Awash National Park is one of the national parks in Ethiopia, located at the southern end of the Afar Region, 225 kilometers east of Addis Ababa, with the Awash River to the south as its boundary. Covering an area of 756 square kilometers, it was established in 1966, making it the earliest wildlife reserve in Ethiopia and also one of the most well-developed wildlife sanctuaries.

Awash National Park is home to the 1,800-meter-high Fantale volcano, which provides the park with abundant mineral hot springs and unique volcanic terrain. The Awash River, the second largest river in Ethiopia, flows through the park, forming several waterfalls and erosion-cut gorges that are quite spectacular due to the substantial drops. Upon entering Awash National Park, visitors will first encounter a vast grassland, making it a true animal kingdom. The wildlife here mainly consists of East African savanna animals, including Beisa Oryx, bat-eared foxes, aardvarks, warthogs, baboons, vervet monkeys, anubis baboons, hamadryas baboons, gerenuks, cheetahs, gazelles, hippos, Soemmerring’s gazelles, leopards, lions, and hyenas, as well as 450 species of birds.

Awash National Park
Reasons to visit: The earliest wildlife reserve established in Ethiopia
Continent: Africa
Country: Ethiopia
Region: Afar Region