Awash National Park
Awash National Park is a national park in Ethiopia, located where the Oromia and Afar regions meet. It covers about 850 square kilometers, with most of the land around 900 meters above sea level. The park lies roughly 225 kilometers east of Addis Ababa, near the towns of Awash and Metehara.
The park was established in 1966 and is managed by the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority. It protects the Awash River and the surrounding plains, stretching from the Illala Saha Plains in the south to the Kudu Valley in the northeast. Notable features include the Awash Falls and Filwoha’s hot springs with date palms, and Mount Fentale, a dormant volcano in the western part of the park.
Awash National Park has a bimodal rainfall pattern, with a rainy season followed by a long dry season that can last up to ten months.
The park’s ecosystems include dry acacia woodlands, thorny bushlands, grazing savannas, and riverine wetlands. Doum palms and desert date trees grow in some areas, creating habitats for many species.
Wildlife here is diverse: more than 81 mammal species, 43 reptile species, and about 453 bird species. Common mammals include Beisa oryx, various gazelles, warthogs, hippos, and predators such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs. Elephants, rhinos, zebras, and Cape buffalo used to live in the park but are now gone due to hunting and habitat loss. Primates like olive baboons and several guenon species are common. Nile crocodiles inhabit the river valleys, and rock pythons live in riverine forests and near hot springs. Several venomous snakes are present as well.
Birdlife is especially rich, with species such as Somali ostrich, lappet-faced vulture, hornbills, bee-eaters, bustards, and many others. Seven bird species found in the park are endemic to the region, making the park important for biodiversity.
The park’s creation, along with nearby sugar plantations, has affected the livelihoods of the Karayyu Oromo people who live in the area.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 12:16 (CET).