The morning excursion into Nechisar National Park was on an excruciatingly bad road. Nechisar has endemic Swayne’s hartebeest, Burchell’s zebra, klipspringers, Olive baboons, black and white Abyssinian Colobus monkeys and more. You didn’t have to move from Swayne’s to see the baboons running past our room (and looking in the windows) early in the morning until the local dogs chased them away.

Nechisar is one of the least visited national parks in Africa. (We could see why.) With a diverse habitat ranging from savannah to acacia woodland to bush and forest, there are many animal sightings. Burchell’s zebra is sometimes seen in herds of 100 animals or more. There are also spotted hyenas, leopard, black-backed jackals and rarely one of the few Abyssinian lions or African hunting dogs. Both extremely endangered.

entering Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia

white grass with zebras in Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia 

hilltop view of Lake Chamo, Ethiopia
The best part of Nechisar was Burchell’s zebras with strips running horizontally, very large herds…the “white” savannah grass, a ground hornbill (male with purple), and that was it. No other animals. …View image… Was it worth the two hour terrible ride in each direction? …View image… I say no.

Marabou Storks in a tree, Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia 

Burchell’s zebras in Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia 

curious zebras stopped grazing to watch us in Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia 

Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia
I was really looking forward to the exciting adventure scheduled for this afternoon — a boat trip on Lake Chamo to see the Nile crocodile “market” out by a nearby island. With an average length of 6m/19′, these crocodiles are easily viewed while they sunbathe. You can go either by:

- By boat, keep your hands and arms in the boat, best in early morning or late afternoon; or

- By land through Nechisar National Park. If you are adventurous enough to choose this method, bring an armed park scout unless you want to be a part of the croc’s dinner.

There is also an Arba Minch crocodile ranch with about 10,000 crocs! The ranch has many purposes: to educate, conserve and attract tourism. Let’s not forget to kill them off at the age of five (the skin is at its best quality then) to be made up into beautiful handbags and belts.

Off we went after lunch, a local guide in the car with us to Lake Chamo. Fishermen were unloading crates and crates of Tiliapia and Nile Perch.

Tiliapia and Nile Perch from Lake Chamo in Ethiopia
The guide went to get the engine out of a shed, returned, and ex-Marine and I started walking a slippery plank across the mud to the boat. He got in safely and had just turned around to say…”Sheila, watch it…it’s slippery..” But before the words left his mouth, my Teva slipped on a small incline inside the boat, big toe rammed into a metal bar and…ripped the entire big toe nail off! Pain…agony…blood all over the place, fishermen learning over the boat side, tsk-tsking…while I held tissues to my poor toe and tried not to puke. I’m tough and was determined to see the crocs. Said, “please, just give me a few minutes” and then promptly passed out!

No crocs for me…in shock, shaking like a leaf, Henock and Steve helped me off the boat, and back to Swaynes Eco-Lodge. I spent the next two hours with my foot in a bucket of cold water with a wet rag on my head. The best laid plans…

Sheila’s hours of agony at Swaynes Eco-Lodge, Ethiopia