Overview Of Ilorin
Ilorin is the capital city of Kwara State located in western Nigeria. Having a population of over 700 million, it is the 6th largest city in the country. It is predominantly inhabited by the Yorubas and was first founded by them in 1450. Majority of the population are either Muslims or Christians. Major natural resources found in the state include gold, Kaolin, and limestone, as well as being the centre of cashew processing. It is also home to a franchise of one of the biggest companies in Africa, Dangote Flour Mills. Because Ilorin is located centrally, especially between the northern and southern parts of the country, it can be easily accessed from other parts of the country by federal roads, air, and rail. Dada Pottery and Esie Museum of stone are popular attraction sites in the ancient city of Ilorin. The biggest festival in the city is the annual Shao Festival. Ilorin is also known for its large number of legal practitioners and home to one of the first lawyers inNigeria, Alhaji A.G.F. Abdulrazaq (SAN).
Best Time To Book Flights To Ilorin
A couple of scheduled passenger flights are available from several locations to the Ilorin International Airport including Overland Airways and Arik Airlines. Tickets can be booked with any of these airlines at any time of the year but it is most ideal for travellers to book their flight tickets inn advance, at least a month before departure. This is because most airlines tend to sell their tickets at a cheaper price when it is first available for booking.
Peak Season
Ilorin is a city of both Muslims and Christians, therefore, the prices of tickets are likely to go up during religious festivities like Christmas, Easter, New Year celebrations, Eid El Fitr, and Salah celebrations. This is because most indigenes in diaspora tend to spend their holidays in their hometown and Ilorin isn?t exempted.
Off-Peak Season
Asides the religions celebrations and a few cultural celebrations, the booking demand for seats on flights typically remain the same. There is neither an increase nor decrease in the costs of ticket because there are not a lot of people travelling to the city except maybe a few business travellers or tourists.
Best Time To Visit Ilorin
Weather Conditions In Ilorin
There are two seasons in Ilorin, the wet and dry season. The wet season comes with a lot of heavy rainfall, while the dry season is humid and often cloudy. It is however hot all year round in the city. It rains frequently from April to October and the weather is drier between October and April.
Annual Events In Ilorin
Shao Festival
The Shao Festival is an annual event celebrated as a revival and protection of the cultural heritage of the people of Shao.it features enchanting cultural displays including music, drumming, and bridal chants.
Getting Around Ilorin
There are different options for commuting within Ilorin. The prices of most destinations are fixed and some others fixed, especially when the ride is being chartered.
Taxis
For as little as 50 naira, taxis can be boarded within the Ilorin metropolis and could stretch to 100 naira for further distances. The taxis are available at certain junctions in the city and are shared with 3 or 4 other passengers.
Motorcycles
Like almost every city in the country, Ilorin has a lot of ?okada? riders who are available to only certain areas of the city. The fares are not necessarily fixed, it only requires a negotiation between the cyclist and the passenger. The average fares for using motorcycles is between 70 naira and 100 naira.
Ilorin International Airport
Ilorin International Airport is the public airport serving Ilorin. It was established in 1978. and is owned and operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Ilorin Airport is easily accessible from the city centre, located in the southwestern part of Ilorin. Two airlines, Overland Airways and Arik Air, currently operate out of the airport. . The airport is referred to by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) using the airport code ILR. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) uses DNIL when referring to Ilorin International Airport.
Moving From Ilorin International Airport To Ilorin
The average distance from Ilorin Airport to the centre of the city is about 9 kilometres. Arrivals can find taxis available outside the airport for shared or private rides into the city. Travellers with heavy luggage may need to charter taxis for convenience. They only need to negotiate fares with the drivers and be certain of their destination inside the city.
Staying In Ilorin
There are different accommodation options for travellers in Ilorin. A lot of the hotels in the city are quite affordable and can be found around easily. Rooms at hotels of traveller?s choice can be booked beforehand online at hotels.ng. Below are some of the popular hotels in Ilorin.
Kwara Hotel
Kwara hotel is only 3 kilometres away from Ilorin Airport. The average price of rooms here range between 16,000 naira and 27,000 naira.
Bovina View Hotel
This hotel is a bbudget hotel located at New Yidi Road, Ilorin, Kwara state.It is a 10-minute drive from the city airport and a 6-minute drive from the Ilorin Township Stadium. The costs of rooms range between 6,000 naira and 16, 000 naira.
White House Hotels
White House Hotels is a budget hotel located at No 225 Umar Sao/Lagos Road Sawmill (West), Ilorin. The airport is only 10 minutes from the hotel.
How To Budget A Trip To Ilorin
Cost Of Common Items In Ilorin
|
Restaurants |
Average Price (Naira) |
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
150.00-500.00 |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
2,000.00-9,000.00 |
| Meal at expensive restaurant |
600.00-2,000.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) |
200.00-300.00 |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) |
400.00-500.00 |
| Coffee (regular) |
500.00-1,000.00 |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) |
70.00-120.00 |
| Water (0.33 liter bottle) |
50.00-100.00 |
| Markets |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 liter) |
317.01-317.01 |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) |
110.23-275.58 |
| Rice (white), (1kg) |
220.46-600.00 |
| Eggs (12) |
360.00-700.00 |
| Local Cheese (1kg) |
3,500.00-5,000.00 |
| Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) |
800.00-1,500.00 |
| Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
1,102.31-1,400.00 |
| Apples (1kg) |
440.92-1,000.00 |
| Banana (1kg) |
200.00-440.92 |
| Oranges (1kg) |
200.00-780.00 |
| Tomato (1kg) |
200.00-440.92 |
| Potato (1kg) |
350.00-600.00 |
| Onion (1kg) |
150.00-440.92 |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
150.00-650.00 |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
150.00-150.00 |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
900.00-900.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
170.00-350.00 |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) |
300.00-750.00 |
| Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) |
200.00-250.00 |
| Transportation |
|
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
150.00-1,000.00 |
| Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) |
300.00-700.00 |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
1,000.00-1,000.00 |
| Gasoline (1 liter) |
145.00-158.50 |
| Sports And Leisure |
|
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
1,000.00-2,500.00 |
| Childcare |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
60,000.00-62,500.00 |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
720,000.00-2,000,000.00 |
| Clothing And Shoes |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
2,000.00-12,500.00 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
2,300.00-12,500.00 |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
3,000.00-20,000.00 |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
12,000.00-40,000.00 |
Domestic Flights From Ilorin To Other Cities
Flight From Ilorin To Abuja
Arik Air, a major domestic airline, and Overland Airways operate scheduled domestic flights from Ilorin International Airport to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The average fares for flights between this route is 20,000 naira, lasting for 1 hour. Flights to or from both destinations can be booked via hotels.ng/flights.
International Flights To Ilorin
There are no direct flights from international locations to Ilorin Airport. International travellers may need to book flights to international airports like Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Domestic flights can then be booked on major domestic airlines like Arik Air and Overland Airways to Ilorin from any of these airports. The cheapest flights from Lagos to Ilorin is about 25,000 naira.
Airport Tips At Ilorin Airport
Ilorin Airport is a very safe and secure area but passengers should still be careful and keep their possessions well because of pick-pockets who look for easy targets, especially those visiting for the first time.
Travellers should also make sure they have all their flight documents including passports, booking confirmation/slips, and flight tickets.
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