Stand on Tudun Wada Road in the late afternoon and you feel why Jos is different from the rest of Nigeria: cool air off the plateau, long shadows on the hills, and a city that has drawn travellers since colonial times because of its temperate climate. The streets around the museum quarter are quiet enough to walk, and the escarpment country on the edges of town opens into rock formations, dams and savannah bush.
Jos suits travellers who want landscape and history rather than nightlife: hikers, birdwatchers, families with children, and anyone based in Abuja or the north who wants a few days at altitude. The city is the capital of Plateau State and the hub of the Jos-Bukuru metropolis, and it remains a trading and administrative centre with a cosmopolitan mix of communities.
This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time in and around the city, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions. Names below match the places as listed so you can look each one up.
Top things to do in Jos
1. Shere Hills
The Shere Hills are the standout experience around Jos: a spread of rocky high ground running from somewhere in Lamingo into the Angwan Rukuba area, with isolated rocks of every shape and size, cave-like hollows and low green patches between the boulders where you can rest. The hiking is genuinely varied, including a descent into what feels like a lion's den with no clear view of the floor, and a climb over what looks like a scaffold built in a pond among the rocks.
Go with one of the local tour guides, who will take you round without charging outrageous fees, and allow a half day. The landscape changes noticeably as you approach from the Lamingo entrance, so the walk in is part of the experience.
2. Jos National Museum
The Jos National Museum on Museum Street was recognised as one of the best in the country, though it has been left to fall into ruin. Its Pottery Hall holds an exceptional collection of finely crafted pottery from all over Nigeria, along with fine specimens of Nok terracotta heads and artefacts dating from 500 BCE to 200 CE. It also incorporates the Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture, with life-size replicas ranging from the walls of Kano and the Mosque at Zaria to a Tiv village, plus displays on the railway and tin mining from colonial times.
The museum sits beside the zoo, so the two combine naturally in one visit. Check ahead before making it the centrepiece of your day, given the condition of the site.
3. Jos Wildlife Park
Covering roughly 3 square miles of savannah bush, the Jos Wildlife Park on Tudun Wada Road is a major attraction in the state and draws visitors from within and outside the country. It is home to lions, rock pythons, marabou storks, baboons, honey badgers and camels, as well as varied flora. It is open from 9AM to 5PM, with entry at ₦200 per adult and ₦100 per child.
Pair it with the museum next door for a full museum-quarter outing, and go earlier in the day when the animals are more active.
4. Jos Museum and Zoo
On Museum Street, this site houses artefacts and old cars and a wide range of historical items from all over the country, and there are shops selling traditional art. It is a good place to take in arts, crafts and history at an easy pace, and it is open from 9AM to 5PM.
Because it is located beside the Jos National Museum, you can see both in a single trip and finish with the craft shops.
5. Lamingo Dam
Local accounts say the dam resulted from mining activity in the area: miners dug deep wells in search of tin, some wells met underground and miners lost their lives, and underground water was released in the process. A former governor later modified the outlets and created the Lamingo dam. It is worth seeing as part of the plateau's mining story.
Combine it with the Lamingo Golf Club nearby, which sits close to the dam, or with the Lamingo garden if you want to sit down afterwards.
6. Lamingo garden
Lamingo garden is a green area where people relax after the day's activities, with a restaurant where you can eat and drink. It works as a low-key stop rather than a destination in itself.
Use it as your rest point after hiking the Shere Hills or visiting the dam, since all three are in the same part of the city.
7. Lamingo Golf Club
The club at Katon Rikkos has a green and luscious course well situated near the dam, in a serene environment with fresh, clean air. It is a pleasant way to spend a quiet few hours at plateau altitude.
Pair it with the Lamingo Dam and Lamingo garden, which are close by, for a relaxed half day.
8. Gbong Gwom Jos' palace
On Tudun Wada Road at Jishe, this is the palace of the paramount ruler of Jos. Jishe is also where Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip had a weekend stopover to rest during her Nigeria tour in 1956, when the area was known as Tudun Wada cottage.
Visit as part of a Tudun Wada Road outing, which also takes in the wildlife park and the museum quarter.
9. Mees Palace
Mees Palace is a multipurpose centre with a children's park, an eatery, an event centre and a cinema, open from 8AM to 10PM. It is a straightforward place to hang out with the family.
Keep it as a wet-afternoon or evening option, particularly if you are travelling with children.
10. Old tin mines
The old tin mines lie on the outskirts of Jos and have developed into lakes, which may raise some environmental concerns. The areas are generally safe, but it is best to go with a guide.
Treat this as a guided half-day trip rather than a solo wander, and ask your guide about the waterfalls on the outskirts of the city while you are arranging it.
11. New Era Cinema
New Era Cinema on Mangu Street is a simple option for an evening in town when you want something indoors.
It pairs well with an afternoon at Mees Palace if you are planning a family day.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Jos National Museum on Museum Street, then move next door to the Jos Museum and Zoo, which opens at 9AM. The Pottery Hall and the Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture are the parts not to rush.
Afternoon: Head to the Jos Wildlife Park on Tudun Wada Road for the lions, baboons, camels and savannah bush, then continue along Tudun Wada Road to the Gbong Gwom Jos' palace at Jishe.
Evening: Finish at Mees Palace for the eatery and, if you have the energy, the cinema, which stays open until 10PM.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Jos?
From mid-November to late January, night-time temperatures drop as low as 7 °C, so bring warm layers if you travel in that window. Average monthly temperatures otherwise range from 21–25 °C, and hail sometimes falls during the rainy season because of the altitude.
Do I need a guide for the old tin mines and the hills?
For the old tin mines on the outskirts, the areas are generally safe but it is best to go with a guide. For the Shere Hills, local tour guides will take you round without charging outrageous fees.
What does it cost to enter the Jos Wildlife Park?
Entry is ₦200 per adult and ₦100 per child, and the park is open from 9AM to 5PM.
Can I see the museum and the zoo in one visit?
Yes. The Jos Museum is located beside the zoo, and the Jos National Museum is also beside the zoo, so the museum quarter on Museum Street can be covered in a single outing.
Start with the museum quarter and the Shere Hills when you plan your dates, and build the rest of your Jos itinerary around them.