Birding Tour12 Days
Arrival Bole International Airport
Trek Ethiopia Eco Tours meets all guests arriving at the airport regardless of arrival time. For morning flight arrivals you may begin your tour after checking into your hotel. For afternoon or evening arrivals, you may begin your tour the following day.
Day
01
Addis Ababa - Awash National Park
Visit Awash National Park by car. This area is home to a wide variety of bird species, including Pygmy Batis, Lesser-striped Swallow, Yellow-throated Serine, Red-fronted Barbet, Weavers, and Red-bellied Parrots. A wide range of mammals can be found in the park, including the Egyptian Mongoose, Warthog, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Black-backed Jackal, Anubis Baboon, Colobus Monkey, and Salt’s Dikdik.
Overnight Lodge
Meals: (B L, D)
Awash National Park
After spending more time birdwatching in Awash National Park, travel about 70 kilometers to the Alledeghi Plains. This is an excellent place to see various bustards, larks, sandgrouse, and other birds.
Meals: (B L, D)
Day
Day
02
Day
03
Awash National Park - Lake Langano
Make stops for birdwatching at Koka Dam, the Awash River, and Lake Ziway on your way to Lake Langano. Impressive numbers of spot species can be seen here, including the African Pygmy Goose, Black-billed Woodhoopoe, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Northern Black Tit, Little Weaver, Yellow-billed storks, Collared Pratincole, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, White Pelicans, Fish Eagles, and crowned and common cranes.
Overnight Lodge
Meals: (B L, D)
Lake Langano
Keep birdwatching in the Abiyata—Shalla National Park and around Lake Langano. In the vicinity of Lake Abiyata, one can observe more than 300 different species, including: African Marsh Harrier, Rollers, Wheatear, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, Ducks, Egrets, Herons, Flamingos, Storks, and Swallows.
Overnight Lodge
Meals: (B L, D)
Day
Day
04
Day
05
Lake Langano -Wondo Genet - Bale Mountains
Travel from Langano to the Bale Mountains National Park, which is Africa’s top birdwatching destination according to the African Bird Club’s ranking. Here are more than 300 bird species, of which six are unique to Ethiopia. Reach the park headquarters in the afternoon, just in time for a leisurely hike during which you might be able to spot Menelik’s Bushbuck and the Mountain Nyala, two endemic mammals that are common in the area. The Blue-Winged Goose, Spot-Breasted Lapwing, Abyssinian Long Claw, Wattled Ibis, Black-Headed Siskin, Rouget’s Rail, and many other species of birds can be found in this region.
Overnight Hotel
Meals: (B L, D)
Bale Mountains National Park
Drive deeper into the interior of Bale Mountains National Park and carry on your exploration. Spot birds include the vocal Abyssinian Catbird, the endemic White-backed Black-Tit, the sly Abyssinia Ground-thrush, the ground-thrush of the unique, endemic species Simensis, and the chestnut-naped Francolin. If we’re lucky, we might spot a Red-breasted Wheatear, Thekla Lark, Cape Eagle-Lapwing, or a pair of the endangered Wattled Crane in the damp grasslands. Seek for the endangered Ethiopian Red Wolf on the Senetti Plateau, the largest continuous area of its altitude in Africa.
Overnight Hotel
Meals: (B L, D)
Day
Day
06
Day
07
Bale Mountains National Park - Negeli Borena
Make several stops for birdwatching while en route to Negelle. See the exceptional Golden-breasted Starling and Turaco. On the Negele Plains, we will also look for the Somali Short-toed Lark, the endemic Sidamo Lark, and maybe Heuglin’s Bustard.
Overnight Hotel
Meals: (B L, D)
Negeli Borena
If you haven’t seen the Degodi Lark yet, spend the morning looking for it. In addition, we’ll look for the Scaly Chatterer, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Chestnut-headed Sparrow-lark, and White-winged Dove, two highly sought-after sightings in the region. Seek out the Sidamo Lark, a somewhat reticent avian that, like many Ethiopian endemics, only lives in a very limited area.
Overnight Hotel
Meals: (B L, D)
Day
Day
08
Day
09
Negeli - Yabello Borena
Travel by car to Yabello. Look for the native Stresemann’s Bushcrow and White-tailed Swallow. You should see groups of Bushcrows in the thorn bushes and the Swallow making its way through the termite chimneys. Explore the Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary and Reserve for the entire day. Some of the species you may see there are the following: Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Somali Sparrow, Black-capped Social Weaver, Grey-headed Silverbill, Taita Fiscal, Somali Golden-breasted Bunting, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Star-spotted Nightjar, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Rufous-crowned Roller, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Red and Yellow Barbet, Short-tailed Lark, Northern Grey Tit, Shelley’s and White-crowned Starlings, Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Black-capped Social Weaver, Martial Eagle, and Somali Golden-breasted Bunting. Other possibilities include: Coqui Francolin, Somali Courser, African Bare-eyed Thrush, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Pringle’s Puffback, Little Tawny Pipit, Fawn-coloured Lark. Mammals that inhabit the park include: Burchell’s Zebra, Aardvark, Grant’s Gazelle, Thompson’s Gazelle, and Lesser-spotted Genet.
Overnight Hotel
Meals: (B L, D)
Yabello Borena
Keep going birdwatching in the Yabello region. See birds that you might not have seen on the first day, such as the Garganey pintail, White-tailed swallow, Corsar, and Degodi lark.
Overnight Hotel
Meals: (B L, D)
Day
Day
10
Day
11
Yabello Borena - Hawassa
Travel by car to Hawassa. Traveling to see a variety of species, including the African Pygmy Goose, Spur-winged Goose, Roget’s Rail, Black and White Egrets, African Pygmy Goose, African Fish Egret, Woodland Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, and Swallows.
Overnight Hotel
Meals: (B L, D)
Hawassa - Addis Ababa
Return to Addis Ababa with optional return stop at Lake Ziway, In Addis Ababa, enjoy a Farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country’s many ethnic groups. Transfer to airport for late night departure or additional hotel night booked upon request.
Overnight Hotel
Meals: (B L, D)
Day
Day
12