Ethiopian Birding Tour (11 days)
Day 1: Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Meet your Professional Guide, greeted with the traditional Ethiopian hospitality at the airport and transferred to Ghion hotel. (Depending on your arrival time we can arrange afternoon or after hour city tour)
Day 2: Addis Ababa-Debrelibanos-Addis: We start early to Debre Libanose monastery, about 110 km north of Addis Ababa via Sululta plain. The Red-rumped Swallow, pectoral-patched cisticola and Black winged Lapwing are some of the birds that we are seeing along the road. Around the Monastery we will see the endemics like the Black-headed forest Oriole, White-billed starling, the Ruppell’s chat and White-backed Black Tit. The Lammergier, Verreaux’s Eagle, Egyptian and White-backed Vultures, Lanner Falcon, Little Rock Thrush and Plain-backed pipt are seen at the escarpment late afternoon drive back to Addis-Ababa. O/n Ghion Hotel
Day 3: We drive south to Debre Zeit, about 50 km from Addis Ababa. There are five crater lakes in the area, a dam and a Creator lake and wetlands. Three of the lakes have large populations of water birds. Our first stop will be at the Chelekleke Wetlands, where we can expect to see: Ferruginous Duck, Little Grebe, Cattle Egret, Lesser Flamingo, Egyptian Goose, Spur Winged Goose, Red-knobbed Coot, Ruff, Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveller, Southern Pochard, Pygmy Goose and White-backed Duck. Bishoftu Lake is a crater lake surrounded by very steep and rocky hills. Among the species recorded here: Ferruginous Duck, Lesser Flamingo, Southern Pochard, Northern Shoveler, Nightingale, Ortalan, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture. After lunch we will visit Green Lake, so called because of the blue green algae in the lake, (Maccoa Duck, Cape Teal, Red-billed Duck, possibly White-winged Cliff Chat and Red-breasted Wry Neck). Over night Dream Land hotel
Day 4: After breakfast we set for our destination, to Bilen Lodge, passing Beseka Lake and Arrive at Awash National Park for lunch. The species found here are mentioned on day 5 and we will spend today and tomorrow, exploring the different habitats of the area, the plains, cliffs, wetlands and riverine forest by the Awash. Camel trekking can be arranged to some of these sites – one gets a great view from on top of a camel, and can also get closer to birds and wildlife. The Afar communities (with whom there has been consultation as a continuous process about Village Ethiopia’s development) provide another focus of interest. A large hot spring near the lodge is a great pleasure to freshen up at the end of the day. Overnight Bilen Lodge
Day 5: Full day birding in Awash park and Around Bilen Lodge Over 400 species of birds are recorded: The Arabian Bustard, Kori Bustard, White bellied Bustard, Buff crested Bustard, the Rosy-patched Shrike, Swallow tailed Kite, Bristle Crowned Starling, different woodpeckers, Grey-headed and Sulpher breasted Bush Shrike, Gabar Goshawk, Shirk, Crested Francolin, Common Quail, Harlequin Quail, Palm Swift, Orange-bellied Parrot, Martial Eagle, different wood Doves, Yellow billed Hornbill, Crested Lark, Singing Bush Lark, Red wing Bush Lark, Somali Golden-breasted Bunting, Little Rock Thrush, Grey-headed Batis and Spotted Flycatcher are one of the important birds that we are planning to see for today. O/n Blen Lodge
