Ethiopia Birds Tours

🗓️ Itinerary

• Day 1 Arrival – Sightseeing Addis
  Visit Trinity Cathedral, resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie. Tour the Museum, a great introduction to ethiopian culture and history. Make a short drive to Entoto hills for a view of the city and visit Maryam church. En-route, stop at Sheromeda Traditional cloth market. Visit the mercato or the sholla market, two of addis ababa’s main markets.
  Overnight hotel in Addis Ababa
• Day 2: Addis Ababa – Awash National Park
  This day after breakfast you will be driving to Awash National Park on the way you will be stopping at the Rift Valley Lake of Bishoftu near Debre Zeit to take some pictures near to those lake then we will continue our drive to Take an evening game drive in Awash National Park and visit an area frequented by hyenas.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 3:Awash National Park
  After breakfast you will take a Birding in Awash National Park which is located in the Great Rift Valley. Many species of birds are found here: African Orange-bellied Parrots, Bustards, Weavers, Hoopoe, Yellow-throated Serine, Red-fronted Barbet, Pygmy Batis, Lesser-striped Swallow, and the House Martin. The park also boasts a variety of mammals: the Anubis Baboon, Columbus Monkey, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox, Egyptian mongoose, Warthog, Beisa Oryx, Summering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Salt’s Dikdik, etc.
  Overnight Camping
• Day 4: Drive Awash National Park – Lake Langano
  After breakfast we will be driving to Lake Langano on the way stop for birding at Lake Ziway, truly a birder’s paradise and at Koka Dam. Spot bird species such as; the African Pygmy Goose, Black-billed Wood hoopoe, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Northern Black Tit, Little Weaver, etc.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 5: Lake Langano
  After breakfast we will have a full day birding at Lake Langano and Abiyata – Shala National Parks then you will have a chance of seeing Over 300 species can be seen around Lake Abiyata, such as: Yellow Wagtails, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, Ducks, Egrets, Herons, Flamingos, Storks, Swallows, Chestnut-bellied Sand grouse, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rollers, Wheatear, African Marsh Harrier, etc.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 6: Drive Lake Langano -Wondo Genet – Bale Mountains
  After breakfast we will be drive to the Bale Mountains National Park and meet with park guide. Arrive at the park headquarters in the afternoon, in time for a leisurely afternoon hike, possibly spotting two endemic mammals that frequent the area: Menelik’s Bushbuck and the Mountain Nyala. Birds in this area include the Blue-Winged Goose, the Spot-Breasted Lapwing, the Abyssinian Long Claw, the Wattled Ibis, the Black-Headed Siskin, Rouget’s Rail, and numerous other species.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 7: Bale Mountains National Park
  This day we will be embarking to see Simien Red Wolves and other endemic mammals. Spot birds such as Chestnut-napped Francolin, Ground Thrush (of the distinctive, endemic race Simensis), the secretive Abyssinia Ground- thrush, the vocal Abyssinian Catbird, and the endemic White-backed Black-Tit. If we are very fortunate, we will see a pair of the endangered Wattled Crane in the moist grasslands or spot a Cape Eagle- Lapwing, Thekla Lark, Red-breasted Wheatear, and Moorland chats.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 8: Bale Mountains National Park – Negeli Borena
  In the morning we will be Drive to Negeli via Harena Forest. En route look for the Turaco and outstanding Golden-breasted Starling. We will also seek the endemic Sidamo Lark and the Somali Short-toed Lark and possibly Heuglin’s Bustard on the Negele Plains. The Sidamo lark is quite secretive and like many Ethiopian endemics inhabits a very small area.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 9: Negeli Borena – Yabello Borena
  This morning we Search for the endemic White-tailed Swallow and Stresemann’s Bushcrow. You should spot the Swallow threading its way through the termite chimneys and groups of Bushcrows in the thorn bushes. For the entire day explore the Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary and Reserve; species to look for include: Somalian Ostrich, Secretary Bird, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, Martial Eagle, Grasshopper Buzzard, African Pygmy Falcon, Vulturine Guineafowl, Kori Bustard, 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, Somali Sparrow, Black-capped Social Weaver, Grey-headed Silverbill, Taita Fiscal, 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
• Day 10: Yabello Borena – Hawassa
  After an early breakfast we will be driving to Awassa and on the way to Hawassa spot numerous species: Silvery-Cheeked Hornbill, Abysinnian Ground Hornbill, Roget’s Rail, Marabou Stork, Black and White Egrets, African Pygmy Goose, Spur-winged Goose, Swallows, Ibis, African Fish Egret, Woodland Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, etc. Overnight Hotel
• Day 11: Hawassa – Addis Ababa-Departure
  In the morning we Drive back to Addis Ababa with stops for Birding on the way at Rift Valley Lakes. Lake Ziway, famous for birding, has impressive numbers of water birds, African Pygmy Geese, Yellow-Billed Storks, Collared Pratincole, Lesser Jacana, Africa Jacana, White Pelicans, Fish Eagles and Crowned and common cranes. In the evening, 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