The North Eastern part of this region is famous for the Awash National park which, at only 827 square kilometers, the is one of the smallest of Ethiopia’s conversation areas yet is also the oldest and the most accessible. Bordered by Awash River and its dramatic waterfall cascading through a gigantic gorge, the parks other most important geographical feature is the 2,007 meter- high semi – dormant volcano.

The slopes of the volcano comprise an extensive area of pools, a crater lake and mineral hot- springs surrounded by doom palms. One extraordinary feature of the volcano are a series of rocky blisters which, elsewhere in the world can only be seen in Hawaii. The wildlife in the parks is of a wide variety common to East Africa and includes hippo, crocodiles, lion, oryx, waterbuck, baboons and warthogs as well as over 400 species of birds.