Day 10: Awash NP
Tuesday 17th February 2015
Aledeghe Wildlife Reserve – Awash National Park After another early breakfast, we set off at 7.30am and drove out of Awash. We headed east along the AddisDjibouti road for about 90 kilometres to reach the Aledeghe Reserve. This is an open, arid plain with sparse acacia trees and short grass. Mammals were quite distant but we saw over 50 Soemmerring’s Gazelles, at least 20 Beisa Oryx and several Gerenuks. At least a dozen Grevy’s Zebra could be seen, grazing the sparse vegetation. We enjoyed much closer views of a Golden Jackal and a confiding Unstriped Ground Squirrel. As far as birds were concerned, it was a case of quality rather than quantity. There was less variety than in Awash but some real specialities including Somali Ostrich, Brown-bellied Sandgrouse and Black-headed Lapwing. The undoubted avian highlight, however, was watching a Northern Carmine Bee-eater using an Arabian Bustard as a mobile foraging perch! After a good lunch in Awash Saba, we returned to the lodge for an early afternoon break, before heading out to the Hyena cave in the late afternoon. After stopping en route to watch some rather shy Hamadryas Baboons, we arrived about an hour before sunset. We walked across the strange volcanic landscape, where deep cracks have opened up as the Rift Valley continues to spread apart. Dusk fell as we sat expectantly on a hillock above the cave entrance. We could see across the open, dusty landscape to the distant mountains that marked the rim of the Rift Valley. After the emergence of a couple of Warthogs, a lone Hyena eventually appeared and ran away across the dry grassland, leaving a trail of dust. A female and a young Hyena came out next and remained close to the cave entrance. In the twilight, we watched as more Hyenas came out and began to chase each other around a termite mound, barking and cackling, throwing up plumes of dust into the darkening sky. To watch this interaction at close quarters was a real privilege and an undoubted highlight of the entire tour.
Aledeghe Wildlife Reserve – Awash National Park After another early breakfast, we set off at 7.30am and drove out of Awash. We headed east along the AddisDjibouti road for about 90 kilometres to reach the Aledeghe Reserve. This is an open, arid plain with sparse acacia trees and short grass. Mammals were quite distant but we saw over 50 Soemmerring’s Gazelles, at least 20 Beisa Oryx and several Gerenuks. At least a dozen Grevy’s Zebra could be seen, grazing the sparse vegetation. We enjoyed much closer views of a Golden Jackal and a confiding Unstriped Ground Squirrel. As far as birds were concerned, it was a case of quality rather than quantity. There was less variety than in Awash but some real specialities including Somali Ostrich, Brown-bellied Sandgrouse and Black-headed Lapwing. The undoubted avian highlight, however, was watching a Northern Carmine Bee-eater using an Arabian Bustard as a mobile foraging perch! After a good lunch in Awash Saba, we returned to the lodge for an early afternoon break, before heading out to the Hyena cave in the late afternoon. After stopping en route to watch some rather shy Hamadryas Baboons, we arrived about an hour before sunset. We walked across the strange volcanic landscape, where deep cracks have opened up as the Rift Valley continues to spread apart. Dusk fell as we sat expectantly on a hillock above the cave entrance. We could see across the open, dusty landscape to the distant mountains that marked the rim of the Rift Valley. After the emergence of a couple of Warthogs, a lone Hyena eventually appeared and ran away across the dry grassland, leaving a trail of dust. A female and a young Hyena came out next and remained close to the cave entrance. In the twilight, we watched as more Hyenas came out and began to chase each other around a termite mound, barking and cackling, throwing up plumes of dust into the darkening sky. To watch this interaction at close quarters was a real privilege and an undoubted highlight of the entire tour.