Lufasi Nature Park is one of those places that reminds you just how quickly Lagos can change. Not far from the traffic, noise and seemingly endless development of Lekki, you suddenly find yourself surrounded by trees, walking trails and greenery. It’s a surprisingly peaceful place and a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon away from the city.
The park itself could do with a little more care and investment — as, unfortunately, can be said of quite a few attractions in Nigeria. There were also some monkeys being kept in cages, which I didn’t think added anything to the experience. A nature park should really be about seeing animals in as natural an environment as possible. The large tortoises, on the other hand, seemed rather more at home and were an unexpected highlight.
But those reservations aside, I enjoyed Lufasi. There are plenty of paths to explore, lots of shade and enough to see to happily wander around for a couple of hours. And finishing the afternoon sitting among the trees drinking fresh palm wine felt particularly Nigerian.
Lufasi isn’t a polished tourist attraction — and perhaps that is part of its charm. With a little more love it could be considerably better, but even as it is, it offers something increasingly valuable in Lagos: space, greenery, quiet and a chance to slow down.
