Plizio Visual Lab

Yabelo

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

City

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Practical info — Yabelo

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🌤 Weather — 5 days

📍 Nearby

Sights nearby

💡 Tips

This is the base for exploring the Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary; hire a scout at the park office.
The Borena pastoralists inhabit this area; always ask permission before photographing people or cattle.
Transport to the salt crater of El Sod requires a sturdy vehicle and local guidance.
Stock up on water and supplies before heading into rural areas, as shops are scarce.
Sun protection and comfortable shoes are a must for exploring the savanna.

🍽 Food

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Goat meat dishes

Local restaurants in the town center.

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Camel milk

Available in pastoralist areas, if you are invited to try.

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Traditional Ethiopian coffee

Small cafes along the main road.

🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots

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Borena traditional crafts

Local market stalls.

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Frankincense and resins

Found in the local market area.

🧘

Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary

Expansive savanna landscapes for quiet reflection.

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Outskirts towards El Sod

Scenic desert views and vast horizons.

Yabelo is the capital of the Borena Zone in the Oromia Region of southern Ethiopia, situated at a strategic elevation of approximately 1,850 meters. The town is the cultural and administrative center of the Borena Oromo people, who are renowned for their unique pastoral traditions and the complex Gadaa system. Yabelo is located on the edge of the Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area famous for rare bird species such as the Stresemann's bush-crow and the white-tailed swallow. The region's economy is primarily based on livestock, with Yabelo serving as one of the most important cattle markets in East Africa. A special technological and cultural attraction in the surrounding area are the 'singing wells', deep hand-dug wells that ensure water supply in this semi-arid region. The town serves as a vital transit point on the highway connecting Ethiopia to the Kenyan border crossing at Moyale.

Location: Ethiopia
Population: ~36.300 (2025)

Best time to visit & climate

The most pleasant time to visit is Jan, Sep, Dec.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg °C	22	23	24	22	21	20	20	20	21	21	21	21
Rain mm	11	13	50	136	84	32	28	33	35	80	62	28

Geography

Population

36,300 (2025)

Coordinates

4.88330, 38.08330

Facts

Yabelo is located approximately 570 kilometers south of Addis Ababa.
The Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1986 to protect the Stresemann's bush-crow.
The region is famous for Borena cattle, which are considered a highly resilient breed.
Yabelo is situated within the influence zone of the Chelbi basin.
The 'singing wells' are up to 30 meters deep and are operated by human chains.
The average temperature in Yabelo ranges between 18°C and 28°C.