soon as you claim your luggage and clear customs, Dabi's staff take you to his home in the heart of Lagos "Surulere". There, you can browse the art of Lagosians , or see some of the documentaries that have been made about Nigerian culture. While in Lagos, you might want to see the spectacular collection of traditional sculptures and carving in the National Museum, or visit the National Gallery to acquaint yourself with some of the country's modern masters. Visit bookstores to buy Nigerian novels or histories or special works on cultural topics (the country has an active publishing industry). 

You will discover a city far more welcoming than the ferocious Lagos of modern myth. Itis a Third World megalopolis, all right, and even Dabi's authority can't make traffic jams disappear or the electrical system function. No one would ever use words like £ðleasant or relaxing in reference to the commercial capital of West Africa, but Lagos is a lively, chaotic, fast-moving city. Your Lagos stay can be as long or as brief as you like. Don't be surprised, though, if you leave Nigeria with a certain fondness and respect for Lagos.

Iseyin

Iseyin,home of "Aso-oke"(Hand woven traditional outfits), large agricultural town in southwestern Nigeria,located in Oyo State. Food crops include plantains,cassava, yams, maize (corn), peanuts, okra, and peppers.Dwarf cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry are kept aslivestock. Tobacco, cotton, and vegetable dyes are among the important cash crops.Iseyin is a center for cotton spinning, weaving, and dyeing,and also for metalworking.It is connected to Oyo and Abeokuta by road.Iseyin was regarded as a stronghold pillar of Yorubaland by the mid-19th century.In 1893 Iseyin came under British control. Population (1995) 211,800.

Abuja

Nigeria's new capital is an attractive modern city set in the middle of the country. It is too new to have developed a flavor or personality of its own; it offers none of the excitement of Lagos, but it also frees you from the traffic problems that plague the commercial capital. You may choose to arrive in Nigeria at the small and quiet international airport at Abuja.