The largest portion of the Great Rift Valley that traverses in Africa for 2800 km is found in Ethiopia. There are seven chains of lakes created by it that are habitats for a wide range of birds, indigenous animals, flowers and vegetations. The landscape, with two escarpments, creates a thrilling backdrop for many activities.
The journey to the south west of Addis Ababa takes you through towns and villages that have become favorite resorts to the city dwellers. To the south the Rift valley provides a gateway to the National parks of Nechi Sar, Bale Mountains, Omo, Mago and Abyats- shalla.
The seven great Ethiopian Rift valley lakes are, Lake Zway, Shalla, Abyata, Langano, Awassa, Chamo and Abaya. Among these lakes Abaya is the largest and longest with 72 km very rich in birds (Pelicans,flamingoes,Cormorant,African fish eagle, Egyptian geese, King fisher, Darter, Hammer Kop etc) ,hot springs, beautiful views and mammals.(Grant’s Gazelle, Greater Kudu, Warthog, Golden Jackal, Zebra, Swayne’s hartebeest and others.)
Natural and Ethnological Ethiopia this part of the country offers tremendous opportunities for all visitors and especially of particular interest in the area.
We can shortly mention here some of the most interesting Ethiopian parks, extremely rich in wonderful nature, views, birds and mammals (among which many are Endemic.) and interesting people of the Omo valley.
The Riftvally and Nature
SIMEN MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK (SMNP).
The SMNP is located, where the Amhara Regional state 885 km North west of Addis Ababa, geographical coordination approximately in 13 degree – 11 degree North ,38 degree – 00 degree East with the total area 190 kilo meters squire at an average elevation of 3300 meters. Ethiopia’s highest peak, 4,620 meter Ras Dashen, stands adjacent to the park. The scenery is spectacular. The vegetation is principally Afro-alpine, montane Savannah and heather .
Temperatures drop below freezing at night. The park established 1966 and legally gazetted 1969.The park was added to the world heritage site list in 1978 by UNESCO. 57 tree species and variety of herbaceous plants, 22 large, 13 small mammals and about 180 bird species have been recorded, from these Walia Ibex, Ethiopian Wolf, Menelik’s bushbuck and the Gelada Baboon are endemic.
ANP is the oldest and most developed wildlife reserve in Ethiopia. Featuring the 1,800 meter high Fantalle volcano, mineral hot springs, and extraordinary volcanic formations, this natural treasure is bordered by the Awash River and lies 225 km east of Addis Ababa. Oryx, Bat-eared fox, Caracal, Aardvark, Colobus and green monkeys, Anubis and Hamadryas Baboons,Klipspringer,Leopard, bush-buck, Hippopotamus, Soemmering’s gazelle ,Cheetah, Kudu and 450 species of bird all live with in the park’s 720 square kilometers.
NECHI SAR NATIONAL PARK (NNP).
NNP was established in 1974 with an area of 514 square kilometers is in the Rift valley 2,000 meters above sea level between lakes Abaya and Chamo in south central Ethiopia. The Amharic Nechi Sar means ‘white grass’ and refers to the central grassy plains which are always associated with Burchell’s Zebra and are the park’s most striking features. A part from the strikingly beautiful setting between two of the Rift valley’s spectacular lakes on two sides and high mountain ranges on the other two sides the park was established for several important conservation reasons.
It is the only National park in the world where the critically endangered Swayne’s hartebeest still survives, the only known locality of the Nechi Sar night jar, with large populations of hippo and crocodile. There are bush ping and carnivores including lion, leopard, Cheetah, Wild dog, Caracal, Bat-eared fox, Serval and many reptiles. The riverine forest has many colobus vervet monkeys. Anubis baboons are very common. There are some 342 species of birds so far recorded from the park a very rich avifauna for so a confined area.
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