Trekking in Bale Mountains National Park

Bale Mountains trekking is the best Ethiopia trekking experience. In this trek you will see the endemic wild animals like Ethiopian wolves, Mountain Nyala, Menelik's bushbuck and many species of birds.

Price:	USD $2,200 per person
Type:	Adventure Holiday
Duration:	9 days
Customise:	This Adventure Holiday can be customised
Country:	Ethiopia
Supplement:	Plus USD $100 for a single person booking
Persons:	minimum (2)
Accommodation:	Mixed
Game Parks:	Bale Mountains NP (Ethiopia)
Activities:	Hiking, Mountain Climbing, Walking Safaris, Wildlife Viewing, Cultural Tours

 Intinerary 

Departure Day: Daily Guaranteed Departure with 2 participants minimum

The Bale Mountains of south-central Ethiopia support the most extensive area of Afro alpine and sub alpine Ericaceous vegetation in Africa. They have the highest rate of animal endemicity of any terrestrial habitat in the world, which was the principal reason for the creation of the Bale Mountains National Park in 1970.This trek starts and ends at the head quarter of the park at Dinsho. Book this trip to enjoy the stunning scenery, the endemic mammals and birds of Ethiopia.

Day 1: Arrive in Addis Ababa, city tour of Addis Ababa
On arrival in Addis Ababa our representatives will meet you at Bole International Airport and transfers to Ambassador Hotel. An overview of the program and itineraries will be given. The rest of the day visit historical sites in Addis Ababa including the National Archaeological Museum, where we will view the 3.6 million year old remains of “Lucy”, whose skeletal remains when discovered in 1974. You will also visit the Ethnological Museum at Addis Ababa University, Holy Trinity Cathedrals and Mount Entoto which rises up to an altitude of 3200 meters and offers the panoramic view of the metropolis. Overnight Ambassador Hotel

Day 2: Bale Mountains - Dinsho Lodge
After breakfast, we start a full day's drive to the Bale Mt. National Park, traveling thorough the southeast part of the capital, where fertile land is cultivated by the Oromo people. We arrive at Dinsho, Park head quarter, in the afternoon, in time for a walk around to see three of the endemic mammals: Menelik's Bushbuck, and Mountain Nyala. And birds Blue-winged goose, Spot-breasted lapwing, Abyssinian long claw, Wattled ibis, Black-headed siskin, Rouget’s rail, and of course other species, too. Overnight at Dinsho Lodge

Day 3: In Dinsho and Geysay Valley
The whole day visit around Dinsho and Geysay Valley. In time hike to see three of the endemic mammals: Menelik's Bushbuck, Mountain Nyala and Ethiopian wolf. The rest of the day arranges the trekking staff. Overnight Dinsho lodge

Day 4: Mararo
Accompanied by your guide and packhorses we trek 5-6 hrs through the lush highland vegetation to our first campsite, Mararo. The air here is clean and crisp and the scenery utterly stunning. En route you will see a number of birds like Wattled ibis*, Rouget’s rail*, black-winged lovebird*, thick-billed raven*, white-collared pigeon*, Abyssinian long claw*, Abyssinian catbird*, white-backed black tit*, black-headed forest oriole*, black kite, augur-buzzard and lammergeyer. Overnight Camping at Mararo

Day 5: Wasema Valley
After breakfast we resume trek that will last for about 7- 8 hrs. The trek offers the chance to see Ethiopia's endemic Abyssinian Wolf. Around Worgona mineral spring, Giant Mole rat can easily be seen. Overnight camping at Wasema Valley.

Day 6: Gebre Guracha
Today you trek through the highlands ascending Senate Plateau and crossing Batu Mountain, 4200 meters. Here you have a great opportunity t see Ethiopian wolf*. You will also see a number of birds of pray such as Lammergeyer, Vereaux’s eagle and harrier hawk. Overnight camping at the base of the valley, viewing Lake Gebre Guracha

Day 7: Little Batu
Today you trek towards little Batu Mountain, this trek is the day you face back to the head quarter of Bale Mountains. The trek will take for about 6- 7 hrs. Overnight camping at the base of Little Batu Mountain.

