Travel Costs & Trip Breakdown: Lagos to Obudu & Calabar

For the next instalment of this series, I’ll be giving a breakdown of our Obudu Calabar trip and will be talking about how much it cost us to embark on it. This was a semi-budget trip, so we didn’t necessarily cut down costs to the barest minimum everywhere but I’ll be showing you how you can.

This breakdown is based solely on our experience and is only intended for the purpose of trip planning and to present a fair idea of how much to budget. All prices stated here are either approximate values or exact values at the time of this writing.

Transportation

picnic car to obudu

Based on recommendation from friends, we travelled from Lagos to Obudu through Enugu. For this leg of the journey, we used GIGM and it cost us N6,200 each.

From Enugu, we got a bus to Obudu for N2,200 each and then a motorcycle to our hotel in Obudu for N100 each. In Obudu, we hired a car to get us to the ranch and back for N10,000. The same car took us to Ikom and Calabar for N30,000.

NB: There are public buses that go to the foot of the mountain resort or motorcycles that go up the ranch. These definitely cost less than hiring a private vehicle. Also, getting to Ikom with a regular bus costs about N1,500 and another N1,500 will get you to Calabar.

We returned to Lagos from Calabar with ABC shuttle service. This cost us N7,200 per person.

(I have written a more concise overview further down this post)

Obudu Calabar Road Trip: Accommodation, Feeding & Entertainment

NessvillehotelWe stayed at Utopia hotel in Enugu for 1 night. This cost us N9,500. In Obudu town, we stayed at Vantage hotel for 2 nights for N30,000. In hindsight, I realize this could have been negotiated a little. Anyway, for this particular hotel, we got a room for N7,500/night but decided to move to a different room.

In Calabar, we stayed at Nessville hotel for 2 nights at N32,000 and with my aunt for the last night at N0 (duh!)

NB: There are hotels within the town that cost way less than all the ones we used. You can get a fairly decent hotel for anything between N5,000 and N7,000.

For feeding, we mostly ate in the hotels – which isn’t the best thing to do if you’re trying to save costs. But we spent N19,000  on food altogether for 6 days.

For tours, in Obudu, we spent N300 each to go on the nature trail and canopy walkway, and N500 each to get to the waterfalls. A tour of the waterfalls at Agbokim cost us N1,000 each.

Here’s an overview of everything we spent…Again, this breakdown is based solely on our experience and is only intended for the purpose of trip planning and to present a fair idea of how much to budget. Your actual trip costs may vary from this.

All prices stated here are either approximate values or exact values at the time of this writing.

Obudu Calabar Road Trip Costs Breakdown

Obudu Costs

I hope you find this breakdown very useful. Please leave me a comment to let me know what you think! And don’t forget to share and subscribe or follow me on my social media pages. I am on Instagram: @amarachiekekwe and on Twitter: @amarachiekekweh 🙂

Other articles in this series:

Cross River Chronicles I: The Spectacular Views of Obudu

Cross River Chronicles II: Things Fall Apart

64 comments

  1. Pls what is the current breakdown of the trip?
    I learnt that the above breakdown was made 2021.

  2. Thanks 👍, at least now I have an idea to set out my budget for this trip. My wedding is coming up 14/12/2024 and trying to find a good place for my honey moon…. thanks once again. From A.B. Bako

    1. Hello Ben, I’m glad you found this post helpful. Just something to take note of, this article was published a few years ago, so the prices will be very different from today’s prices. The breakdown still makes sense but you’ll need to budget 3-4 times higher than what is listed here.

  3. Thank you for this insightful guide. I find it valuable. I intend visiting obudu ranch this Christmas from port Harcourt. I know most of the prices here must have gone up but this would serve as a good guide to follow. Thank you once again.

    1. Thanks for your comment, Engr. Mathew. Happy to read that you found the post helpful. I hope you have a great trip to Obudu!

  4. Yes, this has been helpful. Can you now prepare a draft estimate for a group of 15 people going to Obudu for a week retreat. For convenience, you can have two for low and high expenditures with the added varieties. The trip can be between mid July to late September, 2021. We would want to stay together most of the time. Thank you

    1. Sure, I can do that as a paid service. If you’re interested in this service, please let me know and I will send you all the necessary details needed via email. I will be happy to help plan the trip for your group.

I love to hear from you, Leave a comment here!

