位于尼日利亚东北部包奇州(Bauchi State)的扬卡里国家公园(Yankari National Park)占地面积约2244平方公里,是西非地区自然生态保持最完整的保护区之一。这里拥有尼日利亚境内数量最多的非洲象种群,估计约有100到150头大象常年在此栖息。对于大多数游客来说,扬卡里的名气不仅源于野生动物,更因为那口常年恒温在31.1摄氏度的维基暖泉(Wikki Warm Springs)。无论外界气候如何变化,这处天然泉水始终清澈见底,每天出水量高达2100万升,水质纯净到可以直接饮用,是缓解驱车游猎疲劳的绝佳去处。
很多人来到扬卡里其实是冲着维基暖泉来的。这处天然喷泉宽约13米,深度在1米到7米不等,由于泉水来自地层深处,即便在最寒冷的季节,水温也雷打不动地维持在31度左右。清晨六点或者深夜时分,在热气腾腾的池子里泡着,看雾气在密林间升腾,是很多旅行者公认的最佳体验。如果你喜欢浮潜,带上潜水镜能看到白色的细沙在池底缓缓流动。暖泉周围修建了专门的跳台和更衣室,虽然设施不算奢华,但这种完全融入热带雨林的沐浴感在非洲其他公园并不多见。
除了玩水,去林子里追踪大象是另一件正经事。扬卡里的地貌以稀树草原和湿地为主,这意味着视线相对开阔。早上七点左右或者下午四点之后是动物活动的频繁期。除了标志性的非洲象,运气好的话还能看到西非狮、水羚和种类繁多的灵长类动物。公园内有超过350种鸟类记录,对于观鸟爱好者来说,加比河(Gabi River)沿岸是出片率最高的地方。在这里租一辆专业的游猎车比自己开车进去要划算得多,当地向导对象群的出没路径了如指掌,能帮你省掉不少在灌木丛里盲目打转的时间。
在追求野趣之余,公园东侧的马歇尔洞穴(Marshall Caves)为旅程增添了一抹人文色彩。这些分布在悬崖边上的59个洞穴是1980年由地质学家马歇尔发现的。洞内至今保留着古代人类生活的痕迹,包括岩画和简单的灶台。洞穴内部空间并不大,高度仅够成年人直立行走,但在炎热的午后躲进洞里,那种天然的凉爽和与世隔绝的历史感,能让你短暂忘却外界的喧嚣。这里的阶梯比较陡峭,攀爬时建议穿着抓地力强的户外鞋。
去扬卡里看动物,时机选对了一半。每年11月到次年5月是旱季,这是游玩的黄金期。随着水源枯竭,动物们会成群结队地向加比河等固定水源地聚集,这时候在岸边守株待兔,拍到象群喝水的概率极大。到了雨季,茂密的植被成了野生动物天然的遮阳伞,它们会深入丛林腹地,这时候想看大象就得凭运气了。不过,雨季的瀑布和植被景观更胜一筹,如果你不是执着于看大象,避开暑热的季节也是个选择。
说到怎么去,最方便的方式是先飞到包奇市或贡贝市(Gombe),然后租车前往,车程大约在1.5到2小时之间。公园正门距离核心住宿区维基营地(Wikki Camp)还有一段十几公里的路程。营地的住宿条件跨度很大,从价格几千奈拉的基础客房到稍微高级点的总统套房都有。建议提前联系公园管理方预订,尤其是在公共假期。营地里虽然有餐厅,但品种相对单一,主要是传统的尼日利亚菜肴如Jollof Rice,吃不惯的朋友最好在包奇市区买足干粮和饮用水。
在扬卡里,最需要防范的可能不是狮子,而是维基营地里那群精明的狒狒。这些家伙完全不怕人,且动作极快,专门盯着游客手中或敞开的背包里的食物。千万不要在户外餐桌上摆放未密封的食品,离开房间时一定要检查窗户是否锁死。我就曾见过游客的行李箱被狒狒通过窗户缝拽出来翻个底朝天,场面一度非常混乱。这种时候别去抢,狒狒有攻击性,直接叫营地的工作人员处理最稳妥。
钱的问题也得算清楚,虽然公园入园费大约在2000到5000奈拉(成人票价随政策波动),但内部的所有消费几乎只收现金。由于这里地理位置偏远,手机信号和Wi-Fi极其不稳定,甚至经常断网,千万别指望靠电子支付。另外,营地的供电并不总是全天候的,通常在午后和深夜会有一段时间停电,建议带好大容量充电宝和强光手电。这里的防蚊工作也得做足,雨林边缘的蚊虫非常凶悍,强效驱蚊喷雾和长袖长裤是傍晚散步的标配。
目前的成人门票基础费用大约在2000至5000奈拉之间,但进入公园后,驱车游猎、租车以及进入特定景点通常需要额外付费。如果想要体验完整的向导带队游猎,每台车的费用通常在15000奈拉以上,建议出发前通过包奇州旅游局官网核实最新价格。
从拉各斯出发距离过远,陆路需要超过15小时,不建议自驾。最稳妥的方案是飞往阿布贾后转机至包奇机场,随后在当地包车前往公园。如果选择从阿布贾陆路前往,车程大约需要7至9小时,路况起伏较大且有检查站,建议天黑前抵达营地。
维基暖泉的安全系数很高,水流平缓且由于出水量巨大,水质更新极快。泉水中没有凶猛的水生动物,但要注意防范周围树林里出没的小型灵长类动物翻动岸边的财物。游泳时尽量避开暴雨后的浑浊时段,以确保最佳的视野和卫生条件。
前往尼日利亚全境通常需要出示黄热病疫苗接种证明(黄皮书)。此外,由于扬卡里属于疟疾高发区,强烈建议在出发前咨询医生并服用预防性药物,并在游玩期间严格使用含避蚊胺成分的驱蚊剂。持有有效的国际旅行保险在紧急情况下也非常有必要。保护区内医疗设施极其有限,常用药品一定要随身携带。