Day 8: Dinsho Loge
After breakfast trek to Dinsho Loge. This last trekking day will take for about 5 - 6 hrs. Overnight Dinsho lodge.

Day 9: Drive back to Addis evening Departure:
Drive back to Addis Ababa with stops on the way at rift valley Lakes. Evening a fare well dinner party in one of the traditional Ethiopian restaurant with dances from different ethnic groups. Then transfer to The Airport for your flight back home.

Price displayed is per person based on 2 persons traveling

Price includes:
• Meet and greet at airport
• All accommodation based on twin room occupancy
• Meals in Addis, on bed & breakfast basis
• Meals out of Addis, on full board basis
• All entrance fees at sites, churches, parks and villages.
• All transfers and visits according to the itinerary.
• All Ground transportation including insurance, fuel and all costs of the driver.
• Professional English speaking Tour Guide accompanying through out the trip.
• Local Guide and scout fees in parks and villages
• Camping gears; tents, mattresses, sleeping bags and cooking utensils for camping.
• Cook who prepare meals while camping
• All mule and muleteer expenses
• Farewell dinner in Addis to enjoy traditional Ethiopian food & Music; transfer & guide
• A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony at a convenient time in the program
• Government taxes

Price doesn’t include
• International flights
• Lunch and Dinner in Addis Ababa
• Alcoholic drinks
• Video filming and photography fees
• Incidental meals, snacks and drinks
• Tips and items of personal nature like laundry, souvenirs, etc
• All what is not included in the list above

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Ethiopia Bird Watching Safari

Bird watchig in Ethiopia is one of the best birding in East Africa. Our Ethiopia bird watching itinerary takes you to the main Ethiopia birding sites and provides to see Ethiopian endemic birds, other

Price:	USD $4,600 per person
Type:	Tour
Duration:	19 days
Customise:	This Tour can be customised
Country:	Ethiopia
Supplement:	Plus USD $282 for a single person booking
Persons:	minimum (2)
Accommodation:	Hotel
Game Parks:	Awash NP (Ethiopia) Bale Mountains NP (Ethiopia)
Activities:	Birdwatching, Wildlife Viewing

 

Ethiopia to be a home of 850 species of birds (over which 32 are endemics).

This Ethiopia bird watching itinerary takes you to most of the bird watching sites in the country. It will enable you in search of all of Ethiopia’s endemic birds and east African endemic birds. It takes you to Debre Libanos, north of Addis Ababa, Awash National park, the rift valley lakes, Wondo Genet, Bale and the road south through the Harenna forest to Negele, the area near the border with Somalia near Bogal Manyo, west from there to Yabello, the Jemma River valley the escarpment north west of Addis Ababa, around Debre Berhan and Ankober. This would take a minimum of 3 weeks, but shorter tour of about 10-15 days which would guarantee seeing most of the endemics and several hundred other species could be set up covering Awash National park, the rift-valley lakes and Bale Mountains.

Departure Day: Daily Guaranteed Departure with 3 participants minimum

I T I N E R A R Y

Day 1: Arrive at Addis Ababa
On arrival in Addis Ababa our representatives will meet you at Bole International Airport and transfers to Ambassador Hotel. An overview of the program and itineraries will be given. We spend some time birding around Ghion Hotel. The Hotel has very extensive grounds for birding. Among the species spotted here are the White-backed Black Tit and the brown Tit Warbler. After lunch in the hotel, we leave for Geferssa Reservoir, some 20 kms west of Addis Ababa, where one can see the Blue-winged Goose, black-headed Siskin, Abyssinian Long Claw and Wattled Ibis. Return to Addis Ababa early evening. Overnight Ghion Hotel.

