Awash National Park

Awash National Park is in Ethiopia. The Lower Valley of the Awash, a site where some of the earliest human remains have been found, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980.

Understand
Awash National Park

History

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Awash is one of the best areas in Africa to observe hyenas.

Climate

Get in

By car

Routes through Awash National Park

Awash National Park is 200 km by road from Addis Ababa, 3 hours drive using the Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway. It's 105 km north-east from Adama (Nazreth), national highway 4.

The 🌍 park entrance is located in between two towns: Metehara (14 km west) and Awash (16 km east).

WARNING: Awash National Park is on the main road to the port of Djibouti, so it is busy with many trucks importing goods to the capital. This can be rather a dangerous road to travel and especially after dark when many vehicles lack lights.

Ethiopia has the highest rate of traffic fatalities per vehicle in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Travelling by night on this road is discouraged in travel advisories from several western countries.

Government travel advisories
(Information last updated Sep 2015)

Fees and permits

Get around

Large areas of the park need a good 4×4 with high chassis, particularly to visit the northern part including the Hot Springs, where the dirt road is damaged. A standard car can access the southern area south of national highway number 4.

See
  • 🌍 Awash waterfalls, south of the park (next to the lodge). Waterfalls are more impressive during or just after the rainy season. Sometimes, olive baboons cross the river on the rocks at the top of the waterfalls and are visible from the lodge. Downstairs, you can walk along the Awash River, and you may see crocodiles sleeping on the rocks when the water flow is quiet (dry season). Seeing crocodiles may need the help of a ranger, because of their colour. (updated Sep 2015)
  • Animal tour in the park. By car. Visible animals: oryx beisa, kudus, dik-diks, sulcata tortoises, Soemmerring's gazelles, olive baboons. Sometimes, there are Afar people and their camels. (updated Sep 2015)
Oryx in the Awash National Park
  • 🌍 Viewpoint on the Awash River gorges, south-east of the park, in defunct Kereyu Lodge. Viewpoint on the Awash River gorges and one of its tributaries. (updated Sep 2015)
  • Hot Springs (Fil woha). (updated Sep 2015)
  • Mount Fentale. (updated Sep 2015)

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Lodging
  • 🌍 Awash Falls Lodge, inside the park, 10 km south by dirt road. The only active lodge inside the park. Simple bungalows in a traditional style. A nice lodge to sleep in a natural landscape, with a view of the waterfalls. A room for driver is included. Single USD70, Double USD100 (reduction for residents of Ethiopia).. (updated Sep 2015)

Camping

Backcountry

Stay safe

Go next
  • Sodere - a 1-hour detour on the way back to Addis Ababa, to see the natural hot springs and the Spa, near Awash River. 25 km south of Adama on national highway 8.
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