Idanre – The Ancient City on a Hill

The new town of Idanre is what many might refer to as a sleepy town. I beg to differ. The city is not nearly as populated as any part of Lagos but it is buzzing with people and activities in its own rights. And its main attraction, the magnificent hills of Idanre, upon which the ancient city once was, is truly a sight to behold!
Oke Idanre is located in Idanre town, Ondo State. There are several legends surrounding theΒ discovery of the town. One version tells the tale of a fleeing son of Ife who was left amazed by the sight of the hills once he arrived in the town. The name ‘Idanre’ was then coined from his words ‘idan ree’ which translates to ‘Amazing wonders’…
Idanre
The actual age of the ancient city is not clear. I’ve read in some texts of it being 800 years old and in some others, a thousand. It’s probably safe to say that the ancient city has been in existence somewhere between 800-1000 years.

Hiking the steep steps of the hills to get to the ancient city is no child’s play, (we’ll worry about a cableway much later!) It takes all of 660 steps and then some to get to the top.

Idanre
There are about five resting points, set 100 metres apart from each other along the way and believe me when I say that you’ll be ecstatic to see them!
Idanre
Among the attractions atop the hill are the old primary school, constructed out of clay by missionaries in the early nineties, an old prison, a burial ground and the mysterious handwriting on the rock referred to as the ‘unreadable letters of the flood’.
Also up the hill, in the ancient city is the Arun River, which is believed to have healing powers and the Owa’s palace and courtyard.
Idanre
Idanre%2BCourtyard
Idanre%2BHill%2BAttractions
Collage Top L-R – Old primary school, prison and burial grounds.
Bottom: L-R – The unreadable letters of the flood (Adiye kowe, Oyimbo kaati: a white man cannot decipher a chicken’s writing)Β and the Owa’s palace courtyard.

Even though the majority of locals have moved down the hill in favour of civilization, the ancient city is far from being abandoned as cultural practices and traditions are still actively observed by some of its people.


*Idanre hills is listed tentatively as a Β UNESCO World Heritage site.. For my trip, I went with a tour organized by Unravelling Nigeria. Read all about the trip here

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Guess where! πŸ‘€
Guess where! πŸ‘€
19 hours ago
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1/9
Let me be honest, that tripod was never going to see the light of day! 🀭
Let me be honest, that tripod was never going to see the light of day! 🀭
2 days ago
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2/9
What a beautiful city! 😍

#kamoriver #kyoto #japan
What a beautiful city! 😍 #kamoriver #kyoto #japan
3 days ago
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3/9
Clear views of Mount Fuji, a beautiful lake and swans... what more could I possibly ask for? πŸ₯°
_____________________

If you visit the area, here are some places you'll find the swans + a perfect view of Mount Fuji πŸ”πŸ¦’

πŸ“Œ Hirano Beach η™½ι³₯桜: There's an elderly gentleman who comes to feed the swans from around 8:30am to 4pm, so you're likely to see flocks of swans here
πŸ“Œ In front of Koyu Club Hotel (コーユー倢ζ₯½ιƒ¨ε±±δΈ­ζΉ–畔ァロン)
πŸ“Œ A little further down the road from the last location is a dock where you can also rent swan boats.

For clear views of Mount Fuji, winter, spring and autumn have the most days with clear visibility. You can always look up the weather forecast to see what the day's going to be like before you visit. 

Early mornings and evenings give you the best chance of seeing the gorgeous mountain without any cloud coverings 🀍 On this particular day, Mount Fuji was clearly visible throughout the day!

#lakeyamanaka #fujifivelakes #swanlake #japan
Clear views of Mount Fuji, a beautiful lake and swans... what more could I possibly ask for? πŸ₯° _____________________ If you visit the area, here are some places you'll find the swans + a perfect view of Mount Fuji πŸ”πŸ¦’ πŸ“Œ Hirano Beach η™½ι³₯桜: There's an elderly gentleman who comes to feed the swans from around 8:30am to 4pm, so you're likely to see flocks of swans here πŸ“Œ In front of Koyu Club Hotel (コーユー倢ζ₯½ιƒ¨ε±±δΈ­ζΉ–畔ァロン) πŸ“Œ A little further down the road from the last location is a dock where you can also rent swan boats. For clear views of Mount Fuji, winter, spring and autumn have the most days with clear visibility. You can always look up the weather forecast to see what the day's going to be like before you visit. Early mornings and evenings give you the best chance of seeing the gorgeous mountain without any cloud coverings 🀍 On this particular day, Mount Fuji was clearly visible throughout the day! #lakeyamanaka #fujifivelakes #swanlake #japan
4 days ago
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4/9
This town was a beautiful surprise in Japan 😍

To get here, we travelled from Kyoto to Nagoya and from there to Nakatsugawa. From Nakatsugawa Station, we had to take another bus to Magome-Juku but the commute was so worth it!

-------‐‐‐--‐

Magome forms part of the Nakasendo Trail, a historic route that once connected Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period in Japan. It traverses the mountainous heart of Japan, offering breathtaking views of forests, rivers, and traditional villages.

