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Dilla, Yabello and Moyale |
 The moyale road covering 500km south of Awasa is long stretch of road connecting Ethiopia and Kenya. This circuit boasts many worthwhile and untrammeled cultural, archeological and ornithological attractions. The largest towns to the south of Awasa are Dilla and Yirgalem known for their archeological interest for its ancient rock engravings and medieval stelea fields. Thus day trips to Tutu Fela and Tututi stelae fields, driving through the natural forest, enset and coffee farms of This region can be organized from Dilla or Yirgalem. Dilla, Yirgalem and Yirgachefe lies in the fertile green mountains of the Eastern Rift Valley escarpment. These are important agricultural business centers known mainly for the excellent coffee grown in the vicinities and the surrounding hills.
 Coming from Awasa to Moyale the green highland gives way to low lying acacia scrub inhabited by the Borana Oromo and their herds of cattle. Yabello is the largest town between Dilla and Moyale and can be a base to explore Yabello wild life sanctuary, the Borana village of Dublock known for its so called singing wells and Chew bet ( salt house) also known as IIi Sod. Singing wells refers to the Borana tradition of forming a chanting human chain to haul buckets of water from the well to its lip roughly 50m away to collect water for their livestock. IIi Sod is ink black lake lying at the base of a 200 m deep crater. It is an important regional center of salt extraction worked by the villagers on 15 days off and 15 days on basis so as to keep the levels sustainable.  Yabelo Wild life Sanctuary is established to protect the greatly endangered species of Swayne’s heart beest. Some of the wild Animals which can be explored in the sanctuary and on the side road to Moyale include Guenthers Dik Dik, ground squirrels, mongoose scramper , grants Gazelle, Gerenuk ,lesser Kudu, warthog and swaynes heart beest. There are also many species of forest birds including Streetman’s bush crow and white-tailed swallow. |
