It all started from an email one fine day, Naija Nomads was invited to spend a weekend in one of the Nigeria’s best kept secrets, the Mount Ned Nwoko Resort. We definitely couldn’t pass this opportunity to see this amazing destination but one thing really caught my eye….. the resort was Malaria and Mosquito free! What?  It was even more shocking that this was not achieved by fumigation but naturally. How is that even possible in Nigeria? I wondered and I definitely had to see this by myself. So off I went on a Friday morning to Delta state, Asaba precisely.

The airport was unusually relaxed for a Friday morning but I liked it so I didn’t complain. I got to the airport and checked in my luggage at the Air peace counter. After a few “ happy weekend sir” here and there, I met up with the team lead as well as other people on the trip. It was a cross section of representatives from various digital media brands. After a futile journey to get an MTN sim (which I had heard was the best on the resort), our flight was announced and we boarded. It was a pretty smooth flight and I couldn’t wait for this experience to actually begin. 

On arrival, we were welcomed by the team in charge of the resort who then took us to our hotel, Top view hotel.  The hotel is a 7 minutes drive away from the airport and we spent the rest of our day there. We had planned a group outing to the town which never happened but at least we were well rested for the next day.

The next morning we set out to the resort and the feeling was more of anxiety than that excitement. We had seen some photos online but we really did not know what to expect.The resort is located in a very quiet village called Idumuje Ugboko which is a 30 minutes drive from the Asaba International airport but due to the incessant police check points, it took an additional 10 minutes.  On getting to the resort we were greeted with a long line of magnificent laterite walls which signaled our entry into a serene environment filled with history and culture.

One of the major attraction of the resort is the Lily house, which is a perfect blend of Moroccan inspired architecture and ancient Nigerian style. In one word......breathtaking! There was a large collection of antiques, with some of them as old as 400 years! 

We were taken around the house by a tour guide who gave us detailed explanations on the artifacts in the house and we got the rare privilege of visiting the private chambers of the owner of the house.

In the bid to continue to showcase aspects of different parts of world, the resort has a pyramid that just gives you the vibe of Egypt.

One thing you should definitely check out in the Mount Ned Nwoko Resort is the tunnel, which got me scared at first because of the ancient art on the walls leading to the cave. It was surreal and I definitely enjoyed every minute of it, although we had to leave after just a few minutes, I could have stayed there for as long as possible..

If you are a lover of sports then you would definitely enjoy your time at the resort because you get to do engage in an number of activities like Tennis, Golf, Football, swimming e.tc. Luckily, the first day of our visit coincided with a golf tournament in honour of a Veteran actor, Pete Edochie’s, birthday.

The resort also has a zoo where you get to see animals such as Horses, Alligators, Monkeys, Peacocks, Ostrich, Camels and many more. Definitely an exciting experience and certainly my favorite part of the resort.

So is the resort really Malaria/ Mosquito free?

I am sure that’s the question you have been itching to get the answer to, since the start of this article. Well it is actually a hundred percent free of mosquitoes and as a result malaria free. I can say that for sure having stayed there till late night and there was no sign of any mosquitoes. The reason why it is mosquito free is because it is the second highest altitude in Southern Nigeria and thus it is difficult for the parasites to exist there.

Price Ned Nwoko, the owner of the resort, is currently on a campaign to eradicate malaria in Africa. This has seen him meet with major stakeholders in the health industry in Nigeria and other countries. He also visited Antarctica in January 2020 as part of creating awareness for this cause.

Things you need to know before visiting Mount Ned Nwoko resort

• Guests can not spend the night, so your best bet is to get an accommodation around Asaba which is just a 30 minutes drive from the resort.
• The average cost of airport transfer to the resort from the Asaba International airport is between N8000- N14000.
• Some hotel suggestions around: the Delta state capital are the Topview hotel ( where we actually stayed and it was pretty cool), Golden Tulip Hotel, Orchid Hotels and the Hamptons and Spa.
• The weather is very cool around the resort especially at night time but it’s nothing to serious. Another advantage of the Mount Ned Nwoko resort is that it can be visited at different times of the year.
• What to know: if you are a lover of history and culture then this is the place for. As beautiful as the Mount Ned Nwoko resort is, it is not really for luxury travellers.
• The River Niger is not so far from the resort. It is a 2 hour drive from the village so you can also decide to see the River Niger also.