Rock Formations & Landscapes

The Silti-Butajera Geopark is distinguished by diverse and remarkable rock formations and landscapes shaped by its volcanic and tectonic history:

• The major rock types include Late Miocene to Pleistocene ignimbrites and Oligocene flood basalts, alongside Pliocene to Pleistocene trachytic lava flows. These are accompanied by pyroclastic fall and flow deposits forming the volcanic landscape.

• The volcanic field consists of numerous basaltic cinder cones, lava flows, and maars (explosion craters) aligned mainly in a northeast-southwest direction along the Silti-Butajera-Debre Zeyit Fault Zone.

• The terrain includes rugged lava canyons formed from solidified lava flows and associated basaltic rock caves, creating notable geological landforms.

• The region’s flat plains contain secondary deposits such as talus fans, alluvial and colluvial sediments, mixed with lacustrine deposits in some areas, which influence the geomorphology.

• The volcanic rocks are petrologically diverse, with basaltic lava showing evidence of olivine differentiation that reflects complex magmatic processes occurring in shallow crustal reservoirs.

• The combined volcanic and tectonic activity has produced steep escarpments, fissures, and fault lineaments that define the area's dramatic landscapes, with features such as geysers and waterfalls enriching its scenic and ecological value.

Together, these rock formations and landscapes offer a rich and dynamic environment ideal for geological research, education, geotourism, and conservation efforts within the geopark.