Lower Valley of the Awash

I'm pleased to announce that another blank spot on the review map on this site is being erased. Although this WHS has its reviews, they come from people who have not visited it. Still, they were useful - thanks in particular to Solivagant for the tips.

Seeing the place where Lucy's remains were discovered takes quite an effort. The permit is still necessary, but obtaining it in Semera, according to my guide, is not difficult. Getting to the excavation site is a bit more complicated. To get there, in the village of Eli Wiha, turn towards the Awash River. A local guide is absolutely necessary (they assign him with a policeman at the police checkpoint in Eli Wiha). After exactly 44 kilometers, we reach a place that is about 200 meters from the 'road' paved by 4WD cars. People live in the area, but it is extremely inhospitable. Even in January - the coldest month - it was over 30 degrees and almost no shade. Moreover, the area is not the safest, the Afars living there are a very militant nation, almost every adult man here carries a submachine gun.

The place itself is not spectacular. Contrary to what Solivagant wrote, it is not fenced in any way. There is only commemorative plaque and a billboard with WH logo. Dozens of fossilized animal bones are falling around. I don't know their exact age, but judging by their size, they certainly do not belong to the animals currently living …

In 2014 I did an organised 30 day trip through Ethiopia. Our itinerary in this region was: Kombolcha - Awash and the next day from Awash to Harar.

From Kombolcha (or Dessie) you travel around 4-6 hours on a gravel road before reaching the main Djibouti road. This is a good asphalt road. Our guid mentioned that in this area Lucy was found, but it is almost impossible to visit this site itself as there is no infrastructure between Kombolcha and Awash. You start very early and arrive at dark in Awash.

Els’s count of WHS reviews implicitly presumes that anyone reviewing a site will have been there! In the case of the “Lower Valley of the Awash” this is unfortunately not so in my case. Nevertheless during our Dec 2007 visit to Ethiopia I questioned our local guide (who had visited the site on numerous occasions) quite closely about it. The information I gathered might be of interest to anyone thinking of visiting, both to help them decide whether it would be worth it, and to help them with the logistics if they do go!

As the location where the remains of the early hominid nicknamed “Lucy” were discovered, the site certainly has a world-wide significance. It is called “Hadar” and is situated south of the Danakil depression around 2-3 hours dirt road drive north of the Awash- Djibouti road near the new regional capital of Semera. Apparently it is quite “normal” to visit it as part of a 4x4 expedition into the Danakil or as a “diversion” on the way back from Lalibela to Addis.

Permission is needed from the Afar Regional State Tourism Commission in Semera. Entrance is paid to them at 50 birr per foreigner (c US$5) and a guide must be taken (cost not known). We were told that a “scout” is only needed as well if you are going on into the Danakil. This area is tribal and the sensibilities of the locals have to be assuaged by local involvement in the form of a guide …