Epe travel guide

Epe is a traditional settlement of the Ijebu people (a subgroup of the Yoruba). The settlement was founded in the mid-18th century as the chief port (slaves, cloth, agricultural produce) as it is close to Ijebu-Ode, which is generally presumed to be the capital of the Ijebu kingdom. Epe was drawn into nineteenth-century Yoruba power politics and then into international diplomacy with the British when it was occupied in the mid-nineteenth century by Kosoko, the indomitable exiled ruler of Lagos.

Epe has some good hotels that will serve the purpose of sleeping at night, and many more are being built.

Getting in

Epe lies on the north bank of the coastal Lagos Lagoon and has road connections to Eti-Osa/Ibeju-Lekki (Lagos Island), Ijebu-Ode, and Ikorodu. There are 3 ways to get from Lagos to Epe: by taxi, bus or ferry. There are buses available from Lagos, Ijebu-Ode amongst others to get one into Epe, from Lagos, the bus to get you into Epe usually costs ₦2,500-3,500 depending on where you are coming from. As of December 2024, the regular taxi from Ijebu Ode to Epe from Epe Garage cost between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000 while the regular taxi from Ikorodu to Epe cost between ₦2,500 and ₦3,500.

Getting around

If touring around Epe, be sure to be accompanied by a tourist guide who is familiar with the routes. If you are going out at night, be sure to go in groups, and stick to known routes. The major means of transportation within Epe are Motorcycle popularly known as Okada and Tricycle. If you are not on a tight budget, you should hire a tricycle which usually comes with a driver, usually available from most of the major hotels. The price varies from driver to driver, but it should be ₦500–1,000 per hour, you will be expected to haggle.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.