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Ekiti mountains have officially joined the list of mountaineering destinations in the world, with the aim of offering adventure similar to those in the Alps of Europe, the Sottish Highlands, the Kilimanjaro of Tanzania, Everest of Nepal, and many others in the US, Canada, Asia and East Africa.
The first Hike Ekiti Mountain event held on Easter Monday, April 22, 2019. Inaugurated by Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the event was attended by hikers from within and outside the country.
Fayemi, represented by the state’s Chief of Staff, Mr Biodun Omoleye, noted that Ekiti State has the largest number of mountains, which according to him are best for Mountain Safari.
Below are a few things to know about the Hike Ekiti Mountains Safari:
- Hike Ekiti Mountain Safari will be periodic outdoor adventure that will promote Ekiti hills and mountains and attract mountaineering enthusiasts across the world.
- It is an initiative of Discover Ekiti Project, which is committed to projecting, showcasing and promoting astounding and astonishing potentials of the state
- According to Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre, the Ekiti State Director-General, Council for Arts and Culture, Hike Ekiti Mountain an avenue to project Ekiti state
- The destination of the first exercise held on Easter Monday was the Ofin Mountain Safari, between Ado Ekiti and Iyin Ekiti
- Another joint exercise will be organised soon.
In the words of Ojo-Lanre, “Ekiti State is blessed with numerous arts, culture and tourists sites – waterfalls, hills, breath-taking valleys, vast tracks of unspoiled nature, wildlife reserves, unique natural-warm and cold therapeutic springs, which the Governor Fayemi-led administration is set to project to boost the economy of the state.
“We are set to explore all these to turn Ekiti State to a best-desired tourism destination region and create wealth for the people of the state,” Ojo-Lanre said.
The governor had disclosed that “machinery has been set in motion to help in the design and implementation of the Ekiti Tourism Development Master Plan, which would propel the actualisation of my arts, culture and tourism visions for the state.”