Ethiopia is one of Africa's most productive and rewarding birding destinations on the African continent. Numerous endemics complimented by a rich assemblage of forest and savanna species and an influx of Palaearctic migrants all combine to make for truly bird-filled tour (over 850 species have been recorded in this country!) The fascinating cultures of this ancient land, both traditional and Christian, and friendly tribes people ensure an enjoyable and interesting tour and are sure to leave you with a bounty of memorable encounters with some of the most ancient cultures on this continent.
We explore huge Rift Valley Lakes teeming with birdlife, moss-draped montane forests supporting a wide selection of endemic birds (Ethiopia has the second highest count of endemic birds of any nation on the continent), the high altitude Bale Mountains National Park home to a number of striking endemics like the confiding Rouget's Rail, the expansive Sululta Plains, the impressive Jemma Valley, Awash National Park, a mecca for game and bird watching where it is possible to see a staggering six species of bustard. To find some of Ethiopia's most sought after endemics, such as the fabled Ruspoli's Turaco and enigmatic Stresemann's Bush Crow, we will venture to remote corners of this ancient land. Not only can you expect a bounty of birds on this unbeatable tour but a wonderful selection of mammals too.
The spectacular scenery, fascinating history, diverse cultures and astonishing wildlife make Ethiopia a truly superb destination and for many of our customers the most desired destination on the African continent!
Itinerary
Day 1 / - Departure from UK (London to Addis Ababa).
Day 2 / - Addis Ababa - Addis Ababa to Lake Awasa . We will make an early departure from Addis Ababa and head south dropping into the Great Rift Valley . We will make our first birding stop at Lake Chelekcheka . The lake is excellent for migrant ducks and waders and the surrounding thickets abound with birdlife. Debre Zeit Crater Lake will be our second stop of the day. The woodlands surrounding the lake teem with birds and it may prove difficult to keep up with the seemingly endless flow of lifers. In the area occurs Black Sparrowhawk, flocks of approachable Black-winged Lovebird, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Black-billed Barbet, Red-throated Wryneck, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Rüppell's Robin-Chat, Black-headed Batis, Beautiful Sunbird and Rüppell's Weaver, as well as a diverse variety of waterbirds, especially deep water diving ducks.
We will also visit Koka Dam and Lakes Gelila and Zeway, all classified as Important Bird Areas, and supporting vast numbers of resident and migrant waterbirds. We will check into our hotel on the shores of Lake Awassa in the evening.
The total distance from Addis- Awasa is 273 km with a stop over at Debrezeith, Koka dam, Ziway lake.
Day 3 / Nov 16th - Lake Awasa to Wondo Genet. Our pre-breakfast birding stroll should yield some special birds within the confines of our well-wooded hotel grounds. After breakfast we will visit the remarkable Lake Awasa fish market. This large lake is particularly rich in fish and the fishermen gut their fish and discard the waste around the fish market. This attracts large numbers of grotesque Marabou Stork and other birds.
In the afternoon we will transfer at the tranquil Wondo Genet Resort Hotel, set within a birdrich garden. The steaming swimming pools filled with reputedly medicinal water from nearby hotsprings will bring welcome relief after our journey.
Hawasa to Wondo Genet is about 45 km so it takes about 1hour.
Day 4th / - Wondo Genet to Goba. We will spend this morning exploring our hotel gardens and in the nearby forests, and will enjoy our first taste of Ethiopian forest birding. The hotel grounds themselves support families of Grivet Monkey, but the regal Guereza Colobus monkeys will certainly steal our attention as they leap through the trees, their shaggy pelts and long tails trailing behind.
We will finally bid farewell to this pleasant oasis and wind our way upwards towards the world famous Bale Mountains National Park . At the park headquarters in Dinsho we will search the trails for the colourful Chestnut-naped Francolin, Groundscraper Thrush (of the distinctive, endemic race simensis), the secretive Abyssinian Ground Thrush, vocal Abyssinian Catbird and the endemic White-backed Black Tit. We also hope to see a variety of mammals, including Mountain Nyala, now entirely restricted to the Bale Mountain massif, Menelik's Bushbuck and Warthog, unusual at this high altitude.
Distance from Wondo-Bale ( Dinsho) where the head quarters of Bale national park is located is 190 km. and will take about 4 hours.
Day 5 / - Goba and excursion to the Bale Mountain National Park . Today will be a day of great contrasts and amazing scenery and birding. We will depart early, and ascend the Bale Mountain massif onto the Sanetti Plateau, which lies between 3800m and 4377m above sea level. As we ascend we will enter a Tid or Juniper forest zone, and here we will search for African Goshawk, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, White-cheeked Turaco, the localized Abyssinian Woodpecker, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, African Hill Babbler, Montane White-eye and Yellowbellied Waxbill.
