Don’t you just hate it when you are planning for a trip and have nowhere to go, well this right here is a guide to the memorable things you can do at the Yankari National Park, formerly known as the Yankari Games Reserve, it is the biggest National Park in Nigeria. From its natural warm water springs, to its variety of flora and fauna. The Yankari National Park has it all for you, so if you plan on visiting the Park, prepare yourself for an unforgettable adventure.
But here are some information to note:

WHEN TO VISIT.

The best time to visit the Yankari National Park would be during the Dry season, December-April, when the temperatures range between 18°C and 35°C, these temperatures are bound to bring Elephants to the Gaji River Valley, which increases the chances of seeing elephants. December however would be the best time to visit the Park as it’s the festive season and you are sure to get every bit of fun.

-ACTIVITIES.

• Go For A Wildlife Tour:
Going for a Wildlife Tour at the Park should be a way to get the best out of your stay because the park houses over 50 species of mammals. Which includes African bush elephant, olive baboon, patas monkey, Tantalus monkey, roan antelope, Western hartebeest, West Africa lion, African buffalo, waterbuck, bushbuck and hippopotamus etc. which could be thrilling and fun as you track the animals in their natural habitat. For bird lovers the park also boast of having about 350 bird species, of which 130 are residents, 50 are Palearctic migrants and the rest are intra-African migrants that move locally within Nigeria. These birds include the saddle-billed stork, guinea fowl, grey hornbill, and the cattle egret. So whichever you want, the park got something for everyone.

• Take A Dip In Its Warm Water Springs:

While at the park, you might just want to take a warm bath, well no worries because the park has 4 warm springs which were formed due to underground geothermal activities, these springs are Dimmil, Gwan, Nawulgo & Wikki. With Wikki Spring being the most popular of them all, with a size of about 13.0m wide and 1.9m deep making it the largest of them all. It also flows 21,000,000 liters of clear, spring water into the Gaji River. While maintaining a temperature of 31.1°C all through the year, day and night. You wouldn’t want to miss a dip in this wonder of nature while you are at the Park, because it might just be a life changing experience. The park also has a cold spring called Tungan Naliki just in case you want to take a cool dip during the dry hot season.

• Go On An Historical Tour:

Historical tour might just be in place as the park is said to have evidence of early human settlements, like the Dukkey Wells which is an elaborate water storage system of 139 wells with interconnecting shafts. Marshall Caves discovered by P.J Marshall in 1980, they are 59 dwelling caves dug into sandstone escarpments. With rock paintings and engravings in zig-zag form & straight lines. Tunga Dutse which is a more elaborate engravings than the Marshall cave, with legible writings whose age and meanings haven’t been determined. Iron Smelting with 60 standing shaft furnaces, which is believed to be the largest historical industrial complex of its time in West Africa Sub-region. A day spent visiting these historical spots could turn out to be both educative and memorable, with tour guides ready to answer questions you have.

• Visit The Museum:

The park museum is a must visit while at the park, as it offer on display varieties of Animal skins, tusks, bones, fully mounted stuffed games as well as hunting gears and traps ceased from poachers. Worthy of notice is the head of the ground hornbill used by poachers when approaching animals.

-ACCOMODATIONS.

The Wikki Camp is the tourist center of the park located at about 48km from the main entrance gate, it has several categories of rooms to meet the different budgets of its guests, ranging from Student
Hostels which costs #2,500 per bed space to the Complete Corporate Villas which costs #236,000. All rooms have free WI-FI. And it is advisable to book your rooms before you begin your journey, as you are bound to get the rooms that match your need. Below is the Room Rates at the park.

Yanakari National Park Room Rates.



 Student Hostel (Per Bed Space)-#2,500
 Studio Suite-#9,500
 Luxury Double-#14,200
 VIP Room-#23,600
 Corporate Villa (Single Room)-#29,000
 Marshal Suite-#41,300
 Corporate Villa (Master Bedroom)-#60,000
 Corporate Villa (Complete)-#236,000


-ESSENTIALS AT THE YANKARI NATIONAL PARK
Packing is another important part of planning a trip, so when visiting the Yankari National Park here are a few things that you should pack:

Clothing’s: when packing choose light fabrics, as the park is usually hot. And also consider packing
light. Here’s the “must-haves” to pack for the resort:
T-shirt, shirt or blouse (long sleeves or turtleneck to help protect from the sun and mosquitos).
Shorts.
Thick jackets (because the resort is very cold).
-A pair of trouser 1 casual skirt for women.
-Comfortable walking shoes (or boots) and socks.
-Bandanna or cotton scarf.
-Maybe a pair of open sports sandals for general daytime use.
-Flip flops or similar for pool or in-room use.
-Swimsuit.
-A casual outfit for dinner.
Sleep wear.
-And of course your under garments.
Gears: Besides your usual electronics, a power strip from home is essential so you can plug that into
your room outlet to charge all of your items at one time.
-Remember all of your electronics, camera, extra memory cards, batteries, and chargers.
Preventative pharmaceuticals (med kit): stuff you need, just in case the worst happens: diarrhea,
headaches, heartburn, insect repellent, hand sanitizer, indigestion, sore throat, eye drops.

CONCLUSION
There you have it, the Yankari National Park should be on the bucket list of lovers of nature, outdoor & adventure, looking to plan a memorable family trip, vacation or honeymoon. As visiting the park would give one an experience never to forget. Little wonder those who visit always end up planning their next visit.

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