Home to Nigeria's most dramatic highland landscapes. The Mambilla Plateau - the highest plateau in Nigeria - reaches 1,800 metres / 5,906 feet above sea level and is covered with tea estates and cattle ranches. Adamawa also hosts Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Nigeria's largest wildlife reserve, and the UNESCO World Heritage Sukur Cultural Landscape.
Top things to do in Adamawa State.
Gashaka-Gumti National Park
Adamawa/Taraba borderGashaka-Gumti is Nigeria's largest national park, spanning 6,731 km² / 2,599 mi² across the Adamawa Highlands. The park encompasses extraordinary ecological diversity - from Guinea savannah to montane forest - and is home to chimpanzees, lions, leopards, African wild dogs, olive baboons, and Nigeria's largest elephant population. Chappal Waddi, Nigeria's highest peak at 2,419 metres / 7,936 feet, lies within the park boundaries.
Sukur Cultural Landscape
Madagali local government area (LGA), Adamawa StateThe Sukur Cultural Landscape is Nigeria's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1999. Located on a rocky hilltop in Madagali LGA, Sukur is an extraordinarily preserved traditional iron-smelting kingdom of the Higi people. The terraced agricultural hillsides, chief's palace complex, iron-smelting furnaces, and elaborate stone pathways represent an exceptional example of a living cultural landscape that has maintained continuity for centuries.
Mambilla Plateau
Sardauna LGA, Adamawa/TarabaThe Mambilla Plateau is Nigeria's highest and most scenic highland region, averaging 1,500-1,800 metres / 5,906 feet above sea level. Tea estates, cattle ranches, and montane forest characterise this extraordinary landscape that feels unlike anywhere else in Nigeria. The plateau's cool temperatures, dramatic views, and pristine grasslands make it one of West Africa's finest highland tourism destinations.
Climate, month by month.
What to wear, by season.
Packing guidance for the savannah middle belt, the climate zone Adamawa State sits in.
Light breathable clothing
Daytime stays warm through the transition. Cotton is comfortable.
Transitional evening layer
Evening temperatures fall quickly once the rains stop. One light jacket is enough.
Dust scarf
Harmattan can begin by late October. Starting dust protection early is easier than catching up.
Layering system
A light shirt for afternoon warmth and a proper jacket or fleece for morning and evening. Night lows here are cold enough to matter.
Moisturiser and lip balm
Harmattan humidity drops under 25 percent. Skin and lips crack quickly without a thick lotion applied twice daily.
Dust scarf
A light cotton scarf for morning movement in open ground and along unpaved roads.
Closed shoes
Dust settles into open footwear. Closed leather shoes or trainers are the practical choice.
Light waterproof layer
Rain here is heavy but brief. A packable jacket handles most of it.
Light breathable clothing
Warm and humid rather than hot. Cotton or linen works well.
Comfortable walking shoes
Quick-drying shoes for outdoor sites between rain windows.
Waterproof jacket
A proper waterproof rather than a shower shell for the July and August peaks.
Waterproof or quick-drying shoes
Unpaved approaches to rural attractions stay wet for days.
Light breathable clothing
Temperatures are at their most comfortable. Cotton is fine.
Safety and health in Adamawa State.
🛡️ Safety
High riskCommon concerns
Terrorism, Kidnapping, Banditry, Communal Conflict
Exercise caution
- ENTIRE STATE - Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel
- All areas within 50 km / 31 miles of Borno border
- Madagali LGA
- Gombi highlands
Smart-traveller checklist
- DO NOT TRAVEL - UK FCDO advises against all travel to Adamawa State
- High and increasing threat from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa
- Terrorist kidnapping of foreign nationals is highly likely
- If travel is unavoidable: professional armed security escort required at all times
- Register with embassy; carry satellite phone
- Only travel in daylight with verified convoy
Emergency numbers
💉 Health
Required vaccination
Yellow Fever
Recommended
Meningococcal, Typhoid, Hepatitis A
Local disease notes
- Meningococcal Meningitis (Nov to May)
- Cholera (seasonal)
Nearest referral hospital
Federal Medical Centre, Yola
More of Nigeria.
On the map. See Adamawa State in context on the interactive atlas. Open Adamawa State on the map →
Plan the trip: Visa · Flights · Where to stay · Money