Once we reach this unique plateau, we will be driving on Africa's highest road, passing close to the summit of Ethiopia 's second highest mountain. This habitat is termed “Afro-alpine moorland”, and is characterised by Jibrra, or Giant Lobelias, which tower like monolithic giants over the rich tussock grasslands and extensive cushions of yellow Everlasting flowers. This site is an Important Bird Area of immense importance, supporting seven globally threatened species and nearly all of Ethiopia 's Highland biome species. The grasslands are estimated to support an incredible biomass of 4,000kg of rodents per hectare. This obviously attracts an array of raptors and we should see Steppe and Golden Eagles, Augur Buzzard and elegant Pallid Harrier courting over this green sea. They share this abundant food source with the plateau's most celebrated resident, the Ethiopian or Simien Wolf, crowned with the unenviable title of “the world's rarest canid.” Watching these vibrantly coloured animals, most closely related to the European Timber Wolf, exhibiting their hunting prowess whilst pouncing on Giant Mole-rats (another endemic to the Sanetti Plateau), is surely amongst Africa 's greatest wildlife experiences. We should enjoy excellent photographic opportunities in this unique montane wonderland.
Finally we will reach the escarpment of this elevated plateau and stare down, through the clouds, at the vast Harenna Forest below. This remarkable forest is the largest intact forest block in Ethiopia and the largest protected Afro-alpine forest on the continent. It still supports populations of Lion and the only surviving forest-dwelling African Wild Dog. Although unlikely that we will see either of these species, the descent through this breathtakingly beautiful, moss-draped forest is inspirational. Here we will search for the uncommon African Olive Pigeon, Lemon and Tambourine Doves, Brown Parisoma, represented by a subspecies endemic to this National Park, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, African Citril and Cape Canary . In the afternoon, we will return across the Sanetti Plateau to our lodging in Goba. Overnight at Wabishebele hotel.
It will take full day all together with the walking activities and visiting the Herena forest and back to Goba.
Day 6 Nov / - Goba to Negele via the Bale Mountains . Today, we will depart early, and once again ascend the Bale Mountain massif onto the Sanetti Plateau. After crossing this fascinating area we drop into Harenna forest. As we lose altitude, we will exit the forest zone and enter progressively drier thorn savanna in this remote southern section of Ethiopia . Finally we reach a dry wadi on the Genale River , home to Ethiopia 's most sought-after endemic, Prince Ruspoli's Turaco. The bird is named after an Italian Prince, its hapless discoverer, who was killed by an elephant soon after collecting the type specimen of the Turaco in the 1890s. It took another 50 years before explorers saw the Turaco again, only in the 1970s was anything revealed about this bird. We will search fruiting fig trees along the wadi, and with the assistance of local farmers, we should enjoy excellent views of this very unusual and beautiful turaco. We will arrive in Negele in the early evening and check into our basic hotel. Overnight at Green Hotel with a basic facility.
The total distance from Goba- Negele Borena is 270 km on a dusty road, so it take a full day with several birding stops.
Day 7 / - Negele and the road to Bogol Mayo. East of Negele lays unique open grassland, the Liben Plains, to which the little known Sidamo Lark is restricted. This species belongs to the unusual genus Heteromirafra, which also includes the South African Rudd's Lark, considered one of the most endangered larks on Earth. We will begin our day by walking through these plains in search of this special bird, which we hope to watch performing its parachute display flight. We should also find small parties of hovering Lesser Kestrel, the giant Kori Bustard, the world's heaviest flying bird, Black-winged Lapwing, the range restricted Somali Short-toed Lark, Plain-backed Pipit and Pectoral-patch Cisticola. If we are very fortunate, we may see coveys of Coqui Francolin or flush a migratory Corn Crake.
We will continue moving east, to bird the increasingly dry woodland and thorn savanna towards the Somali border. This area supports the scarce Golden Pipit, the elusive Red-naped Bushshrike, Pringle's Puffback, Three-streaked Tchagra, Foxy Lark, Somali Crombec, Taita Fiscal, Golden-breasted Starling, attractive flocks of Shelley's Starling, and the much sought-after White-crowned Starling, Somali Crow, African Silverbill, Somali Bunting and Northern Grosbeak-Canary. Large troops of Anubis Baboon may also be encountered here and we should also see Guenther's Dikdik and Gerenuk. Overnight at Negele town Green hotel
Liben plains starts immediately after Negele town. Explore the plains and drive all the way towards the Bogo Mayo and driving back on a rough road with birding stops, will take almost a full day.
