Ugep

Day Trips

Touch down at Mary Slessor Airport and meet your local guide for a warm welcome. Take a short drive to your lodging in Ugep town while admiring the lush palm groves along the road. Settle in and enjoy a light snack of freshly roasted plantains and palm wine.

Stroll through the town center and familiarize yourself with Ugep’s bustling streets and friendly faces. Stop by a roadside stall to sample ukodo (yam pepper soup) for a hearty introduction to local flavors. Chat with elders seated under the shade of ancient trees and learn about the Yakurr people’s traditions.

Enjoy a sunset walk down to the Cross River, watching fishermen return in their dugout canoes. Savor a dinner of smoked fish, garri, and assorted local vegetables at an open-air pavilion. End the night with storytelling around a fire, hearing folktales passed down through generations.

Head to the Ugep central market at dawn when vendors display heaps of fresh produce, spices, and handcrafted baskets. Bargain with traders over yams, peppers, and native herbs used in traditional medicine. Watch women skillfully weave colorful raffia mats right on the market floor.

Join a cooking demonstration inside the market quarters to learn how to prepare ukwa (breadfruit) stew. Relish every bite as you participate in grinding spices and stirring the pot. After lunch, wander along stalls selling indigo-dyed fabrics and beaded jewelry.

Return to town for a visit to a live dance performance where drummers on ekwe drums set the rhythm. Sip on chilled zobo (hibiscus tea) as you watch dancers dressed in raffia skirts tell stories through movement. Walk back under a starlit sky, absorbing the vibrant energy that lingers.

Set off on foot with a cultural expert to visit ancestral shrines on the outskirts of Ugep. Observe intricate carvings and learn about rituals that honor the river spirits. Feel the serenity of sacred groves where hunting is forbidden.

Lunch near the Ibom Stream with freshly grilled tilapia and spicy pepper sauce. Take time to swim in the clear waters and spot colorful fish darting between rocks. Next, visit a traditional herbalist who explains the healing properties of local plants.

Gather at a community hall for a storytelling ceremony led by a griot. Watch shadow puppets reenact legendary tales of Ugep’s founding. Close the evening with a cup of hot palm kernel coffee as the firelight flickers.

Join locals celebrating the Leboku Yam Festival in full regalia of white and red attire. Witness the Yam Queen’s procession through town accompanied by drummers and dancers. Taste fluffy pounded yam garnished with spicy palm oil.

Participate in yam-carrying races and other traditional games held on the village green. Cheer on teams from neighboring communities as they compete in dance-offs and wrestling. Refuel with roasted cocoyams and fresh coconut water sold by enthusiastic street vendors.

Attend the grand masquerade display as colorful spirits emerge from the forest to entertain revelers. Listen to the hypnotic beat of ekpang and ekom drum ensembles echoing into the night. Share stories with festival-goers around bonfires, celebrating harvest blessings.

Travel to the Ibom Stream Recreation Area surrounded by tall palm trees and chirping birds. Set up a hammock by the water and enjoy breakfast of fried akara and garri soaked in milk. Breathe in the cool mist rising from the spring’s bubbling source.

Explore nearby walking trails leading to hidden waterfalls and rock formations. Take a refreshing dip in a secluded pool and feel the gentle current wash away fatigue. Picnic on fresh fruit and chilled palm wine in a sunlit clearing.

Return to Ugep as the sky turns pink, stopping to admire silhouettes of coconut palms against the horizon. Enjoy a riverside barbecue of chicken suya and plantain chops. Drift off to sleep lulled by the distant croak of frogs and rustle of leaves.

Venture to a nearby Yakurr village renowned for its basket weaving and pottery. Watch artisans shape clay pots on traditional wheels and decorate them with symbolic patterns. Try your hand at weaving raffia fibers under expert guidance.

Share a communal meal of eba and vegetable soup with village residents under a communal palaver shed. Learn about the significance of each pot design and basket motif. Browse displays of finished crafts and pick souvenirs like hand-painted gourds.

Return to Ugep for a low-key evening at a rooftop café overlooking the market lights. Sip on hibiscus-infused cocktails while reflecting on the day’s creative discoveries. Enjoy mellow conversation with fellow travelers before turning in.

Depart early for Yala Hills, a short drive from Ugep, to beat the heat. Hike through gently sloping trails flanked by ferns and wild orchids. Pause at a ridge for views over rolling farmland and distant rainforest canopy.

Enjoy a packed lunch of spiced chicken rolls and tropical fruit at the summit. Spot native birds such as hornbills and bee-eaters flitting between branches. Capture panoramic photos as clouds drift lazily below you.

Descend back into Ugep and stop at a roadside biafra bean vendor for a steaming bowl of moimoi. Relax at your lodging with a gentle foot massage to soothe tired muscles. Drift to sleep under mosquito nets, dreaming of tomorrow’s adventures.

Join a local chef at her open-air kitchen to learn how to prepare classic Yakurr dishes like palm nut soup and ekpang nkukwo. Grind nuts, pound cocoyams, and simmer broths over wood-fire stoves. Feast on the fruits of your labor alongside kitchen apprentices.

Visit a nearby cocoa farm to see beans being harvested, fermented, and dried. Taste fresh nibs and learn how they’re processed into local chocolate delicacies. Stroll beneath towering cocoa trees heavy with ripe pods.

Return for a communal feast where you sample homemade desserts flavored with banana and coconut. Enjoy lively conversation about regional food traditions as lanterns glow overhead. End the meal with a shot of sharp bush spirit for an authentic send-off.

Embark on an early safari into the Cross River rainforest to seek primates like Diana monkeys and drill. Walk along muddy trails guided by a forest ranger pointing out medicinal plants. Feel the misty air and hear calls of parrots overhead.

Stop at a ranger station for lunch of smoked fish stew served on plantain leaves. Learn about conservation efforts protecting endangered species and ancient trees. Hike to a hidden clearing to watch butterflies dance above wildflowers.

Return to Ugep as daylight fades, enjoying the forest’s symphony of evening insects. Have dinner at a local eatery serving jollof rice and fried yam chips. Share photos and memories of wildlife encounters with newfound friends.

Pack your belongings after a leisurely breakfast of freshly baked bread and palm wine syrup. Take a final walk through the market to pick up last-minute souvenirs like woven baskets and beaded necklaces.

Host a farewell lunch at a riverside pavilion featuring all your favorite dishes from the trip. Invite your guide and new friends to join in a toast with chilled zobo and palm wine. Swap contact details and reminisce about memorable moments.

Watch the sun set over the palm groves one last time as drumming fills the air. Attend a small farewell performance showcasing dance, song, and masquerade arts. Depart with heartfelt hugs and promises to return to the warm embrace of Ugep.