Yankari Game Reserve

Nigerian savanna wildlife reserve centered on elephants and the warm spring waters of Wikki Camp.

Yankari is Nigeria's best-known wildlife reserve, covering around 2,250 square kilometres of Guinea savanna in Bauchi State in the northeast of the country. It is one of the largest and most intact savanna ecosystems in West Africa, and for wildlife watching in Nigeria there is nothing else in the same league. Elephants are the star attraction — a healthy population roams the reserve, most reliably spotted near water during the dry season. Buffalo, hippo, kob, waterbuck, roan antelope, baboons, and various monkey species fill out the cast, along with lions and crocodiles, though large predators are harder to see.

The reserve's social centre is Wikki Camp, 42 kilometres inside the main entrance, built around the Wikki Warm Springs — a clear, constant 31°C river fed by underground springs where you can swim among fish, with cormorants and herons working the shallows. It is one of the most pleasant spots in all of Nigeria. The camp has hotel rooms, simple cottages, a restaurant, and a bar; it is the only place to stay inside the reserve. Game drives depart twice daily. History-minded visitors should seek out the Dukkey Wells, 139 interconnected ancient wells used for water storage centuries ago, and the Marshall Caves, where sandstone chambers are decorated with line drawings left by prehistoric inhabitants.

The best time to visit is November through May, during the dry season, when vegetation dies back and animals concentrate around water sources. Getting here is an adventure: fly to Bauchi or Abuja, then travel by road. The reserve is well signposted from Bauchi town, about 80 kilometres away.

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Day Trips in Yankari Game Reserve

Yankari Game Reserve day trips offer plenty with the park open year round located in Nigeria. The game reserve offers relaxation amidst the warm springs while viewing the local wildlife of eagles, storks, and herons. The game ranch offers more than the opportunity for bird-watchers with a wide range of facilities including tennis, squash, and exhibits.

Wikki Warm Springs

Known as one of the best features of the Yankari Game Reserve day trips, visitors can relax in the springs. The warm springs serves as nature’s hot tub to locals and visitors in the area with up to six feet of water in the expansive area. Admission to the warm springs swimming area costs a reasonable fee for visitors wanting to relax. While relaxing in the springs, the 89-degree water provides the best place to cool off and enjoy a bath after playing tennis or squash at the nearby courts.

Safari

Tour the Yankari Game Reserve day trips by joining the safari that takes you around the preserve to see the wildlife. The safari lasts almost all day and costs a reasonable fee for a jeep ride throughout the reserve. The Yankari Game Reserve day trips feature baboons that can entertain you while touring through the reserve. Along the way, visitors may spot lions even through they blend naturally with the area. The best visit time for the safari along the Yankari Game Reserve day trips is through the months of November to May to see the wildlife near the rivers.

Contributors June 14, 2010

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Getting Around in Yankari Game Reserve

Treat yourself to an adventure of a lifetime by going on a Safari adventure with Yankari Game Reserve transportation. Nigeria has a lot to offer including the Yankari Game Reserve which is a hot-spot destination for tourists who love to experience the great outdoors and commune with nature.

The Yankari Game Reserve transportation deals can take you to places like the warm springs, museum, and of course, on the safari. This tourist attraction guarantees a fun and memorable experience to all those who love nature or simply want to have a grand vacation. Here are the transport services that can take you to the reserve:

Plane

The fastest way to reach the Yankari Game Reserve is by plane. You’ll land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport which is nearest to the reserve and take the bus or rent a car to get to your destination.

Buses

Tourist buses are aplenty and you can see them lined up in the airport. If you’re traveling with your family or friends, this is your ideal mode of transportation since it is cheaper. There also buses that can tour you around the Yankari Game Reserve, including the safari where you can see wild animals up close. Rest assured that these buses are safe and are closely regulated to abide to all safety requirements.

Car

You can reach the reserve by taking the road. You can rent a car from one of the car rentals available in the area. The roads going to the Yankari Game Reserve are very well-maintained so no need to worry about bumpy rides along the way.

