Wase Rock

Wase rock is an inselberg standing some three hundred metres above the plain near Wase town in southeastern Plateau State, a dome of dark volcanic rock with near-vertical sides rising abruptly out of flat farmland, which makes it visible from a long distance. It was gazetted as a bird sanctuary because of a breeding colony of pink-backed pelicans that nest on the rock, one of the few known inland breeding sites for the species in the region, and it is one of the earliest protected areas of its kind in Nigeria. The rock is climbed by experienced climbers only; ordinary visitors walk around the base. There is no development at the site.

History

Wase Rock, Gwauron Dutse in Hausa, is a trachyte neck, all that remains of a once giant volcano, rising 295 metres from the floor of the Benue Rift 160 km south-east of Jos; its summit is split in two by a narrow chasm (Wikipedia, Wase Rock).

What you'll find

• The rock - the volcanic dome rising sheer from the plain.
• Pelican colony - the pink-backed pelicans breeding on the rock.
• The surrounding plain - the flat farmland the inselberg interrupts.
• The approach - the view of the rock building on the road in.

When to go

November to March in the dry season for the roads. Pelican breeding is seasonal, so numbers vary through the year. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light on the rock.

Things to know

There is no visitor infrastructure, signage or facility. Climbing the rock is a technical undertaking. Pelicans are seen at distance and binoculars are needed. Wase is a long drive from Jos on rough roads.

Nearby

Jos lies northwest; Nasarawa State is south.

Key facts