Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If a mission into the park is too ambitious for you then an alternative is to visit the area around the small town of
Abobo
, 40km south of Gambela along a decent road. There's a pool and dam here that attracts some wildlife.
For any trips within the park, you'll really need to come with your own sturdy 4WD, but one can sometimes be
rented from the park offices (per day Birr2000 excluding fuel).
Sleeping & Eating
Decent hotels and restaurants are not Gambela's forte. Having said that, at the time of re-
search a couple of 'glossy' new hotels were under construction on the road into town -
well, the architect's plans showed glossy hotels, but let's wait and see… All accommoda-
tion has cold-water showers only.
Baro Gambella Hotel $
( 0475-510044; s/tw Birr205/267)
Locals might tell you that some of the town's newer
hotels are better but, frankly, we beg to disagree. Yes, OK, the rooms might be worn and
tired, but the birdsong-filled gardens and helpful management give this place real charac-
ter. Add in a restaurant (mains Birr45 to Birr65) serving Western and Ethiopian dishes that
is hands down the best in town and all up you get a good place to stay. Room 11 has the
hotel's only air-conditioner, although it's hard to know which is worse - putting up with
the heat or the noise of the air-con. It was due for major renovation at the time of research
so expect big changes in the future.
LODGE
Mider Genet Hotel $
( 0475-512212; d Birr150)
This sky-blue new place, out along the road to the airport,
offers good-value, large, clean rooms with comfy beds. There's a simple bar-restaurant
out the front. Its biggest drawback is its distance from town, meaning only those with their
own wheels are likely to want to stay here.
HOTEL
Tadessech Hotel $
( 0475-510559; d/tw Birr300)
This new, and modern, block on the main road into town
has very ordinary rooms that are overpriced. However, it's an awful lot more enticing than
some of the competition in town.
HOTEL
