NATIONAL PARKS SAFARIS ETHIOPIA

HIGHLIGHTS, WHERE THEY ARE AND HOW TO VISIT

AWASH NATIONAL PARK ANIMALS

AWASH NATIONAL PARK & FALLS TOUR & LODGE. Volcanic national park, beautiful canyon, semi-desert wildlife and hot springs

Awash National Park

75,600ha Awash National Park is at a road distance of ± 225km east of Addis Ababa from where it can be reached in about 3 hours over the highway to Djibouti, which actually runs through it separating the Illala Saha Plains to the south from the Kudu Valley to the north. The Awash River runs through a canyon or gorge in the Southern part of the park where it falls off the cliffs of the famous Awash Waterfalls. The Awash Falls Lodge is located within the park at 5 minutes walking distance from the falls.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Most of our hundreds of pictures are favored in Google! Why? Because no other website has so many beautiful high resolution pictures, taken by ourselves. Our pictures not only show you the beauty of Ethiopia, but they also show that we go everywhere, photographing wildlife, plants, people and culture. They show our professionalism, our keen eye for detail and our passion for the culture and nature of Ethiopia. So why consider booking our our Ethiopia Culture & National Parks modules? Because we don't mislead you like many tour operators do. When the Blue Nile falls are dry.... we tell you. When fog clouds the lava lake of Erte Ale? We let you know. Just drop us a mail and we will check it out for you.

Our tours take you to ALL famous cultural places of Ethiopia, and on top of that, you get to see up to 12 large nature reserves accompanied by a conservation forester. There is nothing similar on the market.

As Ethiopia can be combined with other East African countries, we organize tours in modules. Destinations Overview: Historical Circuit; Danakil Depression; Eastern Route; Simien Mountains; Bale Mountains; Southern Parks Safari; Gambella; Addis Ababa. BUT WAIT: if you buy your international ticket with Ethiopia Airlines, they will sell the internal flights at a price that you can't even ride the bus for. But you MUST plan it all in one package and making changes may be very costly. So let us help you plan your entire trip and book your local flights for an incredibly low price after you booked your international flight with Ethiopian Airlines!

The Awash river never reaches the sea as it ends in the highly saline Lake Abbe, gradually losing its water to evaporating - and irrigated farming - as it runs through the arid Awash Valley. North of the highway, the landscape is dominated by the Fentale Volcano at the Northern border of the park where one can seen its last lava enormous lava flow of 1820. One also finds the Filwoha oasis with hot springs amid a palm grove at the Northeastern park limit.

Most of the park is covered by shrub savannah and open grassland, with exception of the left shore of the Awash River, which is a dense Gallery forest.

Wildlife in this park include the Oryx, Soemmerring's Gazelle, the tiny Salt Dik-Dik, the lesser and greater Kudus, Warthogs, Defarsa waterbuck, Anubis and Hamadryas baboons, Colobus and Grivet monkeys, Leopards, Lions, Black-Backed and Golden Jackals, Caracals, Servals and Wildcats.

The bird list has about 470 species, of which we mention:

• Six endemics: Banded Barbet, Golden-Backed Woodpecker, White-Winged Cliff Chat, White-Tailed Starling, Thick-Billed Raven and Wattled Ibis;

• On the open grassland plains one has a chance to see several species hawks and Secretary birds, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Carmine Bee-eaters, and the Abyssinian Roller;

• In the wooded vegetation one can find Emerald-Spotted Wood Dove, Green Wood-Hoopoes, Red and Yellow Barbets, Coucal, Turaco, Go-away bird, Silver-cheeked hornbill just to name a few.

Awash Falls

Half hidden in a side canyon, the Awash Falls are among the scenic highlights of Ethiopia. 

The Awash Falls during the dry season when water is clear but not quite as high.

Awash National Park entrance station.

The Park main entrance going to the Awash Falls.

Awash Falls Lodge at walking distance from the Awash Falls

Awash Falls Lodge Restaurant.

Creek flowing Filwoha Hotsprings lined by Palm trees.

Palm oasis at the Filwoha Hotsprings.

The Fentale Volcano with open grasslands in the foreground and shrub savanna on the foothill and slope.

Visitor bus on a shady parking place under the gallery forest of the Awash River.

Hamadryas Baboon in Awash National Park.

Ostriches at the grasslands of Awash.

East African Oryx are common in the shrub savannah and plains of Awash National Park.

Omnipresent Warthogs, mother with young near the Filwoha Hotsprings.

Lesser Kudus prefer the cover of dense vegetation of the woodlands and dense shrub savannahs.

Greater Kudus like to hide in the gallery forest along the Awash River.

Leopard or Panther is the adaptable predator that survives in most national parks, but is not all that often seen.

One can often hear the Black Maned Lion at night when one sleeps in the Afar Falls Lodge.

Silvery-cheeked Hornbills can be found in the Gallery forest of Awash National Park.

Endemic Wattled Ibis are often seen in the open grasslands in the park.

Carmine Bee-eaters like to flesh there bright colors as they perch on a branch on the lookout for insects.

Endemic Thick-billed raven are a common sighting in Awash National Park.

Chameleons are not often seen, as they are the perfect camouflage animals.

Like in most rivers in Ethiopia, African Crocs are common in the Awash River.

Awash National Park Tour:

Ethiopia modernizes and changes more rapidly than any other country in Africa. Many features may not be there anymore in the near future. If you want to see it the way it was for thousands of years, see it now before it has changed forever! Compose your own once-in-a-lifetime Ethiopia-Africa-Adventure from our affordable modules:

Famous Ethiopia Historical Circuit

Simien Mountains trek or car visit

Danakil Depression and Erte Ale Volcano Expedition

Awash Babile Harar Safari Tour

Ethiopia Central and Southern Parks & Tribes Safari Tour

Bale Mountains National Park and Sof Omar Caves Tour

Gambella National Park Safari

Addis Ababa City Tour & Airport Transfer

All Ethiopia modules and prices together

We designed our itineraries in such a way that you can compose a 1 to 4 weeks journey from different modules that can show you the entire country or just the parts that interest you, all depending on your personal preferences, available time and budget. Email us on your interests and we can discuss a custom program with you by phone (we have phone lines from the USA and Europe) or skype. So, weather you have a great ethnic affinity, are a birdwatcher or want to go on safari, contact us and we work out a customized program that focuses on YOUR interests.

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is home of Ethiopian Airlines, featuring Africa's youngest fleet of the latest intercontinental jet airplanes - including 2 Dreamliners - as well as short-distance Bombardier turboprops for affordable and reliable in-country flights servicing all major cities of Ethiopia. The best airline of Africa, will fly you non-stop from the USA and Europe to Addis Ababa. Take our 1-week Ethiopia Cultural Monuments Tour and then continue for your Kenya or Tanzania safari - or any other East African capital - thus completing your journey. IF YOU BUY YOUR INTERNATIONAL TICKET FROM ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES, YOU WILL GET MOST INTERNAL FLIGHTS FOR $40 - $70 PER LEG! BUT CHANGING AFTERWARDS IS EXPENSIVE, SO WORK OUT A SCHEDULE WITH US TO GET A FABULOUS DEAL FOR FLYING THROUGH THE COUNTRY IN STEAD OF SPENDING ENDLESS TIME ON THE ROAD!!!