DOWN THE RIFT VALLEY

One of Africa’s most striking geographical features of Africa is a giant tear across the earth’s surface visible even from space: the Great Rift valley. Extending from the middle east to Mozambique, the Rift Valley passes in a north-easterly to south-westerly direction right through Ethiopia, endowing the country with some spectacular sights that range from hot, dry, and barren places to a siring of beautiful lakes.

This tremendous collapse of the earth’s surface occurred at the same time that the Arabia Peninsula, geologically a part of Africa, was sundered from the rest of the continent.

Volcanic activity, which greatly contributed to the formation of the Rift Balley, continues up to present times. In Ethiopia, it finds expressionin the presence of hot springs in many parts of the country, as well as volcanic cones in the Danakil Depression in the north-east.

The Danakil, or Afar, depression, which enocompasses a good protion of the eastern part of the Tigray region, is one of the earth’s hottest and most in hospitable places, with many points more than 100 metres (328 feet) below sea level and noon-time temperatures soaring above 50 C (122F) It is the site of a dry salt taken to the highlands, where it is still in considerable demand and fetches a good price.

The landscape of the Danakil seems carved from the infernos of hell and is a reminder of the furies that once ravaged this region, with volcanic cones rising above the scabs of black lava. Earth tremors are frequent, and there re several still-active volcanoes n the area. Amazingly, there is also wildlife to be seen here, particularly zebra and wild ass.

And uninhabitable as this place may seem, it is nevertheless inhabited by thousands of Afar nomads. Tempestuous, proud, and individualistic, they live in small isolated groups and somehow manage to wrest a living –thanks to the salt –from this challenging and inhospitable wilderness. Using the camel as their beast of burden, they also keep sheep, goats, and cattle on the edge of the Danakil Desert or in the vicinity of the Awash River, where coarse grass grows.

The Awash River, in fact, is the central feature of two of Ethiopia’s many wonderful national parks that follow the Rift Valley from the north-east to the south-west of the country.

YANGUDI-RASSA NATIONAL PARK

The first, the yangudi-Rassa Naitonal park, is large—4,730 square kiometres (2,933square miles) –but little –developed. Temperatures are high and very little rain falls as the area is semi-desert—hence the vegetation is semi-arid grass and trees with succulent scrub. Yoangu –rassa was created to protect the wild ass, an endangered species and ancestor of the domestic donkey. There are also gerenuk, soemmerring’s gazelle, Beisa Oryx, Grevy’s zebra and hamadryas baboon here—all indicators o9f the dry habitat .

Also in this region is one of the country’s most popular and interesting national parks:” Awash, covering 827 square kilometers (319 square miles). Its southern boundary is, in part, the Awash river.

Once of the bonuses of the Awash national park is that it is easily reached from the nations capital, as it is situated in the lowlands only 211 kilometres (131 miles) to the east of Addis Ababa, on the main Addis-Assab high way, which bisects the parks.

The main road from the town of metehara leads to the park headquarters and the campsites, both of which are situated near the dramatic Awash Falls where the river enters its gigantic gorge.

The park is traversed by a series of well-maintained tracks, which take in the most spectacular of the many scenic attractions. the river. The western end of the gorge is marked by the awash falls, which can vary in intensity from a murky reaso

One of the main features is the Fantale volcano, on the southern flank of which can be seen the dark scar of the latest lava flow of 1820. The mountain slopes hold evidence of sixteenth-century habitation, seen as remains of walls and settlements of considerable proportion. The interior of the mountain-top crater –with its wispy white breath of steam vents –is still used by the local people, the Kereyu, for grazing livestock on a seasonal basis.

Another feature of the park are the hot springs in the extreme noth the water of these sprigs and rivers is in the region of 36C (97 F and is used by the local people to water stock. The unbelievably clear blue pools surrounded by doum palms invite the dusty traveler to wash off the day’s dust –but be warned, they are hot.

The plains to the south of the main road are excellent for animal viewing and are bordered to the south by the Awash Gorge, plunging 250 metres (820 feet) to nable flow to a raging chocolate-coloured torrent, depending on the rainfall and the activity of the hydro-electric sheme above it.

