The Plateau State sits on Nigeria's Middle Belt at an average elevation of 1,200 metres / 3,937 feet above sea level - giving it Nigeria's most temperate climate. Known as the 'Home of Peace and Tourism,' it is famous for cool highland air, dramatic rock formations, tin mining heritage, and extraordinary ethnic and cultural diversity with over 40 distinct groups.
Top things to do in Plateau State.
Jos Wildlife Park
Jos South local government area (LGA), Plateau StateThe Jos Wildlife Park is the most visited tourism attraction in Plateau State and one of Nigeria's better-maintained wildlife parks. Located within Jos city, the park covers approximately 840 hectares / 2,076 acres of undulating savannah, rocky outcrops, and gallery forest - typical of the Jos Plateau landscape. Residents include lions, leopards, cheetahs, ostriches, antelopes, giraffes, and a diverse bird population. The park also maintains botanical gardens that showcase indigenous Plateau flora. The Jos Plateau's elevation gives the park a noticeably cooler atmosphere than most Nigerian wildlife destinations - a welcome experience for visitors accustomed to southern Nigeria's heat. The park is popular with families and is well-maintained by Plateau State standards.
Shere Hills
Shere, Jos South LGAThe Shere Hills massif south of Jos is the most dramatic highland landscape in Nigeria's Middle Belt - a wild confusion of granite inselbergs, boulders, and forested gorges rising above the Plateau. The hills are traversed by the Shere Hills Forest Reserve and offer exceptional hiking, rock climbing, and nature walking experiences. The terrain is challenging and deeply scenic: mist-draped peaks in the rainy season, brilliant clear views across the plateau and the distant plains in the dry season. Berom communities have inhabited these hills for centuries and traditional villages exist within the reserve. A guide from Jos is strongly recommended for any serious trekking.
Jos Museum and National Museum
Museum Road, JosThe National Museum in Jos is one of the most important museums in Nigeria for anyone interested in ancient African civilisations. The museum's principal collection centres on the Nok Culture - a pre-Iron Age civilisation that flourished on the Jos Plateau between approximately 1000 BC and 300 AD. The Nok people produced the oldest known figurative terracotta sculpture in sub-Saharan Africa: highly stylised human and animal figures with distinctive stylised eyes and perforated pupils. The museum also contains an outdoor section featuring traditional Nok-era pit mining reconstructions and a zoo featuring Plateau native species. The Nok terracotta tradition is one of Nigeria's most profound contributions to world art history.
Climate, month by month.
What to wear, by season.
Packing guidance for the highland plateau, the climate zone Plateau State sits in.
Light layers for daytime
Afternoons are warm but never hot at altitude. Cotton with a long-sleeved option is ideal.
Warm evening jacket
Highland evenings drop well below what the rest of the country does. A proper jacket, not a cardigan.
Comfortable walking shoes
Dry ground and rock formations make this the best walking window of the year.
Warm jacket or fleece
Night lows here are the lowest in the country. A fleece or insulated jacket is not optional.
Layering system
A light shirt for afternoon and warm layers either side of it. The daily swing is wide.
Moisturiser and lip balm
Cold plus low humidity dries skin faster than heat does. Apply morning and night.
Dust scarf
Harmattan haze reaches the plateau. A light scarf for morning outdoor movement.
Waterproof jacket
Rain arrives with cool air at altitude, so staying dry matters more here than on the coast.
Warm layer
Rain drops the temperature quickly. A fleece under the shell is worth carrying.
Waterproof walking shoes
Rock and grassland paths turn slick early in the season.
Waterproof jacket with a warm layer
Cold rain at altitude. A shell alone is not enough.
Waterproof footwear
Paths stay wet through the peak. Waterproof boots or shoes with grip.
Quick-dry clothing
Things dry slowly in cool, damp air. Moisture-wicking fabric beats cotton.
Safety and health in Plateau State.
🛡️ Safety
High riskCommon concerns
Communal Conflict, Terrorism, Banditry, Civil Unrest
Exercise caution
- Barkin Ladi LGA (ongoing herder-farmer conflict)
- Riyom
- Bassa (northern outskirts)
- Jos-Bauchi road at night
Smart-traveller checklist
- Register with your home country embassy before travel to Plateau State
- Jos city centre is relatively accessible; outskirts carry significantly higher risk
- Avoid Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas (LGAs) - recent communal violence history
- Travel with a trusted local guide who knows community dynamics
- Monitor Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and embassy security alerts daily during stay
- Avoid being on the road after dark in any part of Plateau State
- Keep your embassy's emergency number saved and accessible at all times
- Cultural sensitivity around Berom/Fulani tensions is essential
- Travel in groups where possible; solo travel in rural areas not advised
Emergency numbers
💉 Health
Required vaccination
Yellow Fever
Recommended
Meningococcal, Typhoid, Hepatitis A
Local disease notes
- Meningococcal Meningitis (elevated risk; Plateau is on the meningitis belt)
Nearest referral hospital
Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos
More of Nigeria.
On the map. See Plateau State in context on the interactive atlas. Open Plateau State on the map →
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