Travel Guide Parc National De Nechisar

Created in 1975 and covering an area of some 514 km2, the park is dominated to the east by the Amaro massif, whose mountains rise above 3,000 m, while the two lakes form its northern and southern borders. At the foot of the green hills in the background lies a vast savannah-covered plain, known in Amharic as nesch sar or "white grass". Although relatively small, the park is home to over 340 species of birds, 3 of which are endemic, and 88 species of mammals, reflecting the great diversity of habitats within its boundaries. Today, Swayne's hartebeest, the endemic species for whose protection the park was created, is much less common than Burchell's zebra, gazelle, antelope and warthog, which roam the plains, while the wooded canopies are home to lesser kudu and pairs of dik-dik. Of the mythical felines of yesteryear, only a few dozen lions remain, but here, as elsewhere, they keep a low profile.A network of 177 km of tracks (impassable in the rainy season) accessible by 4 x 4 criss-cross the park, leading to the great plains, a favourite place for wildlife observation, through bushy and wooded areas from which you can sometimes discover pretty views of the mirror of the lakes. Despite prohibitions, it's not uncommon to come across herds of Guji and Koira cattle, who inhabit part of the park.