Day 2: Excursion trip to Debre Libanos from Addis Ababa
Leave early and drive north through the Sululta plain to Debre Libanos and the Jemma River Gorge, about 110 km. from the capital. For keen birders the journey can take up to 6 hours, as we pass through the Solulta Plain where we will see Black winged plovers, Wattled ibis, Blue winged geese, common cranes and wheatears. On arrival at Debre Libanos, we will first stop at the Jemma River gorge. The Jemma River is one of the tributaries of the Nile, and there is a drop of nearly 1000 meters to the valley below. Here at the gorge, and in the forest around the church we can expect to see the Banded Barbet, the Black headed forest oriole, the White billed starling, the Red Billed starling, the White winged cliff chat, the White backed black tit, white cheeked Turaco and Hemp Rich's hornbill. We will also see one of Ethiopia’s endemic mammals, the Gelada or bleeding heart baboon. (In the gorge we will see a variety of vultures - Lammergeyer's Rupell's and Lappet faced vultures.) We will leave Debre Libanos around 5.00 pm, returning to Addis Ababa early evening. Overnight Ghion Hotel.

Day 3: Awash National Park
Early in the morning you will be birding around the garden of Ghion hotel. After breakfast drive from Addis to Awash National Park through the awe-inspiring crater lakes of Debrezeit for birding. En route further we stop at Nazareth for lunch. Our next stop will be at Lake Beseka. Then we continue to Awash National Park. Overnight Awash Sebatkilo in the Genet hotel.

Day 4: Awash National Park
Birding in Awash National Park, located in the rift valley. It is enriched with many species of birds and mammals; African orange-bellied parrots, bustards, weavers, European Hoope somber rock-chat, yellow-throated serine, Red-fronted barbet, pygmy baits, Lesser striped swallow, House martin and Anubis Baboon, Colobus Monkey, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox, Egyptian Mongoose, Warthog, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Salt’s Dik-dik, etc. Overnight Genet Hotel

Day 5: Langano
Early morning leave Awash for Langano via Mojo. En route, birding at Lake Ziway and Koka dam. Among some bird species you will see; African pygmy goose, Black-billed wood hoopoe, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Northern black tit, little weaver, etc. The same day birding at Abiyata—Shalla National Park. Particularly, Lake Abiyata is the best place to bird many species, over 300, walking along the muddy and partly sandy lakeshore. For instance, yellow wagtails, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, hammer cop, waders, ducks, egrets, herons, flamingos, storks, swallows, chestnut-bellied sand grouse, Abyssinian ground-hornbill, rollers, wheatears, African Marsh Harrier, etc. Overnight Bekele Molla Hotel.

Day 6: Bale Mountains National Park
After breakfast, continue driving to Bale mountains National Park and it is here you will visit many of the endemics like Blue-winged goose, Spot-breasted lapwing, Abyssinian long claw, Wattled ibis, Black-headed siskin, Rouget’s rail, Banded barbet and of course other species, too. Overnight Wabishebele hotel.

Day 7: A day excursion to Sof Omar
After an early breakfast start driving to Sof Omar, about 120 km from Goba. Along the route you will have some stops for birding. For instance, White-ramped babbler, Nightingale, Dodson’s bulbul, Somali golden-breasted bunting, sunbird, warbler, Northern gray tit, Brown-tailed chats, Pygmy batis, etc but our final target will be for Salvadori’s serine. Overnight Wabishebele hotel.

Day 8: Goba, excursion to Senete
Leave Goba early in the morning towards Sanete Plateau. While crossing a lush green forest, you will enjoy the Semien Wolves, endemic mammals. Then you will take another hike to the right hand side of the road to reach the highest peak, 4377 meters above sea level. It is here where you will highly experience the chilly wind. Then you will walk slightly down and down across a moorland landscape dotted with white and yellow cushions of flowers, colorful lichen-covered rocks and sparse Giant Lobelias. You will visit many water birds in the small lakes. Overnight Wabishebele hotel.