Najmuddeen Alhassan A fantastic place for all lovers of wildlife. I actually enjoyed my stay in Yankari Game Reserve. I wish to visit again one day
Aisha Ajayi This place is supposed to be well kept and visitor friendly unfortunately it isnt, the services were so delayed the rooms were unkept there was no water in the rooms, no power supply at all, the only enjoyable thing was the warm spring and the museum, it is so sad that such a place with serious historical values is not maintained amd visitor friendly i hope they really improve before it goes down completely..the rooms are not cleaned best option is to go early in the morning from bauchi to yankari and come back later in the evening to bauchi its a 2 hours drive but it is worth the stress. It may not be an ideal place for vacation.So sad i wish and hope it was really improved
Vivian Ekebosi Great landscape, poor service delivery, lounging rooms are quite big but not clean, the Air conditions in my room and that of my friends were not working. It took 1-2 before you could get something to eat at the restaurant.The need a lot of renovations to be done, most of the facilities are worn out. Over all bring your expectations really really down. The best highlight was just the Wikki Room Spring
Choji Elizabeth Experience was memorable Winding Stairs to the Wiki warm spring... It was a loooong walk by the way but the reward was worth it in the end 😊 I had a great time at the safari and museum as well👌 other than that; Food was fair, Rooms are desperately in need of maintenance and beware of the neighbours (monkeys) always lock your doors unless you want to part with your belongings.😂
Amala Okpala It was awesome. Its advisable to go on the safari in the mornings as you get to see the animals in their natural habitat. Going in the afternoons isn't as exciting. In my opinion the highlight is the Wikki Warm Spring. You'll spend hours in it without knowing or caring that time is passing by. Yankari is so worth it. Beware of the baboons however. They're thugs