Gashaka Gumti National Park

Gashaka Gumti National Park is Nigeria’s largest national park, located in Taraba State along the country’s eastern border with Cameroon and established as a national park in 1991. The park encompasses extensive montane and lowland habitats, including rainforest, savanna and highland plateaus.

The park contains Chappal Waddi, Nigeria’s highest summit at 2,419 metres, and a mosaic of forested valleys, grasslands and rugged terrain that supports a wide range of wildlife including primates, large mammals and diverse birdlife. The park is an important center for conservation in West Africa and a focus for scientific research and ecotourism.

Gashaka Gumti covers the Gashaka and Gumti mountain zones and parts of the Mambilla Plateau in northeastern Nigeria, with terrain that is remote and sparsely settled compared with Nigeria’s central regions.

• Large and varied habitats: Includes Nigeria’s highest point at 2,419 metres, offering montane rainforest, montane grassland and savanna habitats across a large, remote area.
• Access and logistics: Access is remote and services are limited; park visits typically require permits, local guides and overland travel arrangements from nearby towns.

What to See#

• Chappal Waddi (Gashaka Mountain): Chappal Waddi (often called Gashaka Mountain) reaches 2,419 metres and is the highest point in Nigeria, forming part of the park’s montane zone.
• Gumti forest and valleys: The Gumti zone contains extensive forested slopes and river valleys forming core habitat for the park’s larger mammals and rain-fed gallery forests.
• Mambilla Plateau highlands: The Mambilla Plateau area within the park includes highland grasslands and montane habitats that are important for endemic and highland-adapted species.

• Plan travel to Gashaka Gumti during the dry season (roughly November-February) when roads and trails into the park are most reliable and wildlife viewing is easier.
• Arrange permits and a local guide through the Nigeria National Park Service before you go - the park is large and remote, and guided, multi‑day itineraries are the practical way to reach the best trails and viewpoints.
• Allow several days for travel and exploration rather than a day trip: the park's terrain is extensive and the main attractions (mountain scenery, forest blocks and wildlife) require time to reach from the nearest towns.