DURATION : 21 DAYS
TRANSPORTATION : SURFACE
DESTINATION : Awash Region, Rift Valley Lakes, Bale Mountains, Neghele and Yabelo Lowlands, Konso and Omo Valley
DAY 01 :
Arrival to Addis Ababa and check in to Ghion hotel.
Note that if only needed stay in Addis Ababa and bird surrounding areas including Ghion hotel compounds, Entoto view point and downtown.
DAY 02 :
Sululta Plains, Portuguese Bridge Escarpment and Debre Libanos Monastery Forest.
Sululta plain species include, Wattled Ibis, Blue-winged Goose, Yellow-billed Duck, Thekla Lark, White-collared Pigeon, Dusky Turtle Dove, Thick-billed Raven, Groundscraper Thrush, Moorland Chat, Red-chested Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow, Sand Martin, Common House Martin, Brown-throated Martin, Banded Martin, African Stone Chat, Pectoral-patched Cisticola, Cape Rook, Erlanger’s Lark, Red-breasted Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Spurwinged Lapwing, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Yellow Bishop, Abyssinian Longclaw, Yellow-wagtails, Common Bulbul, Red-billed Oxpecker and Greater Blue-eared Starling.
Birds of prey are Yellow-billed Kite, Tawny Eagle, Augur Buzzard, Hooded Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Montagu’s and Pallid Harrier, Lanner Falcon and Kestrels.
The Portuguese Bridge at Jemma valley escarpment inhabitants White-winged Cliff Chat, Mocking Cliff Chat, White-billed Starling, Fan-tailed Raven, Stout Cisticola, Nyanza Swift, Streaky Seedeater, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Egyptian Vulture, Lanner Falcon, Hooded Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Lammergeier, Ruppell’s Griffon, Ruppell’s Black Chat, Little Rock Thrush and Erckel’s Francolin.
The Debre Libanos remnant indigenous forest Itself shelters unique species including White-billed Starling, Banded Barbet, White-rumped Babbler, African Goshawk, Mountain Buzzard, Abyssinian Oriole, White-cheeked Turaco, Ethiopian Boubou, White-backed Black Tit, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Eastern Grey Woodpecker, Ruppell’s Robin-Chat, African Paradise Flycatcher, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Black-headed Batis, Montane White-eye, Tacazze Sunbird, Brown Woodland Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sunbird and African Citril.
Animals: Note that the endemic Ghelada Baboon, Anubis Baboon, Rock Hyrax, Tree Hyrax and Vervet Monkey are available in there.
DAY 03 :
Jemma Valley is the only place where we expect the extraordinary rare Harwood’s Francolin and Gemassa Gedel is key sitting for uncommon Ankober Serin. Other species are Erckel’s Francolin, Abyssinian Black Wheatear, Yellow Bishop, Northern Red Bishop, Black-winged Red Bishop, Red-collared Widowbird, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, Yellow-fronted Canary, Cape Eagle-Owl, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Varreaux’s Eagle, Moorland Chat, Streaky Seedeater, Brown-rumped Seedeater, Foxy Cisticola, Vinaceous Dove, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Common Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Abyssinian Waxbill and Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Little Swift, Zyanza Swift, Alpine Swift, Mottled Swift, Rock Martin, Lesser Striped Swallow, Mosque Swallow, Cliff Swallow (Sp) and Black-faced Firefinch. Jemma riverbank is good for Wooly-necked Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Goliath Heron, Spurwinged Plover, Wire-tailed Swallow, African Pied Wagtail and African Fish-eagle.
DAY 04 :
An early start to explore the road to "Gemassa Gedel" means "Broken Cliff". Our main interest is to find the uncommon endemic Ankober Serin feeding in the highland tussock grass fields. Moorland Chat, Brown-rumped Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, Black-headed Siskin and Cinnamon Bracken Warbler. Overhead one can spot may Saker Falcon, Augur Buzzard, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Varreaux’s Eagle, Thick-billed Raven and Alpine Swifts.