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People in Yankari Game Reserve

The wikki warm spring

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Practical Information in Yankari Game Reserve

Useful Yankari Game Reserve Tips

Here is some Yankari Game Reserve practical information to review prior to visiting this large wildlife park in Nigeria. This will help you make the most of your Savannah experience and enjoy a pleasant stay within the park.

Language

You will barely experience language barriers while staying at the Yankari Game Reserve. There are several reasons why. Along with Hausa, Fufulde and Bole, English is an official language of the Bauchi State, so many locals speak it at a relatively good level. The Yankari Game Reserve is one of the premiere tourist attractions in the area, so the staff is required to have a good command of English.

Currency

Cash is the only way of payment within the Yankari Game Reserve, so make sure you change all your money prior to visiting the park. You can do this at the nearby city of Bauchi. However, keep in mind the only currency you can change to Nigerian Naira is the U.S. Dollar. Don’t count on travelers cheques and bank cards, because ATMs aren’t widespread. Credit card frauds are a common occurrence. When changing money, it is good to know $1 is worth around 150 Naira in summer 2010, although the moneychangers in Bauchi are usually honest. Don’t worry about carrying big amounts of cash within the reserve, because the area is generally safe.

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Sights in Yankari Game Reserve

Yankari Game Reserve Sights provide natural entertainment and enjoyment to tourists since it is comprised of different resorts, parks, springs and mountains that possess lots of natural beauty, wild life, and recreational opportunities like fishing and bathing. These sights and reserves are situated in Nigeria and are well-known worldwide due their attractive sights and marvelous wild life.

Yankari National Park

Yankari National Park is perhaps the best game reserve that can be found in Nigeria and because of this it provides a good addition to the Yankari Game Reserve sights. It is located about 225 km east Jos, a Nigerian city and 80 km from the Bauchi town and located around Gagi River. Tourists need to drive around 1 ½ hours from Bauchi town. Yankari National Park has been designated as the only reserve left for wild animals in Nigeria.

This park was opened in 1962 and the game-viewing areas remain opened through out the year. This park’s area is about 2.058 square km and possesses a vast Savanna wood land area.

There are enormous wild animals in this park such as: crocodile, hippopotamus, antelope, buffalo, monkeys, lions, elephants, and waterbucks. The best time of visiting this park is between the months of November and May at which time a lot of animals can be seen.

Wikki Warm Springs

The Wikki Warm Springs are situated adjacent to Yankari National Park. Its warm waters provide tourists lots of relaxation, especially at the night time. The springs are almost 6 feet deep and they provide tourists an area where they can bathe. There are a lot of birds found in these springs like vultures, bateleur eagles, goliath herons and bee-eaters. This is a wonderful place for those who love to see birds.

Gashaka-Gumti National Park

This park is situated in the south east Taraba State in Adamawa, Nigeria. It occupies a big wild area approximately 6000 sq. km and contains the highest mountain of Nigeria (Chapal Waddi, 2409 m). A lot of environmental and ecological diversity is seen at this area.

Gashaka-Gumti is home to a gallery forest, a moist forest,a mountain forests and grass lands and there are many rivers that pass through this park, like Taraba from River Benue. A lot of different types of animals can be seen here like chimpanzees, hyenas, leopards, roan antelopes and buffalo.

There are a lot of types of birds with different species and this park provides the great opportunity for fish hunting. The safe accommodation with excellent catering is available for visitors and tourists can hire game guards. Gashaka-Gumti National Park is a great place to fine the best of Yankari Game Reserve sights.

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Things to do in Yankari Game Reserve

The Yankari Game Reserve Things to Do list will consist of all things related to nature. Located in the Bauchi state in Nigeria, the reserve offers a gamut of activities to the visitors.

