22 NIGHTS / 23 DAYS BY SURFACE

Code STT 044​

Day 1: Ghion Hotel
The Ghion hotel collections include Ruppell's and hooded vultures, and the peculiar endemic thick-billed ravens, plus less obtrusive species such as brown-rumped seedeaters, grey-headed sparrows, Baglafecht's weavers, Abyssinian slaty and dusky flycatchers, Africa rock martins, Tacazze sunbirds, red-eyed and dusky turtle doves, endemic wattled ibises and white-collared pigeons.

Day 2: Excursion to Gefersa Reservoir
The Ghion hotel collections include Ruppell's and hooded vultures, and the peculiar endemic thick-billed ravens, plus less obtrusive species such as brown-rumped seedeaters, grey-headed sparrows, Baglafecht's weavers, Abyssinian slaty and dusky flycatchers, Africa rock martins, Tacazze sunbirds, red-eyed and dusky turtle doves, endemic wattled ibises and white-collared pigeons.

Day 3: Excursion to the Debre Libanos and Blue Nile Gorge
Drive from Addis to the Jema Gorge-carved deeply by a tributary of the Blue Nile; explore the forested escarpment above the monastery of Debre Libanos where you will look for the endemic Ruppell's chat. Then walk along the edge of the gorge (a good spot for a picnic with a spectacular view) where you could observe lammergeyers, Ruppell's griffons, lanner falcons, fan-tailed ravens, black kites, and the endemic white-billed starling soar. Lower down, you may look for the splendid gelada baboon, found nowhere else in the world, and the endemic white-winged Clift chat. 

Day 4: Excursion to Menagesha Forest and Addis Alem
Early in the morning set off on the road to Mt. Wechacha and the Menegasha forest and expect to see the Abyssinian catbird, banded barbet, golden-backed woodpecker, Black-headed Forest Oriole, wattled ibis, yellow-fronted parrot, black-winged lovebird, Abyssinian ground thrush, crowned eagle and Narina’s trogan. Among the wildlife species recorded here are: Menelik’s bushbuck, leopard (rarely seen), colobus monkey, serval, grey duiker, hyaena, warthog, porcupine and civet cat. 
Day 5: Excursion to Sodere hot springs
Early morning drive to Sodere hot spring. There is a large and naturally heated swimming pool and a number of smaller pools throughout the resort.  The forests, which fringe the river, are good for birds – there are about nine or ten endemics to be seen, including black-winged love bird, white collared pigeon, Abyssinian woodpecker, Abyssinian cat bird, yellow fronted parrot, Abyssinian wax bill. 
 

Day 6: Drive to Ankober
From the town of Anokober, there are marvelous views over the escarpment. Ornithologists may see the very rare Ankober serin and other species such as: Smith's francolin, yellow throated serin, white-billed starling, black-winged love bird, lammergeyer, mountain buzzard, peregrine, red-breasted sparrow hawk, Alpine swift, crag martin and blue rock thrush. Wildlife recorded in the area includes leopard (rarely seen), colobus and vervet monkeys, gelada baboon, Menelik’s bushbuck, Klipsringer and rock hyrax –which, despite its small size, is a distant relative of the elephant.

Day 7: Ankober to Bilen Lodge via Melka Gebdu
At Melka Gebdu, you will see many of the common acacia savanna birds of Ethiopia including red-bellied parrot, white-bellied go-away-bird, rufous c0hatterer, and Rueppell’s weaver, Jameson’s firefinch and the beautiful half-collared kingfisher. 

Day 8: Drive slowly to the Awash National Park

Here you will see Augur buzzards, Long-crested Eagles, Carmine Bee-eaters, Abyssinian and Rufous-crowned rollers, ostriches, buff-crested, white-billed kori, and even Arabian Bustards Lichtenstein's and Chestnut-billed sand grouse, Rosy-patched and other Shrikes. Also available are many species of hornbills, weavers, woodpecker’s vultures, doves, pigeons, guinea fowl, glossy starlings, parrots, bee-eaters, barbets, mouse birds and finches, and the endemic yellow-throated seed eater.

Day 9: Full day birding around Bilen

Over 440 species of bird have been recorded in the Bilen area including rare species such as the yellow throated serin, sombre chat and Arabian Bustard.

Day 10: Lake shores of Ziway and then to Langano

This is where huge numbers of water birds congregate. The species in this region include African Pygmy Geese, Yellow-billed and Marabou Storks, Lesser and Greater Jacanas, African Jacanas White Pelicans, Fish Eagles, Crowned and Common Cranes.
 

Day 11: Visit Lake Abijata and Shalla after breakfast

It is a huge lake with an enormous numbers of birds. Spend the morning enjoying this spectacle of color and looking carefully amongst the flamingoes, pelicans, cormorants, storks, herons, and waders for unusual vagrants in the distance, to the east and west, coming to the great walls of the Rift valley. Then drive to Wondo Genet.