Day 6: Awash Park-Wondogenet Drive to Wendogenet: (There is naturally heated open air pool) set among forested hills. In the gardens of the hotel and juniper Forests behind the hotel, we will see the silvery-cheeked Hornbill, White -cheeked Turaco, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Black-headed Forest Oriole, golden-backed Woodpecker, Red wing Starling, Grosbeak Weaver, Mountain Wagtail and Black-roughing Swallow. We can also see Columbus monkey, Anubis baboon and Bushbuck. O/N Wondo Genet Hotel
Day 7: Wendogenet-Bale Mountains: Early set off for the Bale Mountains National Park, an area of diverse habitats, rich in endemic birds (6 from Ethiopia, 14 including those shared with Eritrea), animals, trees and plants. It has the largest extent of Afro-Alpine habitat in Africa, and the all weather road that crosses the Sanetti Plateau is the highest on the continent. We stop at Dinsho, HQ of the park, for picnic lunch and will spend some time exploring around the HQ area as here plenty of the endemic Mountain Nyala are found. We can also see the endemic Menelik’s Bushbuck, Grey Duiker and Warthog. Birds we can expect to see here (as elsewhere in the park) Include the Spot-breasted Plover, Rouget’s Rail, Thick-billed Raven, Blue-winged Goose, Abyssinian Long Claw, White-collared Pigeon and Black-winged Love Bird. Goba Wabe Shabelle Hotel
Day 8: Bale national park: Full day with picnic lunch on the 4000 asl Sanetti Plateau, with its striking Afro-Alpine flora, such as the Giant Lobelia and Red Hot Poker. It is the best place in Ethiopia to see the Ethiopian Wolf, the rarest caned in the world, while the huge rodent population, including the endemic Giant Mole Rat, supports a variety of raptors. The rare Wattled Crane is often seen, while there are a good number of the Spot-breasted Plover. Tullu Dimtu at 4377 m is the second highest mountain in Ethiopia and we can drive all the way to the top. O/n Goba Wabe Shabelle Hotel
Day 9: Drive back to Langano O/n Langano Bishangari Hotel
Day 10: Making your base in Langano, visit Lake Abyata, Shala & Zeway for desert birdlife. Lake Ziway is one of the important areas of the Ethiopian Lakes. The Black Heron, Lesser Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, Pink backed and White Pelicans, Crowned Crane, Black-headed Gull, Great-black headed Gull, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Green Shank, Wood Sandpiper, common and African Snipe, Red breasted Wryneck, Masked Weavers, Beautiful Sunbird and some others would be seen. O/n Langano Bishangari Lodge
Day 11: Langano-Addis Drive back to Addis. On the way back we will have short stops at Koka Dam (Awash River Bridge) for more aquatic and woodland birds. Then, we continue driving to Addis. Shopping and Evening fair well dinner at one of traditional restaurant then fly back to home. We will be pleased to book your birding tour reservation or answer any inquiry you may have about the itineraries.
Mimosa-Birding-Awash+Bale+Rift Valley
Day 1: Arrive Addis Ababa. O/N Hotel
Day 2: Drive Addis to Langano. Birding at Lake Koka, Ziway and Langano. O/N Hotel.
Day 3: Drive Langano to Abiyata Shalla Lakes National Park and proceed to Wendo Genet. O/N Hotel.
Day 4: Drive Wendo Genet to Bale. O/N Hotel.
Day 5: Bale Mountains National Park. O/N Hotel
Day 6: Drive to Afro-alpine setting of the Sanetti Plateau. Back to Goba. O/N Hotel.
Day 7: Drive Bale to Awash. O/N Hotel.
Day 8: Awash National Park. Overnight Hotel.
Day 9: Drive Awash to Debre Zeyt – Addis Ababa. O/N Hotel.
Day 10: City Tour of Addis Ababa and departure.
