Tour Endemic Birding Ethiopia

Meals

15 Breakfasts

Transport

Private Land Transport by an air-conditioned vehicle;

Guide

Professional English Speaking wildlife and Birding Guide; Local Guides at each destination.

Others

All entrance fees; All Scout Fees; Bottled mineral water in the vehicle (1.5 ltr per person per day); Government tax associated with the trip.

Accommodation

14 Nights Accommodation in a shared room. Extra $159.00pp for Single Room Supplement.

Not included:

Flights

International flights;

Others

All lunches and dinners; Gratitude, Tips and Porter Fees; International Fights; And what is NOT included on the “Included” List.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Drive To Debre Libanos
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Drive To Debre Libanos

Addis-Debre Libanos-Lemi Scheduled flight from Home to Addis Ababa, and on arrival we will stop in Addis for coffee and breakfast, Flocks of Hooded Vultures and Black Kites will be wheeling overhead and we should see Dusky Turtle-dove and the endemic White-collared Pigeon. Dazzling Tacazze Sunbirds, Baglafecht Weavers and Streaky Seedeaters. After breakfast this morning, we will cross the Sululta Plains. These high-altitude plateau grasslands provide superb birding, despite intensive cultivation. Resident birds we may find here include Secretary Bird, White-backed Vulture, African Hobby, Erckel’s Francolin, Red-chested Swallow, Cape Crow, Pectoral-patch Cisticola and African Quailfinch. Suddenly, the seemingly endless plain dramatically drops off into the Blue Nile drainage system. Perched on the edge of the gorge is Debre Libanos Monastery, one of Ethiopia’s most sacred Christian sites. We will concentrate our search here for Rüppell’s Vulture, Verreaux’s Eagle, African Hawk-eagle, Augur Buzzard (dark-morph birds are commonly seen here), Lanner Falcon, Nyanza Swift, Hemprich Hornbill, the three endemics: Rüppell’s Chat, White-winged Cliff-chat and White-billed Starling, Mocking Cliff-chat, Yellow-rumped Serin and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting. Another speciality of this area is the Lion-headed Baboon. Proceed to Lemi for the overnight.

Overnight stay at Local Hotel, Lemi.
Day 2 Day 2: Drive To Debre Birhan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Drive To Debre Birhan

Lemi-Debre Birhan-Ankober Among many other things today we go to dizzying heights to the Ankober Escarpment for a spectacularly localized bird, the endemic and vulnerable Ankober Serin. The scenery here is a lot more spectacular than our main target bird, which some people just call a “little brown job”, while others are kinder and call it a “subtly beautiful bird” – but whichever way you look at it, the bird is unlikely to dazzle you, but it certainly takes you to marvelously beautiful mountains overlooking distant valleys. We could find other birds as well, like Verreaux’s Eagle or Bearded Vulture.

Overnight stay at Getva Hotel or similar, Debre Birhan.
Day 3 Day 3: Drive To Awash National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Drive To Awash National Park

We will drive through some of Ethiopia’s most remote country, if the road is good after gathering current information, to get to Awash National Park, birding the amazing Afar Plains, where a rich diversity of birds hopefully will make their appearance. We could see Abdim’s Stork, Yellow-necked Francolin, Kori Bustard, Black-headed Lapwing (arguably the most spectacular plover species), Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Red-bellied Parrot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Blue-naped Mousebird, Olive Bee-eater, Abyssinian Roller, Black-billed Wood Hoopoe, Abyssinian and Black Scimitar Bills, various Hornbill species including Abyssinian Ground and Von-der-Decken’s, Black-throated and Yellow-breasted Barbets, Greater Honeyguide, Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Grey Wren-Warbler, Grey-headed Batis, Slate-colored Boubou, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Chestnut Weaver, and White-crested Helmetshrike, among many others. In the late afternoon we will arrive at Awash National Park.