The trail is known for its 69 post towns where people would rest along the way. Today, parts of the Nakasendo are well-preserved, allowing hikers to experience a mix of nature and history as they walk through charming old towns like Magome and Tsumago, where time seems to stand still amidst the preserved traditional architecture.

#travelinspiration #japantrip #magome #travelwithapentojapan #travelwithapen
This town was a beautiful surprise in Japan 😍 To get here, we travelled from Kyoto to Nagoya and from there to Nakatsugawa. From Nakatsugawa Station, we had to take another bus to Magome-Juku but the commute was so worth it! -------‐‐‐--‐ Magome forms part of the Nakasendo Trail, a historic route that once connected Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period in Japan. It traverses the mountainous heart of Japan, offering breathtaking views of forests, rivers, and traditional villages. The trail is known for its 69 post towns where people would rest along the way. Today, parts of the Nakasendo are well-preserved, allowing hikers to experience a mix of nature and history as they walk through charming old towns like Magome and Tsumago, where time seems to stand still amidst the preserved traditional architecture. #travelinspiration #japantrip #magome #travelwithapentojapan #travelwithapen
6 days ago
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5/9
Black Crow Castle, standing strong since the 1500s β€” a true Japanese gem!
Black Crow Castle, standing strong since the 1500s β€” a true Japanese gem!
6 days ago
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6/9
Travel Amarachi is VERY different from Home Amarachi! Am I living a fake life?πŸ˜­πŸ˜‚

Because,my ideal day will start at 10 or 11am and end at 2am. I'm a night owl πŸ¦‰, not an early bird 🐦 - a complete opposite of who I become when I travel!

Tea or Coffee? No, thanks! I'll take a glass of orange juice please! 🍹 But "Travel-Amarachi" will take that matcha 🍡, with the beautiful cafe to matcha! See what I did there? πŸ˜‰ #thefunniestgirlinNigeria #MFGNπŸ‘‘

I only hike for love ❀️ and my Love can faint if he goes on a trip that doesn't include any bit of hiking. So here we are!

+1: I am also a big home buddy. If you catch me outside, I must really love you! But Travel-Amarachi can't stay put in the hotel!
_____________________________

Over to you! What are some ways travel-you differs from home-you? Let me know in the comment section below!

#travelinspiration #japantrip #travelwithapentojapan #travelwithapen
Travel Amarachi is VERY different from Home Amarachi! Am I living a fake life?πŸ˜­πŸ˜‚ Because,my ideal day will start at 10 or 11am and end at 2am. I'm a night owl πŸ¦‰, not an early bird 🐦 - a complete opposite of who I become when I travel! Tea or Coffee? No, thanks! I'll take a glass of orange juice please! 🍹 But "Travel-Amarachi" will take that matcha 🍡, with the beautiful cafe to matcha! See what I did there? πŸ˜‰ #thefunniestgirlinNigeria #MFGNπŸ‘‘ I only hike for love ❀️ and my Love can faint if he goes on a trip that doesn't include any bit of hiking. So here we are! +1: I am also a big home buddy. If you catch me outside, I must really love you! But Travel-Amarachi can't stay put in the hotel! _____________________________ Over to you! What are some ways travel-you differs from home-you? Let me know in the comment section below! #travelinspiration #japantrip #travelwithapentojapan #travelwithapen
1 week ago
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7/9
An absolutely wonderful time in the most stunning country! 😍😍

#japantrip2025πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅πŸŒΈβ›©οΈ
An absolutely wonderful time in the most stunning country! 😍😍 #japantrip2025πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅πŸŒΈβ›©οΈ
1 week ago
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8/9
Public holidays should be your best friend if you work full time and love to travel. Eid and Easter fall between the months of March and June.

If you plan out your vacation time properly, you can:

🌸: get 24 vacation days ✈️ by taking only 12 days off! 🀯. Perfect for your Asian odyssey or West African road trip from Nigeria to Cote D'Ivoire 🚌

You can also split this time, taking shorter breaks in addition to the public holidays.

Take 12 days off from March 31 to April 21 to get 24 vacation days (including weekend and public holidays)! πŸ˜€ 

Mar 31 - Apr 01: Likely Eid Al Fitr
Apr 18 - Apr 21: Easter

Send this post to your manager immediately! πŸš€
Public holidays should be your best friend if you work full time and love to travel. Eid and Easter fall between the months of March and June. If you plan out your vacation time properly, you can: 🌸: get 24 vacation days ✈️ by taking only 12 days off! 🀯. Perfect for your Asian odyssey or West African road trip from Nigeria to Cote D'Ivoire 🚌 You can also split this time, taking shorter breaks in addition to the public holidays. Take 12 days off from March 31 to April 21 to get 24 vacation days (including weekend and public holidays)! πŸ˜€ Mar 31 - Apr 01: Likely Eid Al Fitr Apr 18 - Apr 21: Easter Send this post to your manager immediately! πŸš€
1 month ago
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