Close
Tell me something random about yourself! 🥹
Tell me something random about yourself! 🥹
15 hours ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
Trust me, I know a place 🍃
Trust me, I know a place 🍃
15 hours ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
Still daydreaming about this magical stay @eden_escapes_kenya Diani Beach ⛱️ 

One of the best places to stay in Diani for sure! I loved everything about this villa - the pastel colours, the room, the living area - everything was just stunning and romantic! 🌸🥥

Furaha House was a dream and the pool was a highlight for me! ✨️
Still daydreaming about this magical stay @eden_escapes_kenya Diani Beach ⛱️ One of the best places to stay in Diani for sure! I loved everything about this villa - the pastel colours, the room, the living area - everything was just stunning and romantic! 🌸🥥 Furaha House was a dream and the pool was a highlight for me! ✨️
16 hours ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Day One in Uganda and what an introduction! ✨️🍃

Entebbe Forest Lodge is what dream lodges are made of! On the shores of Lake Victoria, cosy cabins, surrounded by a lush forest... impeccable service and staff - I got some serious princess treatment here! 👑

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here and look forward to revisiting! 🌸💙
Day One in Uganda and what an introduction! ✨️🍃 Entebbe Forest Lodge is what dream lodges are made of! On the shores of Lake Victoria, cosy cabins, surrounded by a lush forest... impeccable service and staff - I got some serious princess treatment here! 👑 I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here and look forward to revisiting! 🌸💙
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Everytime I looked up things to do in Kampala and Entebbe, I saw results filled with a lot of movements - sometimes chaotic. 🚙🏍

I wanted calm and serenity 🍃 and knew there just had to be somewhere in these cities where I could find that.

And that's how I stumbled upon Entebbe Forest Lodge - an oasis in tue city. Situated only 30mins away from the international airport, this lodge was a great introduction to Uganda 🇺🇬

It is located in the middle of a forest, right on the shores of Lake Victoria. The perfect place to begin or end your trip in Uganda.

#uganda #entebbe #entebbeforestlodge #travelinspiration #travelwithapen
Everytime I looked up things to do in Kampala and Entebbe, I saw results filled with a lot of movements - sometimes chaotic. 🚙🏍 I wanted calm and serenity 🍃 and knew there just had to be somewhere in these cities where I could find that. And that's how I stumbled upon Entebbe Forest Lodge - an oasis in tue city. Situated only 30mins away from the international airport, this lodge was a great introduction to Uganda 🇺🇬 It is located in the middle of a forest, right on the shores of Lake Victoria. The perfect place to begin or end your trip in Uganda. #uganda #entebbe #entebbeforestlodge #travelinspiration #travelwithapen
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
🇺🇬 My first trip to Uganda was absolutely wonderful! I can't believe it's taken me this long to visit but I am glad I finally did! 🍃

I say first trip because I most certainly will be back! This trip - though short, left me well rested and itching to explore more. 🌥🌿 I prioritised wellness and nature and it paid off! 

As a Kenyan Resident, I was happy to receive discounted offers from lodges that would typically be out of my budget range and was also lucky to be hosted by my work mama in Kampala. 🥹 - my accommodations were trip highlights for sure!

Kampala traffic? 🏍💨 Never met her! This one shocked me the most because I had heard so much about it and braced myself for the worst. To my delight, I experienced none of this!

Weather in September? 🌦  Perfect! It rained 4 times during my 7-day stay, but only for short bursts of time. I was still able to do everything I set out to do!

There's plenty I did not see and do in Uganda, so I certainly look forward to returning someday! 💗

In the meantime, catch up with stories on my page - I'll be sharing them soon and let me know if you have visited!

#uganda #entebbe #kampala #jinja #travelinspiration #travelwithapen
🇺🇬 My first trip to Uganda was absolutely wonderful! I can't believe it's taken me this long to visit but I am glad I finally did! 🍃 I say first trip because I most certainly will be back! This trip - though short, left me well rested and itching to explore more. 🌥🌿 I prioritised wellness and nature and it paid off! As a Kenyan Resident, I was happy to receive discounted offers from lodges that would typically be out of my budget range and was also lucky to be hosted by my work mama in Kampala. 🥹 - my accommodations were trip highlights for sure! Kampala traffic? 🏍💨 Never met her! This one shocked me the most because I had heard so much about it and braced myself for the worst. To my delight, I experienced none of this! Weather in September? 🌦 Perfect! It rained 4 times during my 7-day stay, but only for short bursts of time. I was still able to do everything I set out to do! There's plenty I did not see and do in Uganda, so I certainly look forward to returning someday! 💗 In the meantime, catch up with stories on my page - I'll be sharing them soon and let me know if you have visited! #uganda #entebbe #kampala #jinja #travelinspiration #travelwithapen
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
Soft life Uganda was a vibe! 🍃💕
Soft life Uganda was a vibe! 🍃💕
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
A lodge literally floating between wild rapids and serene luxury. Uganda has truly wowed me! 🥹🇺🇬

#travelafrica #uganda #rivernile
A lodge literally floating between wild rapids and serene luxury. Uganda has truly wowed me! 🥹🇺🇬 #travelafrica #uganda #rivernile
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Your reminder for today...✨️
Your reminder for today...✨️
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
9/9
Latest Posts
  • The Easiest Visas I’ve Ever Applied For (And Received!)

  • How to Plan a Fantastic Overnight Trip from Tokyo to Mt Fuji

  • Hiking the Nakasendo Trail from Magome to Tsumago

  • Kyoto – Always a Delight!

  • Luxury High Tea & Spa Date in Nairobi – The Perfect Girls’ Day Out!

Translate
Become an Insider!
Archives
Close

Travel with a Pen

Seek out New Adventures, Travel Differently

Travel with a Pen © Copyright 2025
Close