Of all the parks in Ethiopia, Gambella National park has the richest megafauna. The park is located in the flood plains of the Akobo, Baro and Gilo Rivers, and has extensive grasslands, marshes, river forests and savannah landscapes.
The climate of Gambella is hot and humid with maximum temperatures of around 35°C just before the rainy season in May. Annual mean temperature is around 20°C, and annual rainfall about 1400mm. The wet season is from May to October when large parts of the park are totally inaccessible.
41 species of larger mammals are known to live within Gambella National Park, including Buffalo, Elephant, White-eared Kob, Hippopotamus, Nile Lechwe, Giraffe, Warthog, Topi, Waterbuck, Roan Antelope, Burchell’s Zebra, Bushbuck and Reedbuck. The rivers also host healthy populations of Nile Crocodiles. The park is also home to more than 300 bird species, including water birds like the Shoebilled Heron, Basra Reed Warbler and Demoiselle Crane, while Nile perch weighing more than 100 kg have been caught from the BaroRiver.
Gambella National Park is also home to the Nuer and the Anuak people. Both males and females of the Nuer favour cicatrisation, an adornment causing bumps in various patterns on their bodies.
- The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to Gambella National Park. Ongoing conflicts in neighboring South Sudan mean there has been an influx of refugees into the Gambella region. Please check the Foreign Office website or contact us for up-to-date information.