Mago National Park which is an extremely isolated place is situated eastern shores of river Omo. The park stretches over of 2,162 sq km of land and its landscape is dotted with thick acacia shrubs, Ethiopian deserts and rising and falling grasslands. Its possession of a rich wildlife population is credited for its presenting the best wildlife scenery in the whole of Ethiopia. Mago is one of the most recently established national parks in Ethiopia; it was recognized in 1979.
Mount Mago that rises to a height of 2528 meters is the highest geographical spot in the park, and its from this that the park was named. The savanna grasslands dominate the landscape in and around the park with just a few forest patches found around the flowing rivers. In addition to a number of wetlands that surround Lake Dipa and the lower regions of the park, existent are shrubs dotting the park’s hill sides.
Wildlife
Other than the large population of elephants, giraffes and buffalos for which the park was primarily established to safe guard, there are more than 56 different animal species such as hartebeest, topi and lelwel. Other resident animals in Mago National Park include: lions, leopards, Oryx, gerenuks, the great Kudu and zebras.
Birds
Among the bird population are the unpopular Turdoides tenebrosus, which are widely spread around Lake Dipa. The hornbills, bustards, starlings and weavers are among the popular species while the herons and Kingfishers are unpopular but reside close to the river Nile.
Tours
Notably, the park has very thick bushes that make game viewing very difficult. During your tour through Mago National Park, you will hear lots of birds singing in the dense acacia shrubs and in the hilly grasslands but you won’t be able to make much progress to see them. However the most popular and significant tourist attractions in the park are the Mursi renowned for interleaving disks made out clay and pricking their lips.
Access
All routes leading to and fro Mago National Park are impassable especially during the rainy seasons because they are not paved. Because of the topology of the area, similarly tourists trekking through this park face the same challenge of the place being impenetrable.
This park is actually some 2,162 sq km located on the eastern bank of river Omo. Much of the park is under dense acacia scrubs, rolling grassland and deserts. This provides a safe habitat for different wildlife species and birds that you’ll find across the river banks. Mount Mago forms part of the scenery in the park with its 2,528m peak illuminating the isolated sky of the park.
Wildlife
Regular sights in the park particularly include buffalo, giraffe and elephant but the park is home to more than 50 different species of animals including topi, lelwel hartebeest, lion, cheetah, leopard, burchell’s zebra, gerenuk, oryx and greater and lesser kudu.
The birds recorded in the park are more than 150 species with typical species like bustards, hornbills, weavers and starlings. Omo river attracts birds from other parks like Omo Park and common water birds like Kingfishers and herons can be seen around the river. Its is a favorite spot for all nature lovers and birders on Ethiopia safari holidays
Getting there
Access to the park is actually difficult but the park is located 700km South west of Addis Ababa on the bank of river Omo in Goma Gofa region. It suggested that you visit during the latter part of the summer before March and later in June to August. The rains come in the March to May or October to December with temperatures as low as 140C .