ABOUT DURBAR FESTIVALS IN NIGERIA:

A Durbar festival is an annual festival celebrated in several northern Nigerian cities. Celebrated at the culmination of Muslim festivals Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, the festival begins with prayers, followed by a parade of the Emir and his entourage on horses, accompanied by music players, and ending at the Emir's palace. Durbar festivals are celebrated on a epic scale in Kano and Katsina, and have a large tourist attraction.

 

PLANNING A TRIP TO A DURBAR FESTIVAL IN NIGERIA: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

 

• Foreign Alien Visa: If you are planning on visiting a Durbar Festival in Nigeria but do not hold a valid visa for travel, and you are neither a Nigerian Citizen (with a valid Nigerian Passport) nor a citizen of the Visa free travel countries (with a valid Passport) of the Economic Community Of West African States, then you must obtain a visa before leaving your home country to visit Nigeria. NOTE: Citizens of the following countries can travel visa free to Nigeria provided they hold a valid Passport: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Cape Verde. Citizens of Kenya may travel visa free to Nigeria and obtain a Visa at their point of entry to Nigeria.

 

• Travelling to a Durbar Festival: KANO DURBAR FESTIVAL: FROM OUTSIDE NIGERIA: To get to Kano from outside Nigeria, you may fly the following airlines that offer services to Kano. They include Arik Air, Turkish Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, EgyptAir and Ethiopian Airlines. FROM WITHIN NIGERIA: The following airlines fly to Kano Airport from within Nigeria. They include, Arik Air, Aero, Azman Air and IRS Airlines. KATSINA DURBAR FESTIVAL: FROM OUTSIDE NIGERIA: There are no airlines flying directly into Katsina from outside or within Nigeria, all visitors are required to take a flight to Kano and begin a 2hr:30mins journey to Katsina by road. Visitors are advised to book a hotel in Kano and take a Day Trip to Katsina Durbar Festival. Car rental/hire services may be provided by your Hotel in Kano. A rental car will come with a driver who will generally drive you around for the period of your rental/hire policy. (Some hotels in Kano that provide car rental/hire services for an extra fee include Kano Central Hotel, Prince Hotel and Royal Tropicana Hotel.

 

• Where to stay while attending a Durbar festival: KANO DURBAR FESTIVAL: For a list of hotels in Kano, click Here. KATSINA DURBAR FESTIVAL: For a list of hotels in Katsina, click Here. 

 

 

OUR TIPS: VISITING THE DURBAR FESTIVALS OF NIGERIA

 

• Making Calls: Buy a local SIM card and slut it in your phone and call your loved ones from your local line. It will save you a fortune. Roaming rates you are likely to pay for answering or making a call from Nigeria will be in the region of $1.50 - $3.00 per min. A local service provide like GLO will not charge you for receving calls and when you make a call back home, it will be in the region of $0.10c - $0.70c per min with USA being cheaper at $0.10. Prepaid topup plans start from as low as $0.70 - $100. Internet Data bundles are also cheap with plans starting as low as $19.00 for 1.5GB, $32.00 for 4GB etc.

 

• Emergency Contact Number in Nigeria: for Police, Fire Service or Armbulance is 112.

 

• Medical Treatment: Nigeria operates a Prepaid Medical treatment system and visitors are advised to takeout a medical insurance policy with a company that serves a hospital in the city you will be visiting in Nigeria. Click here for a list of accredited medical insurance companies in Nigeria. NOTE: It is advised that you take out a policy with one of the accredited Medical insurance providers here in nigeria as hospitals may refuse your foreign medical insurance policy provider.

 

• Money: If you have a Debit or Credit card that is a VISA or Mastercard, you can make payments over the counter at retail stores, restaurants, hotels etc and withdraw cash at a local ATM here in Nigeria at any of these Banks; UBA Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank. Nigeria has the most advanced banking system in Africa and as long as your card is either a VISA or MASTERCARD you can make payments or make withdrawals here in the local currency at an excellent rate. Visitors from within nigeria are also advised to travel with their Bank debit cards to make withdrawals at Bauchi. NOTE: Please do not carry thousands of dollars in your pocket under a misguided thought that you will be unable to access money in Bauchi, Nigeria, it may be seized by Customs at the port of entry or even worse, may be lost.

 

• Making withdrawals at ATMs in Kano and Katsina, Nigeria: You can make withdrawals from a UBA Bank ATM or Guaranty Trust Bank ATM at Kano or Katsina. NOTE: Please do not venture into Kano City or Katsina town unaccompanied by your hotel provided rental car and driver. It is advised that you make all withdrawals necessary to facilitate your Trip to a Durbar Festival to avoid having to withdraw from an ATM at these two locations. It is estimated that $500.00 is more than twice the amount needed for a one day trip to a durbar festival in Kano or Katsina.  

 

• Foreign Alien Tourist, Driving while in Nigeria: NOTE: Although, you can drive in Nigeria with a Valid foreign driver's license issued by your home country, provided you obtain a valid International Driver's Permit (IDP) before leaving your home country, Foreign Aliens are advised not to travel to Kano by Road. International flights land at Kano international Airport. Domestic flights to Kano leave from Lagos and Abuja should you prefer to land at Lagos or Abuja. Katsina is a 2hr:30mins drive from Kano. It is advised that you do not undertake this journey without the company of a professional driver which would usually be provided with a rented/hired car. If you do decide to drive alone, Your IDP must be accompanied by a valid driver's license issued by your home country and carried with you at all times while driving. Further, you must verify that the vehicle you are driving while in Nigeria is insured, is road worthy (Road worthiness certificates are issued by the Vehicle Inspection Office) and copies of these documents are carried with you at all times.

 

 

• Tour Guide/Expenses: When travelling to another country or part of the country, please remember to take all pre cautions as every city (from London to New York City) with a major tourist attracton has con artists posing as tour guides. Plan for the trip and book a 3-5 star hotel. Rent/hire a car which comes with a driver who knows the city/town excellently, he will be your tour guide for an extra tip.