Overnight stay at Awash Falls Lodge, Awash NP.
Day 4 Day 4: Awash National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Awash National Park

Awash National Park Awash is one of Ethiopia’s premier national parks, which has a rich diversity of birds as well as mammals. We’ll look for African Swallow-tailed Kite, a host of Bustard sincluding Arabian, Buff-crested, Hartlaub’s, Black-bellied, and White-bellied, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, and tons more. During our time here we also hope to find Somali Ostrich, African Collared Dove, Singing Bush Lark, Gillett’s Lark, Chestnut-backed and Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Larks, Boran and Ashy Cisticolas, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Pale and African Grey Flycatchers, Mouse-colored Penduline Tit, four of Africa’s most lovely Sunbirds, namely Eastern Violet-backed, Nile Valley, Beautiful,and Shining, Southern Grey Shrike, Somali Fiscal, Woodchat Shrike, Northern Masked Weaver, Cut-throat Finch, and many others. At this time of year we might also enjoy migrant Common Whitethroat and White-throated Robin. As always, raptor-watching will be spectacular – we can easily find 40-50 species on our three-week tour, and many of these are in Awash National Park.

Overnight stay at Awash Falls Lodge, Awash National Park.
Day 5 Day 5: Awash National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Awash National Park

Full day bird watching and game driving in the superb acacia woodland and the thorny bushes of Awash. It provides a great number of bird species like Martial and Imperial Eagles, Somali Golden-breasted Bunting, Grey wren warbler, Arabian Bustard, Rosy patched Shrike, Red-winged bush Lark, Bearded woodPecker, Ashy Cisticola, Red, and Yellow Barbet.

Overnight stay at Awash Falls Lodge, Awash NP.
Day 6 Day 6: Drive To Langano
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Drive To Langano

Leaving Awash for Lake Langano with en-route birding in Lakes Koka and Ziway; and. Lake Ziway is one of the best birding sites of the Ethiopian Rift Valley, and it provides species like the Lesser Jacana, Common Snipe, Black Heron (the Umbrellabird), Black-crowned Crane, Saddle-billed Stork, different Kingfishers, Great black-headed Gull and Lesser Moorhen.

Overnight stay at Sabana Lodge, Langano.
Day 7 Day 7: Drive To Dinsho, Bale Mountains National Park Headquarter
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Drive To Dinsho, Bale Mountains National Park Headquarter

Drive To Bale In the morning we head towards the world-famous Bale Mountains National Park. At the park headquarters in Dinsho, we will search for Chestnut-naped Francolin, Groundscraper Thrush (endemic race simensis), Abyssinian Ground-thrush, Abyssinian Catbird, and the endemic White-backed Black-tit. We also hope to see a variety of mammals including Mountain Nyala, Menelik’s Bushbuck and Desert Warthog.

Overnight stay at Goba Shebele Hotel, Goba.
Day 8 Day 8: Bale Mountains National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Bale Mountains National Park

A full day bird watching on the scenic plateau of Sanatti (90 km round trip) and Harena forest. Here, we expect birds like the Cinnamon- Bracken Warbler, Mountain Buzzard, Abyssinian woodPecker, White-backed Black Tit, Bale Parisoma, Slender-billed Starling, Crowned eagle, Sharpe’s starling, Abyssinian ground thrush, Abyssinian crimson wing, African hill babbler, Moorland francolin & Chestnut Francolins, African Snipe, Golden Eagle, Rufous Sparrow hawk, Wattled Crane, Rouget’s Rail, and Lanner Falcon. Apart from the birds, the Sanetti plateau also guarantees good supplies of the rare and beautiful Ethiopian Wolf.

Overnight Stay at Goba Wabe Shebelle hotel, Goba.
Day 9 Day 9: Proceed To Negelle Via Harenna Fores
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Proceed To Negelle Via Harenna Fores

En route, we are looking for the rare and localized endemic species of Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco. Our day drive to Negelle brings us to great varieties of the low land species like Shelly’s & Golden-breasted Starlings.

Overnight Stay at Mearge Guest House, Negelle.
Day 10 Day 10: Negelle Area
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Negelle Area

Today we will spend a full day in the Negele area seeking endemics and dry-land birds. Our main target here is the critically endangered Sidamo Lark, with not many more than 100 individuals left. We will search for it in the Liben Plains, close to Negele. This and the surrounding area should hopefully also yield a vast number of other desirable species such as Foxy Lark, Somali Short-toed Lark, White-crowned Starling, Shelley’s Rufous Sparrow, Reichenow’s Seedeater, the incredibly localized Ethiopian endemic White-tailed Swallow, the handsome African Bare-eyed Thrush, Spotted Palm Thrush, Pale Prinia, and Boran and Rattling Cisticolas. Interesting ground birds like Temminck’s Courser, White-bellied Bustard, and Black-faced Sandgrouse might also be encountered.

