It is located 850km west of Addis Abeba in the center of Gambella Regional State between the rivers Baro and Gilo. You can get there by road or air.

It was established as a protected area in 1973 to conserve a diverse assemblage of wildlife and unique habitats. It is the largest protected area in the country. The general landscape is flat, and the average altitude is around 500m above sea level. The climate is hot and humid. The annual mean temperature is with a minimum and maximum of 20.4 and 34.8 degrees C, respectively. The wet season extends from May to October. This is a truly tropical region, which hosts the second largest animal migration after the Serengeti. It is advisable to visit the park from December until May. And you can visit daily from 7:00am to 12:30pm and 3:00pm to 6:30pm.

Wildlife in the area include the white-eared kob, Nile lechwe, buffalo, giraffe, tiang (topi), waterbuck, roan antelope, zebra, bushbuck, Abyssinian reedbuck, warthog, hartebeest, elephant, hippopotamus, and Nile crocodile. The park has at least 300 bird species, including 11 Sudan-Guinea Biome species. Birdlife in the area include redthroated and green bee-eaters, shoebill stork, and long-tailed paradise whydah.