Awash

At the Crossroads of Volcanoes and Rivers

Awash, meaning "river" or "that which flows," sits at the base of the Great Rift Valley, where the dormant Fantale Volcano rises 2,000 meters above the surrounding plains. More than a gateway, it is the threshold to a geological wonderland, where the Awash River carves thundering waterfalls through a dramatic gorge, and the turquoise pools of the Filwoha Hot Springs bubble up from the earth, creating a natural oasis within the national park.

Awash National Park

Awash National Park is Ethiopia's oldest protected wildlife area, established in 1966 and covering 850 square kilometers across the Oromia and Afar regions, approximately 225 kilometers east of Addis Ababa . The park encompasses diverse landscapes including acacia woodlands, savannah grasslands, and the dramatic Awash River gorge with its waterfalls . The dormant Mount Fentale volcano rises to 2,007 meters within the park, while the Filwoha hot springs sustain palm groves in the Kudu Valley . Wildlife includes Beisa oryx, Soemmerring's gazelles, greater and lesser kudus, lions, cheetahs, and over 450 bird species

Filwoha Hot Springs

Filwoha Hot Springs are geothermal springs situated in the upper Kudu Valley of Awash National Park, within Ethiopia's Rift Valley . The springs emerge amid dense palm groves, fed by geothermal activity beneath the park's volcanic landscape . The turquoise-colored pools attract diverse birdlife, particularly after 5pm when the area comes alive with species including francolins, barbets, and hoopoes . Lions are occasionally heard in the vicinity at night, and crocodiles may inhabit the cooler areas of the spring-fed water system

Awash Falls

Awash Falls is a waterfall located within Awash National Park in Ethiopia's Great Rift Valley, positioned along the Awash River which forms the park's southern boundary . The waterfall features a dramatic drop where the river enters a deep and long gorge, characterized by spirited rapids, rugged cliffs, and side canyons . The site includes a foaming pool below the rapids, with water flowing through sharp drops and narrow channels . The surrounding riverine forest supports birdlife and vervet monkeys . The falls are accessible via a short walk from the nearby Awash Falls Lodge

Nearby Attractions of Awash

Lake Beseka

Lake Beseka is a shallow, endorheic saline lake in Ethiopia's Rift Valley, situated 210 kilometers east of Addis Ababa adjacent to Metehara town . Unlike most Rift Valley lakes, it emerged on flat land from underground water sources rather than forming in a deep basin . The lake expanded from approximately 8 square kilometers in the 1970s to over 40 square kilometers by the 2000s, at one point threatening to submerge parts of Metehara . Recent ecological recovery has transformed the formerly toxic black waters into clear conditions supporting fish populations harvested by local entrepreneurs . Beynouna Village was inaugurated on the lakeshore in 2024 as a tourism destination combining traditional architecture with fruit cultivation .

Alledeghi Wildlife Reserve

Alledeghi Wildlife Reserve spans 1,800 square kilometers of open savanna grassland and acacia woodland in Ethiopia's northeastern Rift Valley, bordering Awash National Park . The reserve comprises five distinct habitat types including grassland, bushland, woodland, riverine forest, and highland forest . It provides refuge for threatened large mammals including Grevy's zebra, Somali wild ass, Beisa oryx, and northern gerenuk, with occasional lion sightings and more frequent leopard presence . The area also offers cultural interaction with local Afar communities inhabiting villages within the reserve vicinity

Fantale Volcano

Fantale Volcano is a dormant stratovolcano in Ethiopia's Main Ethiopian Rift, situated west of Lake Awash and adjacent to Awash National Park . The mountain's summit is truncated by a 3.5-kilometer-wide caldera with steep walls rising 500 meters above the floor, formed by welded ash flow eruptions . The volcano consists primarily of rhyolitic obsidian lava flows with minor tuffs, and post-caldera activity produced trachytic and obsidian flows within the caldera . The 360-degree view from the rim encompasses the Rift Valley floor and the dormant Mount Fentale stratovolcano to the east

Google Sites

Report abuse