Overnight stay at Maereg Guest House, Negele.
Day 11 Day 11: Drive To Yabello
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Drive To Yabello

After breakfast drive to Yabello, via Melka Guba/Dawa River/ with many roadside stops. The Red-naped Shrike, Black-capped Social Weaver, Lesser Kestrel, eastern violet backed Sunbird, the endemics White-tailed Swallow and Stresemann’s Bush Crow are one of the best birds we are looking for along this productive route. Transfer to Yabello To many people today may be the highlight of the tour when we first encounter Stresemann’s Bushcrow. This incredibly characterful species might be related to Middle Eastern ground jays, although its taxonomy is puzzling, and it even might not be a corvid at all. Of course, there are a host of other awesome birds to find as well, and this area keeps us as busy as ever. Among others, we might encounter Banded Parisoma, Scaly Chatterer, Acacia Tit, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird, Hunter’s Sunbird, the striking Magpie Starling, Juba Weaver, White-bellied Canary, Golden-breasted Bunting, the beautifully-colored Purple Grenadier, and Grey-capped as well as Black-capped Social Weavers. Time permitting, we’ll go on a short night drive.

Overnight stay at Yabello Motel, Yabello.
Day 12 Day 12: Yabello Area
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: Yabello Area

It accommodates a great number of excellent birds. The Gray-headed Social weavers, Banded Parisoma, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Abyssinian Scimitar bill, Black-breasted Barbet, Shelly’s and Golden-breasted Starlings, Rufus Sparrow, Pale Flycatcher, Bare-faced Go-away bird, and the endemic White-tailed Swallow. Vulturine Guineafowl, Black-capped social weavers, White-crowned starlings, Orange-bellied Parrot, Martial Eagle, Yellow-Rumped Serin, Yellow necked spurfowl, Red-fronted Barbet and African Black-headed Orioles are some of an excellent bind species.

Overnight at Yabello Motel, Yabello.
Day 13 Day 13: Proceed To Awassa
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 13: Proceed To Awassa

Drive to Lake Awassa for the late afternoon birding; the white-backed Duck, Western banded snake Eagle, Giant Kingfisher, Allen’s and Purple Gallinule and Blue-headed Coucal are some of the species we are expecting in Awassa.

Overnight stay at United Africa Hotel, Awassa.
Day 14 Day 14: Excursion To Wondo Genet Forest
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 14: Excursion To Wondo Genet Forest

Wondo Genet forest-These forests are home to the endemic species like the beautiful Yellow Fronted Parrot, Abyssinian woodPecker, and Banded Barbet. Apart from the endemic species, the forests produce and excellent birds like Narina Trogon, African Hill Babbler, Crowned Eagle, Broad-billed Roller, Half-collared Kingfisher, and Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Grey cuckoo Shrike, Lemon Dove, and Double-toothed Barbet.

Overnight stay at United Africa Hotel, Awassa.
Day 15 Day 15: Drive Back To Addis Ababa
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 15: Drive Back To Addis Ababa

En route stopping at Cheleklaka Lake Debre Zeit. Evening, enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country’s many ethnic groups. The tours ends with a transfer to Bole International Airport.

END OF THE TOUR!

+12

15 days tour

Endemic Birding Ethiopia

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Endemic Birding Ethiopia

Day 1: Drive To Debre Libanos

Day 2: Drive To Debre Birhan

Day 3: Drive To Awash National Park

Day 4: Awash National Park

Day 5: Awash National Park

Day 6: Drive To Langano

Day 7: Drive To Dinsho, Bale Mountains National Park Headquarter

Day 8: Bale Mountains National Park

Day 9: Proceed To Negelle Via Harenna Fores

Day 10: Negelle Area

Day 11: Drive To Yabello

Day 12: Yabello Area

Day 13: Proceed To Awassa

Day 14: Excursion To Wondo Genet Forest

Day 15: Drive Back To Addis Ababa

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