11 Days Birding Holiday

Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Meet your Professional Guide, greeted with the traditional Ethiopian hospitality at the airport and transferred to Hotel. (Depending on your arrival time we can arrange afternoon or after hour city tour)

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. Overnight: Hotel

We drive south to Debre Zeit, about 50 km from Addis Ababa. There are five crater lakes in the area, a dam and a Crator 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). Overnight: Dream Land Hotel

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

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. Overnight: Blen Lodge

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. Overnight: Wondo Genet Hotel

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. Overnight: Goba Wabe Shabelle Hotel

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. Overnight: Goba Wabe Shabelle Hotel

Overnight: Langano  Bishangari Hotel

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. Overnight: Langano Bishangari Lodge

 Drive back to Addis Ababa. 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.

Today you fly back to home.