DAY 05 :
Awash Region is in the center of Rift Valley just emerge next to Ankober Mountains and Melka Ghebdu river, where we spot the endemic Yellow-throated Seedeater, Yellow-breasted Barbet, Half-collared Kingfisher, Grey-headed Kingfisher, African Orange-bellied Parrot, Fork-tailed Drongo, Jacobin Cuckoo, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, African Collared Dove, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Ruppell’s Weaver, Superb Starling, White-browed Sparrow-weaver and White-headed Buffalo Weaver.
Doho hot springs wetland is good site to see African Palm Swift, Giant Kingfisher, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Red-fronted Barbet, Buff-bellied Warbler, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Black-billed Wood-hoopoe, Village Weaver, Slender-tailed Nightjar and Dusky Nightjar.
DAY 06 :
Ali Deghe Savanna plain and the surrounding dry thornbush vegetation holds Somali Ostrich, Arabian Bustard, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Somali Fiscal, Somali Bulbul, Black-headed Plover, Gillett’s Lark, Swallow-tailed Kite, Secretarybird, Ashy Cisticola, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Abyssinian Roller, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark, Pied Wheatear, and not forgetting animals including Gerenuk, Thomson’s Gazelle, Salt’s Dick-Dick, Common Jackal Striped Squirrels.
The Awash Riverbank fig trees and acacia woodlands inhabit Ruppell’Starling, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, White-bellied Go-Away-Bird, Slaty-colored Boubou, African Grey Hornbill, Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Eurasian Hoopoe, Blue-spotted Wood-dove, Namaqua Dove, Grey-headed Batis, Striated Heron, Senegal Thick-knee, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Little Sparrowhawk, Woodland Kingfisher, White-rumped Babbler, Black-billed Barbet and Crested Francolin.
DAY 07 :
Exploring the Ilala Sala plain and thickets for species including Buff-crested Bustard, White-bellied Bustard, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Yellow-necked Francolin, Pallid Harrier, Somali Bunting, Grey Wren-warbler, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Cut-throat Finch, Northern White-crowned Shrike, Rosy-patched Bush-shrike, Orange-breasted Bush-shrike, Grey-headed Bush-shrike, Cardinal Woodpecker, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Marico Sunbird, Beautiful Sunbird, Nile Valley Sunbird, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, Pin-tailed Whydah, Straw-tailed Whydah, Green-winged Pytilia, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Star-spotted Nightjar, Striped Kingfisher, Little Bee-eater, White-throated Bee-eater, Olive Bee-eater, White-browed Scrub Robin, Rufous Scrub Robin, Singing Cisticola, Mouse-colored Penduline-tit, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Bush Petronia, Pale Rockfinch, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, White-headed Buffalo Weaver, Lesser Masked Weaver, Vitelline Masked Weaver, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, African Silverbill and Red-billed Quelea.
Lake Basaka of Alkaline water edges holds common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Pied Avocet, Temmink’s Stint, Little Stint, Thee-banded Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Common Ringed Plover, African Darter, Hamerkop, Yellow-billed Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, Flamingoes and Pelicans.
The nearby Fentale volcano lava rocks with scattered shrubs shelters the endemic Sombre Rock Chat, and Blackstart, Red-fronted Warbler, Bristle-crowned Starling, Fan-tailed Raven, African Grey Hornbill and Yellow-breasted Barbet.
Animals: Oryx Beisa, Lesser Kudu, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Salt’s Dick-dick, Hammadryas Baboon, Anubis Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Warthog, Common Jackal, Abyssinian Hare, Rock Hyrax and Ground Squirrels.
DAY 08 :
Transfer to the Bale Mountains Park located across the other side of the Rift Valley. Along the roadside highland grasslands and fallowland lures Black-Winged Plover, Crowned Plover, White-collared Pigeon, Speckled Pigeon, Wattled Ibis, Sacred Ibis, Pied Wheatear, Northern and Isabelline Wheatears, Cape Rook and Grassland Pipits.
Gaysay and Dinsho area streams support Blue-winged Goose, Yellow-billed Duck, Rouget’s Rail, Ethiopian Cisticola, Ethiopian Stone Chat, Abyssinian Longclaw, Red-breasted Wheatear, White-winged Widowbird and Yellow Bishop.
