Located at about 175 km southwest of Addis Ababa, The Park is the closest national park to the capital. the nearest town to the park at 17 kilometers. Established in 2009 to protect the high biodiversity of the upper Gibe River gorge, Gibe Sheleko National Park is the most recently established among the national parks of Ethiopia. The Park covers an area of 360 square kilometers. Deciduous savannah woodlands and denser evergreen riverine forests along streams and rivers dominate the vegetation of Gibe Sheleko National Park. The savannah woodlands in less stepper grounds have relatively deeper soil and are dominated mainly by acacia trees, while steeper stony slopes are dominated by acacia shrubby species. About 17 mammal species in the park include greater kudu.