Bauchi State
Yankari National Park
Bauchi State. Elephants, a warm spring you can swim in and the easiest big-game trip in Nigeria.
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The place
Why we go
Yankari sits in the savanna of the north east, fed by the Gaji river and by warm springs that run all year. In the dry season the bush thins out and the animals come to the water, which is when we go. It is the park we know best: Musa, our lead guide in the north, has driven these tracks since 2009.
- Getting there
- Fly Lagos to Abuja, then about 5 hours by road
- Best months
- November to April, when animals gather at the Gaji river
- Park size
- About 2,250 square kilometres of savanna and woodland
- What you see
- Elephants, waterbuck, roan antelope, baboons, hippos, more than 350 kinds of bird
- Where you stay
- Gaji Riverbend Camp or Wikki Terrace Rooms
- Trips here
- Yankari wildlife week, Yankari long weekend, or build your own
Highlights
What you will see and do
Elephants
Herds of 20 to 60 along the river in February and March.
Birds
Hornbills, bee-eaters, fish eagles and the saddle-billed stork.
Wikki warm spring
About 31 degrees all year, clear enough to see the sand.
Marshall caves
Fifty-nine old dwelling caves cut into the sandstone, with a ranger.
The rhythm
A day here, start to finish
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Morning
Game drives start at 06:15, when the light is soft and the elephants come down to drink.
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Midday
Shade, siesta, a swim in the Wikki spring. Lunch is long.
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Afternoon
A second drive from 16:00, or a guided walk with an armed park ranger.
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Evening
Supper by the fire, then the night sounds: hyena calls, frogs, the generator going off at midnight.
Gallery
From our last trips
Tap a photo to see it larger.
Before you go
Questions about this place
Will we definitely see elephants
Nobody can promise wildlife. In February and March our groups have seen elephants on almost every trip, but they are wild animals and some drives are quiet.
Is the warm spring safe to swim in
Yes. It is a natural spring with a sandy floor and park staff on duty. Children must be with an adult.
How rough is the road
The road from Abuja is tarred most of the way. Inside the park tracks are dirt and bumpy. Tell us about back problems and we will plan around them.
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