The Gashaka Gumti National Park

Gashaka-Gumti National Park is located in the mountainous region of north-eastern Nigeria adjacent to the international border with Cameroon, and immediately to the north of Mambilla Plateau. The largest and most scenic of all the seven National Parks, this conservation area lies between latitude 6^o 55’ and 8^o 05’ north, and longitude 11^o11’ and 12^o13’ east and covers a total area of 6,731 sq.km. Located in Adamawa and Taraba States, the Park is contiguous with Faro and Tchabal Mbado National Parks in the Republic of Cameroon.

The Park experiences varying pleasant weather conditions, depending on one’s location within the Park. These range from tropical dry humid, tropical moist humid in the lowlands to sub tropical highland weather on the high plateau around Chappal waddi, Sabere and Fillinga. Infact , the hidden corner of West Africa ,that is Gashaka-Gumti National Park, is surely one of Africa’s best kept secret.

ANTROPOGENIC FEATURES:

The Park also contains some historic sites one of which is the pre 1918 German fort and garrison top of Gashaka Hill once used as a “ watch tower ” by the German military expedition to that area. Graves of some fallen German soldiers could still be seen dotted around the Fort. Similarly, there is an English fort near Gashaka village built by the British Frontier Force who overthrew the Germans to gain the Mambilla pass(a narrow corridor that gave access into Cameroon through the Mambilla Plateau in those days)

THE GASHAKA PRIMATE PROJECT:

The Gashaka Primate Project was founded in 2000 by the Department of Anthropology, University College London. The Project aims to understand the interactions between Primates and their natural environment and its effect on evolution, while at the same time contributing to the conservation of one of Africa’s biodiversity hotspots. Activities of the project include: Park protection, Park boundary demarcation and patrol, eco-tourism development, community outreach , biological research and development of the Park infrastructure.

ACCESS TO THE PARK:

Gashaka sector of the park can be accessed through Katsina Ala-Takum-Bali-Serti –Bodel Gate and the other from Jalingo-Mutum Biyu-Bali-Serti-Bodel Gate, while the main access to Gumti sector is from Yola-Mayo Belwa-Ganye-Sugu-Toungo. The closest airport is at Yola. However, there is an airstrip for light aircraft in Serti, which could be used by visitors.