Essential information
Plan your trip
Getting around Ethiopia
The park is most easily accessed by car from Addis Ababa. The Addis Ababa — Dire Dawa highway runs through the southern portion of the park, and the main entrance is at the 190km mark driving away from the capital, just after the town of Metehara. The drive takes approximately 3 hours. The park is approximately an hour and a half from Nazareth.
Road: The best way to experience the variety of scenery Ethiopia has to offer is travel by road. Ethiopia’s road network has improved substantially in the past decade or so thanks to an extensive road maintenance programme and many roads are become an asphalt.
There are a several highways in Ethiopia, majority of the roads are in good condition:
The major roads leading out from Addis Ababa are tar-sealed, all-weather roads along all (or most of) their routes. Many minor roads are paved and traversing them can be comfortable.
By car: -A good way to tour Ethiopia is by car. They can take you off the beaten track so you can see the beauty and attractions of Ethiopia.
We use reliable and well maintained Toyota Landcruisers, Buses and minibuses throughout the entirety of this tour and our drivers are chosen by us for their skills, their safety, their experience and their good nature. The main roads in Ethiopia are often newly tarmaced and facilitate comfort and efficiency. But this tour frequently goes off-piste to explore much more unusual areas, making the comfort and quality of our vehicles of utmost importance.
Vehicles /Transport: During the course of your trip, we will use a variety of vehicles, all which are fit for purpose and the conditions encountered. We will be using a 4WD Toyota land cruiser, mini buses or coater buses depending on the condition of the road and the size of the group.
These land cruisers can accommodate four to five participants. Travelling in Ethiopia is a great adventure and needs much patience and flexibility. The quality of the bus is not always comparable with the standards that you are used to in the West
Travel documents (Passport and Visa requirements)
Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after having left Ethiopia. Also keep in mind that your passport needs at least 2 consecutive blank pages. A photocopy of your passport is a great idea (keep it somewhere separate in your luggage).
At present, a visa is required for entry as a tourist into Ethiopia. You should apply to your nearest Ethiopian embassy . For some nationalities it’s possible to obtain a tourist visa on arrival into Addis Ababa airport, visitors will need to bring two recent passport-sized photographs. Please check the visa requirements for your country well in advance of travel as they can of course change at any moment.
Upon request we arrange visas for our travellers, or if an invitation letter is necessary then we will arrange this for you.
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements
When is best: Generally, Awash is best visited during the warm dry months from November to June . During these months, wildlife viewing is at its best, and dry days permit ample hiking. That said if the birdlife and waterfalls are the primary draws to this park, it is best to visit the area at the end of the rainy season in September and October.
When to go — All year round
Climate: Located in the highlands and not far from the equator, temperatures are moderate and fairly stable year round. Daily highs fluctuate between 20°C and 25°C, with the warmest months occurring between February and May. The coldest months occur between July and October. High levels of rainfall occur between June and September, while the dry months last from November to March.
