Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
town: head 500m down the dirt road next to Park Hotel and continue on the main footpath
across the train tracks.
VOLCANO
Fantale Crater
Towards the west end of the park, 600m above the plains (it would have been twice as tall
before it collapsed) lies Fantale Crater (2007m). With its terrific vistas, total quiet and
cool air, this dormant volcano makes a great trek. At the top (a two- to three-hour walk;
the 4WD track is no longer driveable) the 360-degree view is phenomenal and the elliptic-
al caldera, which measures an enormous 3.5km in diameter, is quite an eerie sight in the
morning when the steam vents can be seen.
Filwoha Hot Springs
At Filwoha Hot Springs in the far north of the park, around 30km from the highway, you
can swim in the turquoise-blue pools but they're not as refreshing as they look: temperat-
ures touch 45°C and crocodiles lurk in the cooler areas.
The beauty is boosted around the springs by the doum palms, used by the local people
to make mats. After 5pm, the area comes alive with birds, and lions can sometimes be
heard at night.
SPRING
Hyena Den
Below Fantale, a few kilometres north of Metahara, you can routinely see dozens of spot-
ted hyenas exit their dens around dusk. A fee of Birr200 is paid to the community and
your park scout gets an extra Birr100 for going with you.
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTER
Sleeping & Eating
Most visitors who don't stay in the park stay in Awash . Coming from Addis, Metahara is
a more convenient base, but it's a grubby truckstop town without very good services and
is famous among Ethiopians for being hot. Most people are happy to drive straight
through.
Camping $
(per tent Birr40) The shady sites along the Awash River in the area known as 'Gotu', just
above Awash Falls, are muddy but attractive. Two of the four, Gumare (hippo) and Azo
(Crocodile), have a rudimentary kitchen.
CAMPGROUND
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