 

Day 12: Wondo Genet  

A home for sunbird, woodpeckers, silver-cheeked hornbills, white-browed Robin-Chats, double-toothed Barbets, African Fire finches, and a host of other species. In the forested valley close by, four endemics may be found: black-headed forest oriole, yellow-fronted parrot, white-winged Cliff chat and golden-backed woodpecker. Also, half-collared kingfishers, spotted creepers, African Hobbis, crowned eagles and olive pigeons are amongst other specialties of the region.

Day 13: Drive to the Bale Mountains National Park

Look for endemic birds such as Abyssinian long-eared owl, white-backed black tit, Abyssinian catbird, black-winged lovebird, golden-backed woodpecker and, if very fortunate, may even see black-headed siskin. And amongst an interesting collection of upland birds, you are likely to see eleven of Ethiopia’s 29 endemics: blue-winged goose, Rouget's rail, spot-breasted plover, white -collared pigeon, black-winged lovebird, golden-backed woodpecker, Abyssinian long-claw, Abyssinian catbird, white-backed tit, black-headed siskin and thick-billed raven.

Day 14: Focus on the high altitude Sanetti plateau 

The road is lined with the orange-blossomed Lenontis. In the wet season, the red hot poker (Kniphofia) blooms beneath the trees attracting the brilliant iridescent Tacazza and Malachite sunbirds.
 

Day 15: Drive to Sof Omar’s extensive underground cave system

Look for peculiar bird species in the cave, which was formed by the Weib River as it changed its course in the distant past and carved a new channel through limestone foothills.

Day 16: Drive to Negele via Sanetti plateau
En route look for gray-headed kingfisher and Prince Ruspoli’s turaco.

Day 17: Negle - Wadera - Liben Plains
Spot a roadside Coqui Francolin – a rare and localized bird in Ethiopia. Its powers of concealment rival those of the Sidamo lark.  At dusk, the savanna comes alive with starlings. Flocks comprised of at least three species stream overhead.

Day 18: Negele - Yabello
Between Negele and Yabello lies a rugged swatch of savanna punctuated by the slightly lush vegetation of the Dawa River valley. En route meet the flock of Magpie starlings, white-winged dove, black-bellied sunbird, and Salvadori’s weaver, by bare-eyed thrushes and the more unexpected male black cuckooshrike. African pied wagtails could be seen hopping on the rocky banks of the river.

Approaching Yabello, you enter the range of two of Ethiopia’s most sought-after species: Streetman’s bush-crow and white-tailed swallow. The first of these birds that you encounter is the bush-crow, a small flock. Moving slightly closer to Yabello, spot a small group of white-tailed Swallows, the last sighting of an excellent day in the wilds of southern Ethiopia.
 

Day 19: Yabelo - Mega
Here you will find countless birds including Red-naped bushshrikes that sing from the tops of acacia bushes, D’Arnaud’s barbet, Rufous chatterer, white-bellied canary, white-tailed swallows, shelley’s rufous sparrow. A night drive reveals a correspondingly active nocturnal crowd as well as incredible numbers of nightjars, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjars and several African Scops - Owls.

Day 20: Yabelo - Arba Minch
Drive to Arba Minch stopping at a large local lake that holds black egret, white-headed vulture, and African cuckoo-hawk. Arba Minch (meaning Forty Springs) is the largest town in Southern Region of Ethiopia. Enjoy the boat trip over Lake Chamo which offers the chance to see hippos and crocodiles at a close range.

Day 21: Visit the Nech Sar (meaning white grass) National Park 

To this day, 342 bird species have been recorded in the Park. 

Day 22: Drive to Hawassa 

Among the lilies and great reed beds that encompass the lake, you will find: black, goliath and other herons, the ugly Marabou stork, Hamerkops, Hadada ibis, a variety of egrets, dainty pygmy geese, fulvous and white-faced whistling duck, knob-billed duck, black crakes, African jacanas, three-banded plovers whiskered and white-winged black terns and kingfishers. In addition, pied and malachite, grey-headed and woodland kingfishers, red-breasted wrynecks, green wood-hoopoes, sulphur-breasted bush shrinks, white-browed robin chats, African thrushes, Rufous chatters, swamp warblers, red-faced crombeces, wattle-eyes, puffbacks, spotted creepers, and many other colourful species are found in this region.

Day 23: Hawassa - Addis Ababa via Lake Ziway
Take a morning lakeside walk to visit the Sidamo fishermen as they land their catches of tilapia and catfish, and gut and fillet them by the lake side. Here the air is alive with birds, who have an entirely harmonious relationship with the fishermen. Finally, return back to Addis Ababa for an overnight stay.