Awash National Park — 3 days - Zagwe Ethiopia tours and travel - Tour in Ethiopia | Ethiopia Tour Travel | Ethiopia Tour & Travel | Tour and Travel Ethiopia

Trip Code
ZET 045
Duration
3 days / 2 night
Any date departure
Group Size
1- 20 Participants
Transportation
Surface (4WD )
Discount
10% OFF

A semi-arid landscape of dry acacia woodland and savannah, the scenic, 756-square-kilometre Awash National Park was set aside in 1996 to protect the gaping Awash River Gorge. On its northern horizon, Mount Fantalle is a dormant volcano whose sheer walls are set around a deep caldera pockmarked with active steam vents. Other landmarks include the impressive Awash Falls at the head of the gorge, the palm-fringed pools of Filwoha Hot Springs, and the shallow, boulder-strewn Lake Beseka to the southwest of the park.

Wildlife is relatively scarce and skittish. The most conspicuous large mammals are baboon (both hamadryas and Anubis), beisa oryx, Soemmerring’s gazelle and Salt’s dik-dik. Predators are very seldom seen, but spotted hyena and black-backed jackal are present, and lion and cheetah might occasionally venture through. Awash is a superb birding destination, with at least 450 species recorded. Fantalle is the best place in Ethiopia to look for the endemic yellow-throated seedeater and sombre rock chat, though of greater interest to casual visitors are the waterbirds associated with Lake Beseka, and colourful savannah species such as Abyssinian roller and northern carmine bee-eater.

The park lies 190km east of Addis Ababa, and is bisected by the main road to Dire Dawa and flanked by the small towns of METEHARA to the southwest, close to Lake Beseka, and AWASH SABA to the east. Set on the edge of the Awash Gorge, Awash Saba hosts a busy Monday market that attracts hordes of traditional Afar people.

Day 1: Awash National park

Head out early for Awash National Park.– You pass Lake Beseka, which has expanded over the last decade, requiring the Djibouti-Addis Ababa railway line to be raised on several occasions. Continue past the entrance to Awash National Park towards Assab and the lodge at Bilen. Outside the park, this habitat contains grassland, savannah and wetlands.

There are over 450 species of birds found in this savannah grassland, including the Abyssinian Roller, Abyssinian Ground Horn Bill, Endemic White Tailed Swallow, Buff Created Bustard, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Honey Guide, Woodland Kingfisher, and many, many more!–Enjoy the vibrant and varied wildlife while exploring this gorgeous national treasure. Even inexperienced birders will be impressed by the beauty, variety and abundance of spectacular species in this inviting habitat. Be on the lookout for the Beisa Oryx and Swayne’s hartebeest, among the 46 species of mammals recorded in the park.

Meals–Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Lodge

Day 2: Awash national park

Today is a full-day safari looking for birds and game amidst the spectacular scenery of the Awash River Valley.–Animals such as the East African oryx, Soemmerring’s gazelle, Dik-dik, the lesser and greater kudus, warthogs, Anubis baboons, Hamadryas baboons, and perhaps African wild dogs can be seen. Along the way, stop at Palm Springs to swim in the natural hot springs. Then after a long day of seeing magnificent animals and breathing crisp African air, turn in at the lodge for the night.

Meals–Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Lodge

Day 3: Return to Addis Ababa

Early morning, take a drive in the park to witness the park as it comes alive. Afterwards, depart from Awash, returning to Addis Ababa. On the way you can stop in Sodere to take a shower in the therapeutic hot springs waters.

Evening you will have a fare well dinner in one of the Ethiopian restaurants for cultural dinner and dances from the different ethnic groups. Transfer to the airport departure to home and the tour will be end.

Meals: B, L, D

This trip can be tailor made at a time to suit you and can be adapted to suit your interests, budget and requirements as necessary.

Date and Availability = All the year This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirement and itinerary can be adjusted according to your time, budget and interest. Price: , if you want quotation or any other tour information about this trip we are very happy to help. Request a quote

suit your requirement and itinerary can be adjusted

Essential information

Plan your trip

Getting around Ethiopia

The park is most easily accessed by car from Addis Ababa. The Addis Ababa — Dire Dawa highway runs through the southern portion of the park, and the main entrance is at the 190km mark driving away from the capital, just after the town of Metehara. The drive takes approximately 3 hours. The park is approximately an hour and a half from Nazareth.

Road: The best way to experience the variety of scenery Ethiopia has to offer is travel by road. Ethiopia’s road network has improved substantially in the past decade or so thanks to an extensive road maintenance programme and many roads are become an asphalt.

There are a several highways in Ethiopia, majority of the roads are in good condition:

The major roads leading out from Addis Ababa are tar-sealed, all-weather roads along all (or most of) their routes. Many minor roads are paved and traversing them can be comfortable.

By car: -A good way to tour Ethiopia is by car. They can take you off the beaten track so you can see the beauty and attractions of Ethiopia.

We use reliable and well maintained Toyota Landcruisers, Buses and minibuses throughout the entirety of this tour and our drivers are chosen by us for their skills, their safety, their experience and their good nature. The main roads in Ethiopia are often newly tarmaced and facilitate comfort and efficiency. But this tour frequently goes off-piste to explore much more unusual areas, making the comfort and quality of our vehicles of utmost importance.

Vehicles /Transport: During the course of your trip, we will use a variety of vehicles, all which are fit for purpose and the conditions encountered. We will be using a 4WD Toyota land cruiser, mini buses or coater buses depending on the condition of the road and the size of the group.

These land cruisers can accommodate four to five participants. Travelling in Ethiopia is a great adventure and needs much patience and flexibility. The quality of the bus is not always comparable with the standards that you are used to in the West

Travel documents (Passport and Visa requirements)

Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after having left Ethiopia. Also keep in mind that your passport needs at least 2 consecutive blank pages. A photocopy of your passport is a great idea (keep it somewhere separate in your luggage).

At present, a visa is required for entry as a tourist into Ethiopia. You should apply to your nearest Ethiopian embassy . For some nationalities it’s possible to obtain a tourist visa on arrival into Addis Ababa airport, visitors will need to bring two recent passport-sized photographs. Please check the visa requirements for your country well in advance of travel as they can of course change at any moment.

Upon request we arrange visas for our travellers, or if an invitation letter is necessary then we will arrange this for you.

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements

When is best: Generally, Awash is best visited during the warm dry months from November to June . During these months, wildlife viewing is at its best, and dry days permit ample hiking. That said if the birdlife and waterfalls are the primary draws to this park, it is best to visit the area at the end of the rainy season in September and October.

When to go — All year round

Climate: Located in the highlands and not far from the equator, temperatures are moderate and fairly stable year round. Daily highs fluctuate between 20°C and 25°C, with the warmest months occurring between February and May. The coldest months occur between July and October. High levels of rainfall occur between June and September, while the dry months last from November to March.