Adulis - An Ancient Port City |
Gash Barka / Western Lowlands: Gash Barka is one of the six provinces of Eritrea, named after the two main rivers that flow through the province. It extends across a large area, encompassing one main habitat type/biome - the Sudan Guinea Savannah Biome. Due to its vicinity to the western escarpment of the highlands there is more water in some areas than is usually associated with this biome. During the rainy season (July to September) it reaches the surface on the riverbeds, but even during the extensive dry season, the water table is high along the major river valleys, enabling trees to flourish all year round. This naturally attracts a high density of birds, and a good diversity of species, especially in the Akurdet and Mereb areas. Away from the river valleys, acacia woodland dominates, although in some parts of the province this has been degraded into semi-desert due to overgrazing by livestock. The best time to visit Gash Barka is just after the rainy season, from July to September, when most plants are flowering, and intra-African migration patterns bring a profusion of birds to the area.
Getting there To get to Gash Barka from Asmara takes a good day’s travelling. By car it will take you 4-5 hours to get from Asmara to Akurdet via Keren. By bus, it will be about 7 hours. Barentu is another 1 hours’ drive from Akurdet. The road is fairly good; tarmac all the way to Barentu, although potholes increase the further west you go. There is an alternative road from Mendefera to Barentu further south, but it is not possible to use this road for security reasons. You should take plenty of fuel with you as it is not always available in Akurdet or Barentu. Accommodation: Hotels in this part of the country are basic. There are often several beds in a room, and for most of the year the beds are outside, as it is very hot at night. All beds come with mosquito nets, but you should check that these do not have holes in them. Electricity is intermittent, although Barentu and Akurdet have several hours in the evening and two in the morning. |