Riyom Rock

Riyom rock is a formation beside the road southwest of Jos where large granite boulders sit stacked on one another, the uppermost apparently balanced on a narrow contact, the result of weathering along joints in the granite that has left the harder cores standing while the surrounding rock rotted away. Similar tors are scattered across the Jos plateau but this group is the best known and has appeared on stamps and in publications as a plateau emblem. It rises from farmland with terraced fields and Berom villages around it. Visitors climb partway up the base for the view; going higher is a scramble on smooth rock and not advisable.

What you'll find

• The balanced stack - the boulders piled with the top block on a narrow base.
• The plateau tors - the other granite formations across the surrounding fields.
• Terraced farmland - the fields and villages around the rock.
• The road view - the formation seen from the Jos to Akwanga road.

When to go

November to March in the dry season; harmattan haze in December and January dulls the light. Morning and late afternoon give the best shadows on the rock. It is a short roadside stop.

Practical notes

There is no site development, signage or facility. Climbing on the smooth granite is dangerous beyond the base. Informal charges are sometimes asked by local people. It is a roadside stop of half an hour, not a destination.

Nearby

Jos lies northeast; the Shere hills are east.

Key facts