Day 1 & 2 – Awash National Park

For the first two days, we’ll be birding in Awash National Park. Famous for being one of the best big mammal viewing parks in Ethiopia including Besia Oryx, Hippo, Aardvark, Black-and-white Colobus Monkey and the charismatic Green Monkey,  Hamadryas Baboon, Bat-eared Fox, Caracal, Black-backed Jackal, Leopard, Cheetah, Lion. It is also home to than 450 species of birds – so get your binoculars ready! 😊

Day 3 & 4 – Lake Lagano

On our third and fourth day of the tour, we’ll be visiting Lake Lagano for some exceptional birding. Here we’ll be looking for highlight species such as the Verreaux’s Eagle-owl, White-rumped Babbler, Hemprich’s Hornbill, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Northern White-faced Owl to name a few, along with many wetland species.

Day 5 & 6 – Bale Mountains National Park

On Day 5 & 6, we’ll spend our time birding at the world-famous and simply breath-taking Bale Mountains. Famous for incredible scenery and a thriving population of the endangered and unique Ethiopian Wolf, these mountains are worth the hype. The park also holds almost 300 bird species, 6 of which are endemic species. Highlights include: Spot­-breasted Lapwing, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Abyssinian Longclaw, Abyssinian Catbird, Black-headed Siskin, Ethiopian Siskin, Abyssinian Owl, African Wood Owl, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Abyssinian Oriole and Abyssinian Crimsonwing to name a few!

Day 7, 8 & 9 – Negele & Arero Forest

South of the Bale Mountains, in the region of the southern Ethiopian town of Negele, is where you stand a very good chance of seeing one of Ethiopia’s prettiest endemic bird species, the Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco. We’ll also be on the lookout for species such as Bare-eyed Thrush, Boran Cisticola, Tiny Cisticola, Salvadori’s Seedeater, Banded Parisoma, Liben Lark (very rare), Pygmy Batis, Somali Short-toed Lark, White-crowned Starling, Shelley’s Sparrow, Scaly Chatterer, Acacia Tit, Pringle’s Puffback and Bristle-crowned Starling to name a few! A well-worth visit for any birder visiting Ethiopia.

Day 10 & 11 – Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary 

Over the next couple of days, you’ll be treated to some of the best birding the south can offer. Beautiful landscapes and beautiful birds is probable;y the best way to describe this region. Birding highlights include” Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Stresemann’s Bushcrow, Somali Ostrich, White-tailed Swallow, Short-tailed Lark, Pringle‟s Puff-back, Northern Grey Tit, Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Vulturine Guineafowl, Somali Sparrow, Black-capped Social Weaver, Donaldson-Smith Nightjar, Star-spotted Nightjar, Grey-headed Social Weaver and Magpie Starling to name a few.

Day 12, 13 &  14 – Lake Awasa, Gibe Gorge & departure to Addis Abba

On Day 12, you’ll travel west of the Bale Mountains to get to the beautiful Lake Awasa. Here you’ll be greeted by traditional fishing boats, large hippo pods and huge flocks of Great White Pelicans. You’ll also come across species such, African Pygmy Kingfisher,  African Jacana, Marabou Stork, Malachite Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, White-browed Robin-chat, Western-banded Snake-eagle, Hottentot Teal, Black Crake, African Fish-eagle, Hadada Ibis, Purple Heron, Common Sandpiper, White-backed Duck, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Slender-billed Starling, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Hooded Vulture to name a few!

Then on Day 13, we’ll be birding around the beautiful Gibe Gorge, where we stand a good chance of seeing Egyptian Goose, Helmeted Guineafowl Number, Speckled Pigeon, Red-eyed Dove Number, Vinaceous Dove, Laughing Dove, Dideric Cuckoo, Egyptian Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Bateleur, African Grey Hornbill, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Grey-headed Kingfisher,  Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Black-billed Barbet, Western Black-headed Batis , Ethiopian Boubou, Fan-tailed Raven Number observed:1 Green-backed Camaroptera, Red-headed Weaver among others. 

On our last and final day, we’ll be slowly making our way back to Addis Abba, making several birding stop-overs along the way 😊