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Westwards, and somewhat to the north or Harar, stands the town of Dire Dawa. This impressively large city sprang into existence in 1902 when the railway builders, advancing inland from the coast, The railway company then ran into difficulties, with the result that construction stopped and the town remained the railway’s terminal for more than a decade.

From the date that the railway arrived in Dire Dawa, the town began to develop into two distinct settlements, one for the railway, whilst the other sprang up around the market. These two clearly-defined centers are very much part of the character of the town today. The open markets around Kefira also provide opportunities of exploring Oromo and Somali people with their camels.

In the ‘railway town’ bright jacarandas and flamboyant line the wide avenues, The ‘Chemin de Fer’ or railway station is Dire Dawa’s most attractive feature. Although the original steam engines have long since been replaced by diesels, the trains running between Dire Dawa and Addis Ababa still have a wild, pioneering atmosphere. Only 32 kilometers from Dire Dawa are 2500 year old rock paintings of Lega Oda. This rarely visited site has now become much more accessible by road, and provides a fascinating glimpse of the ancient people who lived in and painted their cave with oxen and wild animals.

Awash National Park  is the oldest and most developed wildlife reserve in Ethiopia, featuring the 1,800 meter; Fantalle Volcano Crater with stunning views, extensive mineral hot spring and extraordinary volcanic formation, and this natural treasure is bordered to the south by the Awash River and 225 km east of the capital, Addis Ababa. Habitats include arid and semi-arid woodland and some reverine forest.

The wildlife consists mainly of East African plain animals including ; Beisa Oryx, Defarsa Water Buck, Semmering Gazelle, Salt’s Dik - Dik, Greater and lesser Kudu, Warthog, Anubis and Hamadrayas Baboon, Colobus and Varvet monkey, Crocodile, Hippopotamus, the endemic Hartebeest, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah and 450 species  of  birds all  living  within  the park’s 720 sq km.

•    Babile elephant sanctuary. Habitats include semi-arid open woodland. Established to protect indigenous elephant subspecies. This elephant sanctuary is disrupted badly by incursions of Somali refugees and livestock. Elephants are very rare;

•    Kumi-Muktar. Habitats include two small hills with forested peaks. Wildlife includes mountain Nyala and Menelik bushbucks. Large mammals recorded (20); birds recorded Established to protect endemics: mountain Nyala.