Day 9: Wondo Genet
After an early morning birding drive to Wondo Genet . Wondo Genet is a green and lush area, inhabited with lots of Grivet Monkeys, Colobus Monkeys and many species of birds. On the other hand, Wondo Genet is an excellent place for fresh tropical fruits and hot spring for which you find an Olympic size swimming pool. Overnight Wabishebele hotel.

Day 10: Awassa
After an early breakfast drive to Awassa. En route and in Awassa, you will see lots of species for instance, Silvery-cheeked hornbill, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Rouget’s Rail, lots of Marabou storks, Black & white egrets, African pygmy goose, Spur-winged goose, thousands of swallows, Ibis, African fish eagle, Woodland kingfisher, Malachite kingfisher, and many more species. Over night Wabishebele hotel.

Day 11: Yabello
Head south to Yabello, birding en route. In the late afternoon, we head into woodland west of Yabello, in search of the endemic Stresemann’s Bush Crow. Overnight Yabello Motel.

Day 12: Yabello
Full day birding (picnic lunch) in Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary, where we expect to see the white tailed swallow, Abyssinian Bush Crow and if luckily, Prince Raspoli’s Turaco. Overnight Yabello Motel.

Day 13: Negele
Morning birding around Mega, then we drive east to Negele, birding en route. Overnight Nile hotel.

Day 14: Negele
The habitat around Negele is similar to mega, and you will spend the day exploring differentlocalities for birding. Overnight Nile hotel.

Day 15: Langano
After an early breakfast full day drive to Lake Langano, which is the best place for birding many species. Overnight Bekele Molla hotel.

Day 16: Langano
These three neighboring lakes in the central Ethiopian Rift Valley could not be more different from each other. The medium depth reddish-brown Lake Langano, shallow, blackish Abijatta, and the extremely deep, blue shalla, once a volcanic crater and now home to several bubbling sulphuric hot springs, are all superb birding localities. We will spend today exploring the lake shores and surrounding woodlands of all three lakes. Overnight Bekele Molla hotel.

Day 17: Debre Birhan
After a final morning birding around the cliffs surrounding our hotel, you will drive to Addis Ababa, thus completing our southern loop. Continue driving beyond Addis Ababa to Debre Berhan . Overnight Local hotel at Debre Birhan.

Day 18: from Debre Birhan to Alem Ketema to and to Jemma Valley and back to Debre Birhan
An early departure from Debre Berhan to Alem Ketema is essential in order to be at our chosen site when the endemic Harwood’s Francolin is at its most vocal, thus providing our best opportunity for seeing this elusive species. We will have a picnic breakfast at the river and bird the Jemma valley. Then after drive back to Debre Birhan. Overnight local hotel at Debre Birhan.

Day 19: Ankober—Addis Ababa for night departure
Very early morning drive to the edge of the Great Rift Valley at Ankober. Afternoon, drive to Addis Ababa and use a day use room for shower and little rest. Evening fare well dinner party then transfer to airport for departure.

End of the tour.

Price displayed is per person based on 2 persons travelling

Price includes:
- Meet and greet at airport 
- All accommodation based on twin room occupancy 
- Meals in Addis, on bed & breakfast basis 
- Meals out of Addis, on full board basis including local non-alcoholic beverage 
- All entrance fees at sites, parks and villages.
- All transfers according to the itinerary. 
- All Ground transportation with a very good condition of 4WD Toyota Land
Cruiser including insurance fuel and ll costs of driver 
- An experienced Bird Guide with excellent knowledge Ethiopia birding throughout the trip
- Local Guide and scout fees in parks and villages
- Farewell dinner in Addis to enjoy traditional Ethiopian food & Music; transfer & guide 
- Government taxes 

Price doesn’t include
- International flights
- Lunch and Dinner in Addis  
- Alcoholic drinks & spirits 
- Video filming and photography fees 
- Incidental meals, snacks and drinks 
- Tips and items of personal nature  like laundry, souvenirs, etc
- All what is not included in the list above  

Read More