Exploring Ethiopia’s Great Rift Valley Birding Tour

Discover the unmatched beauty of Ethiopia’s Great Rift Valley! This region boasts stunning national parks, serene rift valley lakes, and breathtaking highlands, making it a premier destination for birding enthusiasts. Expect many regional and migrant species, along with plenty of endemics.

Tour pace:
Slow/Medium – designed to allow ample time at each destination, whilst being concise.

Tour difficulty:
Easy – the majority of birding will be done on foot and at high altitudes, but nothing too over-exerting.

Cost:
The above cost is based on a group of 6 people. Please get in touch if you’d like us to arrange a private tailor made tour

Best time of year to visit:
The best time for birding in Ethiopia is from November to March, coinciding with the presence of Palearctic migrant birds during the dry season—making it an excellent period. Additionally, from April to September, birding remains favourable. During this period, resident birds transition into breeding plumage, becoming more vocal, easier to spot, and visually beautiful. However, heavy rainfall in July and August might affect sightings.

Sustainability:
At Sustainable Birding, our goal is to ensure that every birding holiday we create contributes positively to bird conservation efforts and local communities. Our determination to promote sustainable travel led us to become founding members of Tourism Declares Climate Emergency. As part of this commitment, we have established the world’s pioneering carbon scoring and offsetting framework for tailor-made holidays. Feel free to request us to carbon score your individual trip! 

Tour Leader
Yilma Dellelegn is an Ethiopian ornithologist and conservationist with over 40 years of experience working in biodiversity and natural resource management across Ethiopia. He holds a Masters degree in Conservation Biology from the University of Kent and has held numerous leadership positions within Ethiopia’s protected area system.

Throughout his career, Yilma has played an integral role in several aspects of Ethiopia’s conservation efforts. He has extensive experience managing protected areas as well as researching and monitoring bird populations. He has authored over 50 publications on Ethiopian ornithology and wetland ecology. Moreover, Yilma has provided expertise to organisations such as IUCN and BirdLife International on issues pertaining to Important Bird Areas, wetlands, and threatened species.

Yilma has led a number of bird tours in Ethiopia and has worked with several local tour operators leading their tours from different companies such as Naturetrek and more. With his multifaceted background and long-standing commitment to Ethiopia’s biodiversity, Yilma has emerged as one of the country’s leading authorities on conservation and natural resource management. He continues his valuable work of advising projects, researching wildlife, and advocating for protected areas.