Chebera Churchura National Park

Chebera Churchura covers around 1,200 square kilometres of woodland, riverine forest and grassland on the western slopes toward the Omo basin, and it was gazetted in 2005, which makes it one of the newer Ethiopian parks. It holds a population of African elephant estimated in the hundreds, unusually visible for Ethiopia, along with buffalo, hippo in the Omo tributaries, lion, leopard and a good primate and bird list. Hot springs bubble in several places. The park has been supported by community conservation arrangements with the surrounding villages, which has helped with poaching pressure. Access is difficult: rough roads, few tracks inside, and accommodation limited to camping or basic lodging in nearby towns.

History

Before it became a national park, Chebera Churchura was the Kulo-Konta controlled hunting area, set aside for elephant hunting; the regional government upgraded it to a national park in 2005. It lies on the western side of the central Omo-Gibe basin, between the Dawro and Konta zones, 133 km south of Jimma (Wikipedia, Chebera Churchura National Park).

What you'll find

• Elephant herds - one of the more reliable populations in the country.
• Riverine forest - dense woodland along the Omo tributaries.
• Hot springs - thermal water in several places inside the park.
• Buffalo and hippo - the other large mammals of the river country.

When to go

November to March, the driest window, when the tracks are usable. Elephants concentrate near water as the dry season advances. The rains from April and again from June make access very difficult.

Good to know

Getting here is a long rough drive from any direction and the internal tracks are poor. Accommodation is camping or basic rooms outside the park. Elephants are wild and unhabituated, so encounters need care and a scout. Facilities and interpretation are minimal.

Nearby

Wolaita Sodo lies east; Ajora Falls are in the same region.

Key facts