Babile Elephant Sanctuary " Land of Giants"
The Sanctuary is the only Elephant Sanctuary in Africa established to conserve one of the biggest land animal species in the world. It is the largest conservation area in the country. The area is covered with different higher plant species most of which are indigenous to the country. Besides the giants of land mammals Elephants, the sanctuary is also decorated with scenic Jurassic limestone nature art. The Babille Elephant Sanctuary (BES), situated in the eastern part of Ethiopia, encompasses approximately 6,982 km2 of the extensive Somali-Masai Biome. The Elephant population at BES is the last remaining easternmost population in the Horn of Africa. Besides its relic Elephant population, this site also harbors other significant fauna and flora. Recent reports indicate that there are about 30 species of mammals and not less than 191 species of birds in the area. Together with Gara-Muleta Mountain, BES also forms a significant section of the watershed for the Wabi-Shebele River Basin.
Why visit this Sanctuary? Created to protect a native Elephant sub-species, this sanctuary is lined with Jurassic limestone scenery.
Park Discription
The BES was upgraded from a controlled hunting area and established as a sanctuary by the then Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Organization in 1971 with the primary objective of conserving a significant population of Elephants in the Horn of Africa.
- Park areas are open from 6: 00 am – to 6:00 pm.
- Overnight stay is prohibited in any park area except in campsites.
- Fires are permitted only in existing fireplace grills using charcoal. No fire shall be left unattended, and any fire must be completely extinguished before leaving the area.
- Motorized vehicles must always remain on designated roadways and parking areas.
- All trash, litter, or refuse is to be placed in the provided trash receptacles. No dumping allowed.
- Hazardous Activities – It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any activity on any park lands that constitutes a hazard to the safety of self or other persons.
- The use of any fireworks and/or weapons is strictly prohibited.
- It is unlawful to remove, damage, destroy, deface, or otherwise vandalize any park property, structure, sign, or vegetation.
- It is unlawful to hunt, trap, harass, or harm any wild animal, bird, or plant life.
06:00 am – 06:00 pm
The climate of the BES is categorized as semi-arid climate. The low-lying valleys are warmer than the mid-highland plains. The mean annual temperature is about 19.6˚C, ranging from a mean minimum of 11.9˚C to a mean maximum of 27.2˚C. The hottest period is between April to June, in which case the temperature reaches a maximum of 29˚C. and the coldest period is between October to December with a minimum temperature of 7.8˚C. Although the annual variability of the rainfall is very high, the mean annual rainfall is 703 mm. The minimum rainfall in the low-lying areas is as low as 452 mm and the maximum reaches up to 1,116 mm in the highland areas. The distribution is bimodal with two picks occurring between March to April (Belg season) and June to September (Meher season).
Game driving, bird watching, nature walking, camping and others.
Camp sites, hotels and guest houses in Babile Town, and Harer City