We can start with the cliché that ‘Nigeria is beautiful’. That is not new news because it’s common knowledge but how many enjoy the beauty we are blessed with?
There’s no place like Yankari Game reserve, trust me. It’s a unique place.
If you live in North East and you are yet to visit Yankari, you are missing out big time. 
Who knows, you could be inspired to visit after reading this article.
One sunny Saturday morning, we converged at a roundabout in Gombe ready for an excursion to the Yankari game reserve. We took off at 8am. It is just a one hour and a half drive from Gombe. Arriving at the gate, we bought tickets and then drove within the reserve for another twenty minutes to get to the museum and spring. What welcomed us was a baboon but we shooed it away. Baboons could attack visitors and collect the food and bags with them.
Now what is the significance of the Yankari Game Reserve?
YGR is a natural habitat for vegetation (with over 2200 species of plants) and wildlife (about 400 species of animals). Untouched by civilization, animals are free to roam and free to live freely. It’s a crime to kill an animal there and of course, poaching is totally unacceptable.
YGR was open to the public in 1962, was run by the FG but is now run by the Bauchi state government. It is a tourist center that hosts local and international visitors who come to bask in its natural beauty. It’s also a haven for students and researchers from all over the globe.
Yankari has a rich history because humans had lived there from time immemorial before it became a reserve in modern times.
Within the grounds, they have relics from the past. There are the Dukkey wells, a labyrinth of over 100 wells joined together at the base. Then, the Marshall caves where people once lived to hide from invasion/enemy attack. Those caves have their full house complement, utensils etc preserved up till now and paintings and engravings by the ancients can be seen on the wall!
There are five springs in the reserve, all are warm springs except one. The most popular one is the Wikki Warm Spring.
Our first port of call was the museum. We saw the artifacts and were given a brief history of the place. The museum exhibits the weapons used by the ancient hunters, the skins, tusks and hides of various animals etc.
Wikki Warm Spring:
This is one of the most beautiful water bodies I have ever seen in my entire life time. The spring is crystal clear in colour, has a white sand base and a constant temperature of 31 degrees Celsius year round. It starts at the lowest level (1ft) on one end and then increases in depth gradually till about 7ft when you get to the large rock at the other side. For divers, you can dive from the tree or from the side but it is important to know that there are rocks by the side and a cleft of wood in the middle. There are no fishes in it. Because of the temperature and gentle tide, it’s a swimmer’s delight.
Nobody has been able to trace the source of the spring.
Wikki warm springs is a source of clean water for drinking and millions of litres are packaged in bottles for human consumption because of its purity.
I’ll drop some tips here on how to prepare if you plan to visit the reserve:
Transportation:
It is advisable to charter from wherever you are taking off from to the reserve.
Yes, you can take public transportation. There are buses from the Alkaleri/Yankari junction to the main gate but human habitation (museum, chalets etc) is another twenty minutes journey from the gate. It’s not advisable to walk down that road because you could meet the animals unguarded.
Gate fee:
The fee is N800 for students and corpers, N2000 for adults, for children I could not ascertain. It costs a little token to access the museum but the fees are negotiable.
Entertainment:
You can come with food, drinks and sound. However, there is an exquisite restaurant that sell local foods in the reserve.
Accommodation:
At the Wikki camp, there are different types: the bedspace (hostel-like setting), studio rooms and luxury chalets. There is Wi-Fi, swimming pool, games arcade etc.
Side Attractions:
You can hike the Kalban hill, go on a Safari and visit the sites talked about previously in this article.
It is important to keep to the rules; dont run around, dont walk alone, back the animals or they would attack, dress appropriately and most importantly, listen to the guides.
I hope with these few points of mine, I have been able to convince you that Yankari Game Reserve is truly an untapped goldmine.