Awash’s wildlife reflects its dry nature. The Beisa Oryx in habits many of the more open areas, and grater and lesser kudu the bushed areas. Soemmerring’s gazelle have distinctive white rumps and are often seen with the oryx. Small population of the endemic sub-species Swayne’s hart best was trans located here and occupy the grass plains. The tiny Salt’s dik-dik appears frequently under the dry acacia bushes and Defassa waterbuck are seen in the bushy river area. There are two species of Baboon –the Anubis and the hamadrayas. Though each has very different social structures, thet hubridize near the river. Other monkeys are colobus in the riverine forest, supporting mountain reedbuck and kilipspringer. Crocodile and hippopotamus splah in Awash River and in te cooler parts of the springs and rivers in the north. Linon, lopard, serval caracal, and wildcat are all seen in frequently.

The birds are numerous, more than 300 species on record. The campsities are an excellent place to sight birds. There, above the quiet murmur of the river, one can hear the exuberant chatter of green wood-hoopoes, the rollicking duet of red-and-yellow barbets, or the soft lament of the emerald-spotted wood dove—to name only a few. Carmine bee-eaters manoeuvere over the water, hming in on their airborne prey.

There are several bustard species in the park and secretary birds in the grass plains. The raptors are represented by fish eagles, tawny eagles, lanner and pygmyfalcons, black-shouldered kites, and dark chanting goshawks. Bee-eaters and kingfishers provide splashes of cololur, as do rolers. Ostriches roam the plains and the immense lammergeyer soars above Fantale searching for bones to smash

Bordering the park, a twenty-eight-kilometre (17-mile) stretch of the Awash river offers a superb one-or two-day rafting trip –if the water level allows it—featuring lots of spirited rapids, wildlife, and impressive rugged cliffs and side canyons. The trip starts at the Awash Falls and ends at the beach below the town of Awash Station, with an optional overnight at a small hot springs scared to the kereyu people.

This north-eastern section f the Rift Valley is also home to two of Ethiopia’s many fascinasting markets: Senbete and Bati. Senbete is about halfway along the road from Addis Ababa to the Wollo region’s capital of Dessie, while Bati is actually just past Dessie to the east. The drive to both witnesses some spectacular views of the Rift Valley, and the markets themselves are full of thousands of peicuresque people selling and buying everything from camels and cows to clothing and coffee. It is a riot of colours and sounds; a not-to-be forgotten experience.

But it is to the south-west of Addis Ababa that the remarkable ropographyu of the Great Rift Valley really comes into view. Funelled between two deramatic escarpments, this representation of the last great massive movement of the earth is home to a marvelous string of lakes: Ziwaay, Langano,Abijatta, Shalla, Awasa, Abaya, and Chamo –each with its own character; even those that lie side by side.

In addition to its chain of lakes, this south-western portion of the Ethiopian Rift also boasts a ‘chain’ of fascinating national parks: Abijatta-Shalla, Nechisar, Mago, and Omo.
 

Five islands dot the surface of lake Ziway, which –at 400 square metres (1,312square feet)—is the largest in this ‘northern cluster’ of Rift Valley lakes. At least three of the islands were the site of medieval churches. The largest island –once known as Debre tsion, or Mount of Zion, but now called Tullu Gudo –is still the site of a monastery, which holds a number of valuable illustrated manuscripts. In fact, the oldest written Ethiopian records about Axum were found here, supporting the belief that the islands were settled by Axumites who fled at the city’s destruction.

The inhabitants, who for centuries practised terraced agriculture, speak language of their own, close to that of the Gurage to the west and the Harari to the east. Many of the local people have reed boats similar to the tankwas that ply the waters of lake Tana.

Because of the lake’s many kinds of fish, a fishing station was set up in the area a few years ago. This has attracted a considerable number of water birds –including knob-billed geese, pelicans, and an occasional saddlebill stork –to the lake’s edge, where they can easily be been and photographed.

LAKE LANGANO

The soft brown waters of lake lanano –the next lake in the ‘chain’ –are set against the blue backdrop of the Arsi Mountains, which soar to 4,000 metres (13,120feet). A few birds make langano their home, but this resort is less for the nature lover than the water sports enthusiast and sun-worshipper. Although there are hippo, the crocodile population is fortunately small, and one can waterski, windsurf, sail, swim or bask in the blazing sun on the sloping snady beaches.

Langano and near by lake Shalla are Ethiopia’s only two lakes considered safe –bilharzia –free –for swimming. Despite its brown colour, Langano’s water is clean and pleasant.  More Parks