Kaduna Diaries: Heat, Hustle, and Hidden Gems in Nigeria's Northern Gem

it's 40.88°c in kaduna right now and my phone says it 'feels like' 37.48°c but i think someone's lying. the air is so dry my lips are basically sandpaper and i've already chugged three liters of water before noon. but honestly? the chaos here is exactly what i needed after weeks of boring hotel stays in lagos.

i rolled into town with zero expectations, just a backpack, my camera, and a desperate need for street food that doesn't come with a tourist tax. first stop: the kaduna central market. someone told me that's where the real magic happens, and they weren't wrong. the colors, the noise, the smell of suya grilling over open flames-it's like someone turned my senses up to eleven.

"if you think lagos is crazy, wait till you see kaduna at 6am,"

a busker whispered to me while tuning his guitar near the old post office. he wasn't wrong either. the mornings here start before the sun even thinks about rising.

i spent an afternoon wandering the kajuru castle area (yes, there's an actual castle here, and no, it's not a joke). the drive out is dusty and bumpy, but the views? chef's kiss. someone also mentioned that the locals say the castle is haunted, but i didn't stick around after dark to confirm.

for food, you have to try the masa and miyan taushe at one of the roadside spots near kasham road. i found a tiny joint called "mama's kitchen" (not its real name, but that's what everyone calls it) and the woman running it laughed when i asked for extra pepper. "you sure, oyinbo?" she said. i was sweating bullets by the end, but it was worth every tear.

if you get bored, kano and jos are just a short drive away, though honestly, i doubt you will. kaduna's got enough going on to keep you busy for days.

i did try to check out the nigerian defense academy museum, but it was closed for some event. overheard a soldier saying they were prepping for a big ceremony, so maybe plan ahead if that's on your list.

the humidity here is a brutal 8%, so pack lip balm, sunscreen, and a hat that actually stays on your head. also, download maps.me or something because google maps gets confused in the older parts of town.

overall, kaduna isn't polished or pretty in the instagrammable sense, but it's real. the kind of place that gets under your skin and makes you rethink what travel is supposed to feel like.