IITA Ibadan – The Perfect Weekend Getaway

IITA Ibadan – the perfect weekend getaway.

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In dire need of a vacation, a trip anywhere honestly, IITA came up when I was looking for quick weekend trips to take out of Lagos and when the timing, location and budget lined up perfectly, I booked it. I spent two blissful days there with my sisters and some friends and let me tell you, it was not enough time.

We started off by getting a train from Lagos to Ibadan bright and early on a Saturday, got off at Moniya in Ibadan where our driver was waiting to take us to what would be our home for the next 2 days. We arrived at IITA at 11 am.

Arriving at IITA already felt like a change of pace – a place for complete rest. The air was crisp, the skies clear, and my breathing better. It was a long journey and we needed to refuel before the day’s activities began so before we even checked into our rooms, we sat down for lunch.

Once we ate and checked into our rooms we began roaming the grounds of IITA. Something that stood out was the landscape, it is BREATH-TAKING, and leaves you feeling free. Mid-afternoon came, we rented bicycles and rode down to the lake to watch the sunset. With the open road and chipmunks running free, I could feel my previously low spirit filling back up.

The lake is about a 30-minute scenic walk from the rooms. On the way, we came across trees hundreds of years old, fields of wheat, and vast land. When the sun began to set at 6 pm it was an impressive view, but then it set some more, and the sky was set ablaze. All hues of orange, yellow, purple, and blue graced the skies, it stopped us right in our tracks, we were awestruck, speechless and staring for what felt like forever.

I still see the sunset when I close my eyes, it sets my soul on fire.

Getting from Lagos to Ibadan

You can either take the train or go by road.

The train ride from Lagos to Ibadan takes roughly 2 ½ hours. It leaves on time and the ride is smooth. However, the process of buying your train ticket is very hectic and the train ride is longer than if you go by road. Tickets aren’t sold online so you must get to the station at least 2 hours before departure to ensure you get a ticket.

Going by road is faster however, the ride is very bumpy due to the bad roads and isn’t as safe as going by train.

Check out the train schedule.

Getting from Ibadan train station to IITA

The train station in Ibadan is on the outskirts of town so there are taxis outside of the station you can hire.

However, if you are staying for a few days and want to be picked up from IITA a few days later, it would be best to hire a private driver beforehand, this will make your trip much smoother.

Accommodation at IITA

Booking accommodation at IITA can be a bit tedious but trust me, it’s worth it in the end.

Follow these steps to book accommodation at IITA:

• Send an email to IITA to reserve accommodation, they prefer email reservations so don’t book online.
• They will respond with the cost of the different types of accommodation.
• Reply with the type of rooms you want to reserve, the number of days you would be reserving it for, the number and names of people who will be staying in each room.
• Once your reservation has been confirmed, you will be sent a confirmation letter which should be printed out and shown at the reception when you arrive.
• After receiving confirmation, you will need to make payments and email your proof of payment as well as inform them of your arrival date & time.

*They don’t often respond immediately so, you’ll need to follow up with a call (08039784167, 07008004482) to get a swift response.

*Check-in: 3pm, Check – out: 12pm

Activities at IITA Ibadan

IITA isn’t a treasure trove of activity, it’s for relaxation, a place to reset and recharge.

Activities:

• Swimming
• Bicycle riding: N500 per hour
• Picnicking by the lake
• Fishing
• Forest walk: N2000 naira per person

How many days should you spend?

You should spend at least 2 nights at IITA, 1 night just isn’t enough to fully enjoy it. Try to arrive on the first train and leave on the last train. This will give you time to take in the beauty of IITA in its entirety.

You can go solo or with other people but either way, you will truly enjoy your time there.

Food at IITA Ibadan

Your booking comes with free breakfast and if you are booking a flatlet – which has a mini kitchen – you are permitted to cook. However, the appliances are quite ancient so I wouldn’t recommend cooking there.

There is a restaurant at IITA, and the food is quite affordable with large portions.

Cost Breakdown

We spent 1 night (which was not nearly enough time), with 5 people our total spend came up to:

If you haven’t been yet, I hope I’ve convinced you to unwind and spend a weekend relaxing in IITA. If you have been, how was your experience?

Happy Travels!