Yankari Game Reserve: All you need to know about planning a trip here

This haven boasts of having the largest surviving elephant population in West Africa.

Here's all you need to know about planning a trip to Yankari Game Reserve.

Contact number: (069) 43-656

Things to take with you: A camera, cash, sunglasses, drinking water, comfortable hiking shoes, your overnight kit and a safari kit.

Yankari Game Reserve is a large wildlife park located in the south-central part of Bauchi State, Nigeria.

It covers an area of about 2,244 square kilometres (866 sq mi) and is home to several natural warm water springs, as well as a wide variety of flora and fauna.

The reserve is also a vast village to animals such as primates, waterbucks, bushbucks, oribi, crocodiles, hippopotamus, roan gazelle, wild ox and countless species of monkeys.

When is the best time to visit?

The best time to have the full experience of Yankari is during the dry season with warmer temperature, typically between March and April.

This allows you to see a wider range of animals during the safari.

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How to get to the park

The journey to Yankari is quite complicated depending where you are. From Northern areas such as Abuja, a ride typically takes about 5-6 hours. A hired vehicle from Abuja is about N10,000 while public transport is N2000-N3000.

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Where to lodge

Yankari offers a wide variety of convenient rooms for different budgets — from a bed at a student lodge to a corporate villa — and all rooms have WIFI. To book a room, call ahead before setting out on your journey. However, there are other inns and motels nearby.