Awash National Park Ethiopia

Awash National Park was named after the Awash River that crosses the park on the southern Park. The park covers a total area of 750 sq km under acacia woodland, grasslands plains and river banks.

One of the main features of the park area is the Fentale Volcano, on the southern flank of which can be seen the dark scar of the last lava flow of 1820. Not far from the main park headquarters and gate are the Filwoha hot springs and an oasis of Palm trees and Awash waterfalls that flows in the Awash River gorge. What would you want on Ethiopia safaris than such a scenic setting!

Wildlife

The park offers quite good wildlife and outstanding birdlife viewing. Some of the best sights in the park include the Beisa Oryx, Gazelles , Greater &and Lesser Kudus, Ethiopia Swayne’s Hartbeest , Dik-Dik , Defarsa waterbuck , the Anubis monkeys, Colobus and Grivet monkeys and Hamadryas monkeys often seen near the river. An abundant park like this doesn’t lose sight of predators like Leopards, Lions, Black-Backed & Golden Jackals, Caracals, Servals and Wildcats that feast on the small mammals.

More than 46o bird species have been recorded in Awash Ethiopia National park alone making it one the best birding destinations in the country. Of these six are Ethiopian endemics birds include Banded Barbet, Golden-Backed Woodpecker, White-Winged Cliff Chat, White-Tailed Starling, Thick-Billed Raven and Colobus and Grivet monkeys. Filwoha Hot Spring areas are the best sites to spot many species of birds such as Emerald-Spotted Wood Dove, Secretary birds, bustards, Green Wood-Hoopoes, Red and Yellow Barbets, Carmine Bea Eaters are to name only a few.

The other feature is the turquoise-blue pools of the natural hot springs in the extreme north of the park where you can spot Waterbucks and Hamadryas baboons and sometimes hear Lions at night.

Getting there

The park is just 220 km from Addis Ababa the capital of Ethiopia to the east. A three hour’s drive tot Nazaret near the park to the main gate near the beautiful Awash Waterfalls. Accommodation for the safari tourist is available across the llala sala plains.