Day 8 / - Negele to Yabello. Today's drive along another long and seldom-travelled road takes us near to the Kenya border and finally to the Yabello region, home to two of Ethiopia's most sought-after endemic birds, both listed as globally threatened: the enigmatic Stresemann's Bush Crow and glistening White-tailed Swallow. This area of Acacia savanna is characterised by giant red termite mounds, some towering 5m above the plains, and both these birds seem to be associated in some way with these marvels of natural architecture. The social Bush Crow (or Zavattariornis) was only discovered in 1938, and its affinities have yet to be established. Although it appears starling-like, it is presumed to be most closely related to choughs. Several birding stops will break the journey, the most notable being a stop at the Dawa River in search of Juba Weaver, White-winged Collared Dove and Black-bellied Sunbird. Other noteworthy birds that we may encounter en route to Yabello include Somali Courser, Magpie Starling, Black-capped Social Weaver, Steel-blue Whydah and its host, Black-cheeked Waxbill. Overnight at Yabello town, Yabello Motel.
The distance is about 270 km on a dusty road with some birding stops will take a full day.
Day 9 / - Yabello area. We will have the whole day to bird the Yabello area getting better acquainted with the Stresemann's Bush Crow and White-tailed Swallow. Birds that we will be looking for are Gabar Goshawk, the shrike-sized Pygmy Falcon, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, glamorous flocks of Vulturine Guineafowl, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Mottled Swift, the localised African Bare-eyed Thrush, ventriloqual Spotted Palm Thrush, Pale Prinia, Banded Parisoma, Hunter's and Shining Sunbirds, Chestnut Sparrow, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Grey-capped Social Weaver, Chestnut Weaver, Green-winged Pytilia, White-bellied Canary and White-winged Widowbird. A nightdrive in this exciting area could produce Donaldson-Smith's and Slender-tailed Nightjars, Greyish Eagle-and Northern White-faced Owls and Three-banded Courser. Nocturnal mammal sightings may include Striped and Spotted Hyaenas, Serval, African Wild Cat and Ethiopian Genet. Overnight Yabello Motel
The wildlife sanctuary is few hours driving from Yabello town , all the area is good for birding.
Day 10 / - Yabello to Lake Langano . We will enjoy some early morning birding around the Yabello area and after breakfast we will make our way back north, towards Addis Ababa . In the afternoon we will make our way to Lake Langano for our stay at a comfortable hotel on the shores of the lake, with views of the 4,000m Arsi Mountains in the background. An evening excursion around the hotel may well produce Greyish and Verreauxs' Eagle-Owls, African Scops-Owl, Northern White-faced Owl and Freckled and Slender-tailed Nightjars. Overnight at Awasa town at Midroc Crown hotel
The total distance from Yabello to Hawasa is 300 km on asphalt road, including several birding stops it takes a full day.
Day 11 / Nov 24th - Lake Langano and Lake Abijata. The three neighbouring lakes in the central Ethiopian Rift Valley could not be more different from each other. The medium depth reddish-brown Lake Langano, shallow, brackish Abijatta, and the extremely deep, blue Shalla, once a volcanic crater and now home to several bubbling sulphuric hotsprings.
We will spend today exploring these lake shores and their surrounding woodlands and forests. Little Rock Thrush, Buff-bellied Warbler, Red-faced Crombec, Beautiful Sunbird, Rüppell's Starling, Red-billed Firefinch, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Hemprich's Hornbill, Black-winged Lovebird, Abyssinian Wheatear, White-winged Black Tit, Black-billed Wood Hoopoe, Bearded Woodpecker and Masked Shrike occur in dry acacia woodland surrounding the lodge, whilst Lemon Dove, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Black-billed, Banded and Double-toothed Barbets, African Grey Woodpecker, White-rumped Babbler, Scaly Francolin and Abyssinian Ground Thrush are resident in forest areas. We will search the lake edge for the impressive Saddle-billed Stork and attractive Whitebrowed Coucal.
At Lake Abijata, we hope to find flocks of Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Northern Shoveler, Southern Pochard, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Long-crested Eagle , Grey Kestrel, Little Ringed, Common Ringed and Kittlitz's Plovers, many species of Palaearctic waders, Great Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, amongst several other species of gulls and terns, Little Bee-eater, family groups of the wonderful Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Isabelline, Pied and Mourning Wheatears. Mammals we may see here include Grant's Gazelle, Oribi and Spotted Hyena. Overnight at the shores of Lake Langano, Wabishebele hotel, Bekele Molla
Distance from Hawasa to Langano is 70 km on an asphalt road and takes only about 1 hour to reach the sites.
Day 12 / - Lake Langano to Hawasa National Park. Today we drop down the immense western wall of the Great Rift Valley and travel across the wild Afar tribal territories.
