Alarm set for 5.30 am well before the sun decided to rise for the day. A 6 am breakfast before we departed 40 minutes later for a 13 km drive through the Illala Sala Plains to the park main entrance.

First stop was the rather sad looking Kereyou Lodge perched high above the Awash Gorge with all those 23 caravans parked up as accommodation.

On route we saw Salt’s dik dik, beisa oryx, Soemmerring’s gazelle, warthog and vultures.

We had limited time here but this was worthwhile even for such a short time. Tick off my game drive.