#TravelNigeria – The Ngwo Pine Forest, Cave And Waterfall (What No One Tells You)

Exploring The Coal City- Enugu.

Over the Easter break, I traveled down to my hometown with family. There was a burial to attend and extended family to catch up with but ultimately, my plan was to explore and tick off Enugu from my growing list of places to visit in Nigeria. 

A day after arriving my hometown in Awka, Anambra state. My friend Dami, (who made the trip across the famous Onitsha bridge with me) alongside my cousin and I set out to explore Enugu.

The plan was simple enough – Visit the Ngwo pine forest, check out the Ngwo cave and waterfall. And of course, stop by at the polo park to get on their famous roller coaster.

Chasing waterfalls seems to be my new thing and I had heard/read a lot about the Ngwo pine forest, Ngwo cave and waterfall, that I just had to go check it out for myself.

Hiking up to the cave was really an experience- An eye-opening one too and it would be criminal of me not to share my own experience because nothing I had ever read about the Ngwo cave prepared me for what I actually met.

Planning to visit the Ngwo Cave and Waterfall? You should check this out first! Click To Tweet

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Transportation. 

The journey to Enugu was pretty straightforward seeing as Enugu is quite close to Awka (Anambra state) – our take-off point. We initially planned to get a straight cab but later decided to rough it out and go full public transport mode so that we could take in more of the sights, immerse ourselves and have that full travel experience.

Google map and asking people about the stops guided our path and we found our way quite easily. The Ngwo pine forest, cave, and waterfall are located in the same vicinity so it was pretty much one stone to kill three birds.

Ngwo Pine Forest.

Like the name suggests, the Ngwo pine forest is literally just a large stretch of land filled with pine trees. Somehow I had expected a more enthralling view. I’m not sure why, but I did. However, it was still quite nice to finally see the pine forest with my own eyes and mentally tick it off my list.

I had also expected it to be more organized with people manning the entrance, ticket fee and something to give off a sense of security but we got there to meet a deserted space.

We stood around for a while trying to figure out how to proceed before being approached by two men who probably figured they could get some money from us. After a bit of back and forth, we settled on paying them N1000 per person to act as our tour guide (lead us to the cave)

The Ngwo Pineforest, Cave And Waterfall Is Definitely A Must Visit If You Find Yourself In Enugu! Click To Tweet

Now, this whole thing (The empty forest and strange men) was quite scary to me and I couldn’t stop thanking whatever stars made me decide to invite my male cousin because I couldn’t imagine going any further with the guys if it were just myself and my female friend.

Ngwo cave and waterfall.

The journey through the forest to the Ngwo cave and waterfall was one of the scariest things ever (Second only to the bike ride from ouidah to casa del papa in Benin republic) for me. Compounded by the fact that we were in an unknown place with no security, being led by two unknown men who could quite frankly do whatever they wanted with us seeing as it’s their territory.

We walked for quite a bit, met a few herdsmen along the way but they were non-threatening and the hike wasn’t as strenuous as the Erin Ijesha hike. Heading back was a war though! I was exhausted/panting at some point from the walk but I think that’s basically because I’m unfit. Shouldn’t be a problem if you’re not like me.

Related: My Road Trip From Lagos To Experience The Erin Ijesha Waterfall.

As we got closer to the cave, I could feel the air get colder and hear the sound of the water. The ground also got more mushy with mud and at some point, we had to debate if to take off our shoes to avoid ruining it or just walk with our bare feet.

We finally got to the cave (which also houses the waterfall) and I was pretty excited. Although it isn’t a major waterfall, it was still a delight to watch. The walls of the cave were also very interesting and filled with unique markings, which was intriguing.

A Few Things People Fail To Mention About The Ngwo Cave And Waterfall - A.K.A Must Know Things Before You Visit! Click To Tweet

I was quite disappointed to see how littered the floor was. If I wasn’t just happy to finally be at the cave, I would have been really disgusted. It’s a bit sad to see how Nigeria treats its tourist sites.

I believe that with proper tour guides (To also give some history) and better management, the Ngwo experience will be a whole lot better.

A Few Tips From My Ngwo Experience.

• Please go with the grace of God and a guy if you’re a girl.
• Wear crocs or something you wouldn’t mind messing up with water and mud.
• It isn’t a major waterfall like in Erin Ijesha, so don’t go with major expectations.

Regardless of the fact that it is a very poorly managed place and wasn’t all I was expecting in terms of security and cleanliness. It was still a very nice experience and I was happy that I made the trip down. Discovering new places and ticking off places from my travel list will forever be a mood for me.

Related: #TravelNigeria : 5 Places I Want To Visit In Nigeria This Year.

Enugu is really a beautiful city! It is an entire vibe if I’m being honest and I loved it there! Enugu means “On a hill or hilltop” so it has a lot of rocky landscape.

We made a final stop at the Polo  Park (Shoprite) mall to take in more sights and get on the roller coaster (This ride was very slowwwww but nice). There are other tourist sites like the Udi hills, Awhum falls and Nike lake. I definitely plan to visit Enugu again and just explore more of the city.

Have you ever been to Enugu or the Ngwo cave and waterfall? What was your experience like?

 Share your thoughts please and let’s connect!