Safari

Yankari Game Reserve will provide visitors a whole new experience. This reserve is the most visited wildlife facility in Nigeria. The most fun and convenient way to experience the wild is to go on the planned safari organized by the reserve. The safari will take you to the nooks and corners of the reserve and you can observer the animals in their natural habitat. Hippos, lions, monkeys and other animals are found here. You can see the elephants close to the river on most days.

Museum

Learn more about the reserve and its inhabitants at this museum, located in the reserve. You will find the museum in an area called the Wiki Camp. Wiki Camp is developed for the comfort of the visitors and is 42 km from the reserve's entrance. You will find horns, skins, skulls and the remains of animals that have perished. A detailed list of the animals found in the reserve is also put up here. You can also view elephant's tusks here. ** Warm Springs**

Warm Springs in the Yankari Game Reserve is a famous pit stop for the visitors. It provides the visitors a chance to get away from the scorching heat in Nigeria. Warm Springs is a river that flows in the reserve and is located near the lodge. The temperature of the water is always around 31 degrees C. You can float in this water or simply go for a swim. The water is pure, good for the skin and good to drink. The tall and dense verdant trees provide shade to the entire area.

Human Settlement Tour

Set out on a sightseeing tour of the reserve and trace the evidence of human settlement in Yankari during the ancient times. You will be taken on a tour of the 139 Dukkey Wells where you will see an elaborate water storage facility. The main attraction is the famous Marshall Cave which was discovered in 1980 and exhibits sandstone caves, paintings and different engravings on the walls. Next to the Dwall River is the Tunga Dutse, a huge rock that has more eligible engraving than the Marshall Caves.

**Wiki Camp

** Enjoy the offerings at Wiki Camp after sunset. You can dine at the various restaurants here. The restaurants serve both local as well as international cuisine. If you wish to experience the party scene then head to the nightclubs in the hotels at Wiki Camo. You can also enjoy a bonfire in the well maintained camp site in this area.

Contributors June 22, 2005

Guide

Top 5 Must Do's in Yankari Game Reserve

Yankari National Park in Nigeria serves as a home for much of Nigeria’s wildlife as well as a way to show tourists the natural beauty of the savannah. As the largest wildlife park in Nigeria, it is a must-see eco-tourism destination, and because of the large size of the park, there are many Yankari Game Reserve Must Do’s. ** **

  • Wikki Camp

The Wikki Camp is the tourist center for the game reserve, and it is built around the Wikki warm spring. The spring stays at a constant 31 degrees Celsius throughout the year, which makes it a popular swimming hole. It is also a popular bird watching spot, as hundreds of birds visit the spring each day. The camp is the only resort in the game reserve, and has hotel rooms, a restaurant, a bar, and a conference center. - The Wild Life Museum

Located at the Wikki Camp, the museum features a variety of animal trophies, from pelts and bones to stuffed animals that come from the area. Exhibits feature hunting equipment such as guns, traps, skinning knives, spears and camping gear from the 19th century up to the present day. The older items mostly came from legitimate hunters, but the newer ones were taken from poachers. The museum is a must do for eco-tourists. - Dukkey Wells

These ancient, artificial wells are from an old settlement that needed to conserve water in the dry savannah. The 139 interconnected wells were created hundreds of years ago. Even after the settlement vanished, the wells were still used by travelers and may have been used by Trans-Atlantic slave traders to refill their water supplies. - Marshal Caves

In 1980, explorers discovered 59 prehistoric caves that were partially dug out by very early inhabitants. A circular entrance in the sandstone leads to a large, rounded inner chamber that ranges between 30 and 80 meters in diameter. The walls of the cave are covered in line drawings that form zigzags and straight lines. Nothing else is known about the inhabitants. - The Kalban Hill

The name of Kalban Hill means "flat place," and it is well deserved. The flat hill top is northeast of Wikki Camp and is a common stopping area for the safaris that travel the park daily. From the top of the hill, eco-tourists can get a clear view of the park, and if they have a good eye, they will see herds of animals from a birds' eye view. It's a definite must-do for visitors of Yankari National Park.