The increasingly arid landscape is a haven for dry country resident and migrant species. Around the plains we will search for Martial and Short-toed Eagles, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, the rare Arabian Bustard, Black-headed Lapwing, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse and Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark. Watercourses and rocky outcrops harbour Eurasian Sparrowhawk, European Turtle Dove, the range-restricted Yellow-breasted Barbet, Common Nightingale, Blue Rock Thrush, Rufous-tailed and Black Scrub Robins, Boran Cisticola, skulking Upcher's Warbler, family groups of Red-fronted Apalis, Rufous Chatterer, Shining Sunbird, Black-crowned Tchagra, Southern Grey Shrike, Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Chestnut-crowned and White-browed Sparrow-Weavers and African Silverbill.
This land is inhabited by nomadic Afar tribesmen, who we will see dressed in their fine white cotton tunics, bedecked with traditional jewellery, daggers and spears. The men sport a unique bushy hairstyle, and women and girls are also extravagantly attired and adorned. They adhere strictly to their ancestral ways of tending their camel and goat-herds and roaming throughout this inhospitable land. Overnight inside Awash national park, Awash Falls lodge.
The total distance from Lake Langano to Awash is 290 km, including several birding stops it takes a full day.
Days 13 & 14 / - Awash National Park. These two days will be spent exploring the magnificent Awash National Park . We will bird around the Bilen Plains, Fulhowa Hotsprings, the Awash River , and Kirayawa Gorge, exploring riverine forests, wetlands, thorn woodlands, savanna grasslands, rocky hills, cliffs and escarpments. The park boasts a bird list of 460 species and we will make an effort to find, amongst many other species: Egyptian Vulture, Bateleur, Tawny and Greater Spotted Eagles, African Harrier-Hawk, Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Scissor-tailed Kite, Pygmy Falcon, Shikra, Kurrichane Buttonquail, the nocturnal Three-banded Courser, Eastern Plantain-eater, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, White-browed Coucal, the diminutive Pearl-spotted Owlet and giant Verreauxs' Eagle-Owl, the mega Star-spotted Nightjar, Blue-naped Mousebird, gaudy Rufous-crowned, Lilac-breasted and Abyssinian Rollers, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Eurasian Hoopoe, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Red-and-yellow Barbet, Greater Honeyguide, Wire-tailed Swallow, Red-winged and the rare and enigmatic Gillett's Larks, Singing Bush Lark, White-browed Scrub Robin, over-wintering Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush and the localised Ashy Cisticola.
During our explorations, we hope to find dazzling Northern Carmine Bee-eater perched atop the backs of striding Kori Bustard, a seldom observed phenomenon. In fact this is bustard kingdom deluxe and nowhere else on the planet can boast the chance of no less than six bustard species in one day (Kori, Arabian, Buff-crested, White-bellied, Black-bellied and Hartlaub's)!
Mammals are well represented and we may see Aardwolf, Lion, Leopard, Beisa Oryx, Aardvark, Soemmering's Gazelle, the elegant Gerenuk, the giraffe-proportioned relative of the widespread Impala, Abyssinian Hare, African Wild Cat, Black-backed Jackal, Spotted and Striped Hyaenas, Greater and Lesser Kudus, Warthog and Salt's Dikdik. Overnight Awash Falls lodge inside the park.
Driving inside the park is an activity by itself so we consider all the drivings in the park as game and birding drives.
Day 15 / Awash National Park to Debre Birhan via Melka Gebdu track. Today
we drive to Debre Birhan on one of the least driven and most picturesque roads in the entire country. The route takes us through dry acacia woodland and breath-taking mountain scenery and is extremely remote. Our first stop is a low escarpment where we will search for the very rare and localised Sombre Rock Chat. Hamadryas baboons should also be in evidence. This handsome beast sits on top of the escarpment edge in large troops and soaks up the early morning sun. Blackstart will also be present as will plenty of the other more widespread dry country species. In the afternoon we will arrive at the Melka Gebdu track to search for another scarce endemic, Yellow-throated Seedeater. We will eventually arrive at Debre Birhan in the evening after climbing up the majestic Ankober Escarpment. Accommodation at Debre Birhan town Eva Hotel.
The total distance to Ankober is 100 Km aprox, driving on a rough road to a higher altitude.
Day 16 / From Debre Birhan town drive to Jemma valley. We are now returning to Addis Ababa with several stops on the route. Birds we can spot are Augur Buzzard, Black headed siskin, Thick billed Raven, Ground scraper Thrush, Ethiopian Cisticola and Stonechat. Time permitting we may have the opportunity to visit the Intoto Natural Park to see some of the work of the Ethiopian Heritage Trust. Overnight (dinner, shower etc. in preparation for very early flight next day) at Debrelibanos Ethio-German Hotel.
Day 17 / For those with direct flights transfer to the airport around midnight. For those with later flights, transfer to the airport, as appropriate, after breakfast.