Mimosa – Grand Birding
Day 1: Arrival. O/N – Hotel
Day 2: Drive from Addis to Awassa. O/N -Hotel
Day 3: Drive from Awassa to Wendo Genet. O/N – Hotel
Day 4: Drive to Bale Mountains National park and then Goba. O/n hotel
Day 5: Goba & excursion to Sof-Omar. O/N -Hotel
Day 6: Goba & excursion to Sanette Plateau. O/n hotel
Day 7: Drive to Negele. O/n hotel
Day 8: Drive from Negele to Bogol Manyo. O/N -community Hall
Day 9: Drive back to Negele. O/N -Hotel
Day 10: Drive to Yabello. O/N -Hotel
Day 11: Yabello area. O/N – Hotel
Day 12: Drive from Yabello to Langano. O/N – Hotel
Day 13: Abiyatta Shalla Lakes National Park and Lake Langano. O/N – Hotel
Day 14: Drive from Langano to Awash via Lake Ziway. O/N – Hotel
Day 15: Awash National Park. O/N – Hotel
Day 16: Drive from Awash to Bilen and back to Awash. O/N – Hotel
Day 17: Drive from Awash to Debre Birhan. O/N – Hotel
Day 18: Drive to Ankober and back to Debre Birhan. O/N – Hotel
Day 19: Drive back to Addis. Evening farewell dinner party. Departure
Mimosa-Birding(Awash+ Bale Mountains)
Day 1: Arrive at Bole International Airport (Addis Ababa) and transfer to the Hotel.
Day 2: Continue driving to Koka Dam :this is an artificial lake you will spot various species of water birds like: Yellow billed Stork, Marabou Stork, Great White Pelican, Great White Egret & Little Egret, Goliath & Grey Heron, Hamerkop, Sacred Ibis, Egyptian Goose, Spur-Winged Lapwing & Black Smith Lapwing The remainder of the day will be spent birding along the shores of the lake Langano and proceed to Wondo Genet to see the endemic yellow fronted parrot along with the Black headed forest Oriole and the Golden backed wood pecker, redwing starling, mounting wagtail, Malicite Kingfisher and Black Rough wing swallow. Overnight hotel at Wondo Genet.
Day 3: After breakfast drive through the farmlands of southeast Ethiopia, to Dinsho the headquarter of Bale mountains national park-the home of endemism. Stop for the Long-eared Owl at Kofele, and thereafter Spot-breasted Plover(E) can be found and at Dinsho, Abissinian Ground Thrush, Abyssinian Catbird (E), Abyssinian Long Clow (E), and White backed Black Tit occur and you will have a chance to see the endemic mammals such as Mountain Nyala,and Menelik’s Bushbuck along with Warthog, Bohor Reedbuck and Grey Duiker can also be occur. Overnight Dinsho Lodge. E=endemic
Day 4: In the morning, after breakfast, drive to the Afro-alpine setting of the Sanetti plateau to see birds like: Ruget’s rail (E), Blue winged goose (E), thick billed raven (E), white-winged cliff chat (E) ,banded barbet E), Golden Eagle, Chestnut-naped Francolins, Wattled Crane, Thekla Lark, Black Saw-wing, Moorland Chat, White-backed Black Tit, Red-Billed Chough, Black-Headed Siskin (E) all occur. You can also see the endemic Ethiopian Wolf and the Gaint Mole rat. In the afternoon drive back to Goba for overnight in Hotel.
Day 5: Early morning drive to Awash National park through Arsi on the way spot
various species of birds and have stop over at Beseka Crater Lake western end of Awash NP supposed to have good water birds. Overnight Kereyou lodge.
Day 6: After breakfast, enjoy a game drive in Awash National park before returning to the lodge for the evening, Awash national park has over 350 species of bird that have been recorded in this savannah grassland and you will spot birds like: Ruppell’s Vulture, Black-billed-Chat, Boran Cisticola,
Scarlet-Chested & Shining Sunbird, Tawny Pipit, Yellow –throated Serin (E), Carmine bee-eater, Lilac-Breasted & Abyssinian Roller, Arabian Bustard, and Great Grey Shrikes. Overnight at keryou Lodge.
Day 7: After breakfast drive back to Addis Ababa en route you will visit the crater lakes at the town of Debre Zeit, with a five chain of crater lakes. At these lakes, you can spot different water birds and various species of swallows and weavers. Among the other species to be seen, spur-winged plover, great and little Egret, and cormorant. And proceed to Addis for overnight Hotel. In the evening you will go to one of the famous traditional restaurant for welfare dinner party with Ethiopian traditional music and dance.
Day 8: Day at leisure and sightseeing tour of Addis and night departure
