MAGO NATIONAL PARK
Mago National Park
occupies the northern end of the small branch of the main Rift Valley
called the Omo Trough, a day’s drive south west of Arba Minch. The park
encloses some 2,162 square kilometer of gently undulating valley floor
at about 450 m above sea level bounded on the east, west and north sides
by precipitous escarpments that create the spectacular landscapes for
visitors who see from almost every point in the park. To the south of
the park the plain falls gradually. Rising over 2,000 m above the valley
floor at the northern end is Mt Mago, 2,528 masl. The Mago River draining
the northern highlands is joined at the top end of the park by the southern
end. Near the center of the park, the Mago is joined by the Neri River
that rises in the hills around Jinka. Jinka is the seat of the Soruth
Omo Zone administration situated near the north – east border of the park.
Some distance before joining the Mago the Neri feeds a forested swamp
that is a vital dry season refuge for elephant and buffalo. The vegetation
of the plain is mostly savannah bush and woodlands with isolated, small
patches of grassy plain. In the south the bush becomes very dense with
shrub height sometimes reaching 6 meters and the canopy cover more than
20%. Along the Mago and Neri Rivers grows a beautiful reverine forest,
quite dense in places, providing wonderful, cool places to camp. In the
valleys on Mount mago, the Mursi Hills to the west and the Banna Hills
to the east are patches of quite dense forest. Access: Most visitors travel
the 800 km from Jinka down a precipitous escarpment road requiring a 4-
wheel drive vehicle. Ethiopian Airlines fly to Jinka twice a week. The
park is expanding limited network of internal tracks many of which are
not possible during the rainy seasons in March and April (main rains)
and August and September (short rains) Wildlife viewing: Mago and Omo
are the last protected areas of Ethiopian where the visitors can still
see herds of elephants and buffalo and other large savannah mammals once
so numerous along the Great Rift Valley. The park is known for its buffalos
and small populations of perhaps 200 elephants. Giraffe, waterbuck, bushbuck,
lesser kudu greater kudu, warthog, bush pig, gerenuk, Duiker, lion, leopard,
caracal, wild dog, hyena, jackal and baboon are all common. In some parts
of the park, there are Zebras. Even though the park has few areas of grassland
many species more typical of the open plains are present. Oryx, Lelwel,
hartebeest, Tiang. Grant’s gazelle, serval cat, and bat- eared for are
commonly seen. There are many small mammals too making up altogether 81
mammal species so far recorded. The area is rich in birds with 153 species
recorded to date including 4 endemics: the white-winged cliff chat, the
lack headed forest oriole, the thick billed raven and the watled ibis.
Although most viewing is done from a vehicle the park offers great opportunities
for hiking. There are miles of cool riverine forest with a wide Varity
of wildlife. There are the fringing escarpments with magnificent landscapes,
the steep shapes and Mt Mago and the hot spring at the northern tip of
the park in the upper Mago valley, offer great experiences for the hiker.