Makoko Floating Tour: Guided Canoe Experience in Lagos's Largest Stilt House Community

Embark on a guided canoe tour through Makoko, Lagos’s largest stilt house community. Explore the floating village, learn about its history, and experience the daily lives of its residents.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Makoko - This captivating cultural experience provides travelers with a unique chance to engage with the authentic essence of Lagos, beyond the typical tourist spots — raw, inspiring, unforgettable, and profoundly human.
    Navigate serene waterways in a traditional canoe as you discover an extraordinary floating community entirely constructed on…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Bottled water
  • Guided Tour
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
Additional Information

Explore the legendary Makoko community, often referred to as the “Venice of Africa,” for one of Lagos’ most captivating and culturally rich experiences. Navigate serene waterways in a traditional canoe to discover a remarkable community entirely built on stilts above the water. Observe daily life as homes, schools, churches, and local businesses…

Location
Makoko
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(43 Ratings)
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923borjac
Apr 5, 2026
Makoko is safe, and need your support! - I had an amazing tour of Makoko and the entire experience felt very safe, smooth, and perfectly organized from start to finish. A special thank you to the guides — Victoria, Ade, Ben, Respect, and Tobi — for their professionalism, kindness, and for making the visit so insightful and enjoyable. They made us feel comfortable at all times, and their local knowledge truly brought the experience to life. Highly recommended to anyone visiting Lagos and wanting to discover the real spirit of Makoko. Thank you again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alicia
Apr 3, 2026
Worth a visit! - The experience was unique. Though a bit sad they’re starting to tear down parts of the community, it was interesting to see such a unique way of life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dianinham
Mar 31, 2026
No doubt not to lose - This is one of those must-see sites in Lagos. It was one of the major milestones in the group’s trip through Nigeria. This palaphite neighborhood is a spiking image of poverty for a part of the population. Requires you to go with a local guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A3680chsimong
Mar 31, 2026
Highly recommend - Mr. Respect is a great leader within community. Safe, interesting and sometimes shocking tour. Short but intense experience. Highly recommend. Greetings!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T8908jfpedros
Mar 20, 2026
Makoko is a must see in your lifetime - Amazing experience with the local guides where you can actually see how the people live and how they spend their day to day life. Highly recommend it
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q1770jjjoshb
Feb 20, 2026
Excellent Tour - The tour of Makoko was an excellent and eye-opening experience. It was interesting to see how people have adapted and persevered to create this community. Victoria is an excellent guide who always goes above and beyond to make the experience as meaningful as possible.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paradise300496
Feb 2, 2026
Great tour of Makoko. Recommended - Excellent tour. My guide Victoria and driver Michael were superb, very friendly and informative and easy to connect with.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Antoinette
Jan 9, 2026
Makoko Floating Village Tour – A Must-Do Experience in Nigeria - Visiting Makoko Floating Village was one of those rare travel experiences that stays with you long after it ends. I’m happy it was solo-travel friendly. I’ve traveled extensively and immersed myself in diverse cultures around the world, and this is an experience I will always cherish. I recommend to anyone visiting Nigeria. I expected it to be humbling in a heavy way, but instead I was met with joy, creativity, and a strong deep sense of community. Ade, our driver, ensured we arrived safely and even offered thoughtful recommendations for nightlife and places to explore. Victoria, who went above and beyond- sharing food suggestions, taking beautiful photos of me (especially when my phone ran out of storage), and doing so generously without even being asked. Throughout the entire experience and she made me feel cared for along the journey and I appreciate her kindness and giving me helpful tips throughout the day. Respect, the expert Makoko tour guide, who was exceptional. Having grown up in Makoko, his knowledge, storytelling, and personal insight made the village come alive. Walking through Makoko with him felt like stepping into a living history book (deeply educational, and meaningful). This tour is not just sightseeing — it’s perspective-shifting. If you love meaningful, culturally rich, and eye-opening experiences, this is one you absolutely should not miss. It’s a powerful reminder of humanity, resilience, and the beauty of community. Five stars across the board. I must-do while in Nigeria.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tadexprof
Jan 22, 2026
Feels Surprising and Pitiful - It's fun to be here, seeing how these people have adapted to this lifestyle. It's very surprising and also feel pity for the kids. It's a slum, rough, untidy and unsanitary. But one keeps wondering how they've managed to make living on this water. You will definitely find it surpilrising and also feel someohow bad for the people living here.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kenji_y
Jan 11, 2026
Precious experience in Nigeria - The Driver don't know how to go to "Makoko". So, it takes long time to arrive Makoko. This is not good. Makoko is a great place. The tour fee is a little expensive.
Review provided by Viator
From $90
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).