The Bale Mountains Park HQs Juniper and Hagenia patchy forest itself shelters Abyssinian Owl, African Wood Owl, Montane Nightjar, Abyssinian Catbird, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher, White-backed Black Tit and Ruppell’s Robin Chat. Birds of prey are numbers, Tawny Eagle, Lesser, Steppe Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, White-headed Vulture, Augur Buzzard, Ayer’s Eagle, Lammergeier and Lanner Falcon.
Animals: Ethiopian Wolf, Mountain Nyala, Bohor Reedbuck, Bush Duiker, Menelik’s Bushbuck ,Klipspringer, Bale Monkey, Anubis Baboon, Starck’s Hare, Giant Molerat, Rock Hyrax and Serval Cat.
DAY 09 :
Beyond Goba is stand of Juniper and Hagenia Abyssinica forest harbors Tacazze Sunbird, Brown-rumped Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, African Dusky Flycatcher, Brown-woodland Warbler, Slender-billed Starling, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Black-winged Lovebird and Mountain Thrush.
The Sanetti plateau afro-alpine landscape is very important to search the rare and unique Ethiopian Wolfs, Starck’s Hare, Giant Molerat and Mountain Nyala.
Bird species are Wattled Crane, Lammergeier, Golden Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Lanner Falcon, Barbary Falcon, Ruddy Shelduck, Red-billed Chough, Ethiopian Siskin, Spot-breasted Plover, Rouget’s Rail, Red-throated Pipit, Chestnut-napped Francolin, Moorland Francolin, Moorland Chat, Bale Parisoma, Groundscraper Thrush and Cinnamon Bracken Warbler.
Harena Forest is one of the remnant tropical wet forest on the southern lee side of Bale Mountains, that harbors the endemic ’Bale Monkey‘ feeding on bamboo tree leaves and bird species are Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, African Crowned Eagle, Great Sparrow-hawk, Red-chested Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, African Hill Babbler, Black and White Manikin, African Citril, Greater Honeyguide and Yellow-crowned Canary.
DAY 10 :
Wendo Genet forest is important for forest species including Yellow-fronted Parrot, Narina Trogon, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Green Twinspot, African Firefinch, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Lesser and Greater Honeyguides, Brown Parisoma, Abyssinian Oriole, Mountain Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Grey Cuckooshrike, Dark-capped Bulbul ,Ethiopian Boubou, Northern Puffback, Red-shouldered Cuckoo shrike, Lemon Dove, Tambourine Dove, Sharpe’s Starling, White-cheeked Turaco, Banded Barbet, Double-toothed Barbet, Lesser and Wahlberg’s Honeybird, Scaly Francolin, African Paradise Flycatcher and Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher.
DAY 11 & 12 :
Transfer to the Neghele Lowland that encompass the Genale River Basin, Wadera forest and Hara-kallo woodlands Important for Ruspoli’s Turaco, Golden-breasted Starling, Shelley’s Starling, Red-headed Weaver, Ethiopian Boubou, Green-backed Eremomela, Black Saw-wing and Black-headed Oriole.
The large Liben plain and surroundings bushes inhabit species like Liben Lark, Somali Short-toed Lark, White-crowned Starling, Speke’s Weaver, Pectoral-patched Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Rattling Cisticola, Boran Cisticola, Pale Prinia, Salvadori’s Seedeater, Reichnow’s Seedeater, Shelley’s Sparrow, Black-cheeked Waxbill, Somali Crow, Kori Bustard, Somali Short-toed Lark, Temmink’s Courser, Ethiopian Swallow, Plain-backed Pipit, Tree Pipit, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Lesser Whitethroate, Common Whitethroate,Blackcap, Garden Warbler and Banded Parisoma.
DAY 13 & 14 :
Transfer to Yabelo town junction among the red sandstone of mosaic vegetation is very important for charismatic Stressemann’s Bush-crow, White-tailed Swallow, Juba Weaver, African White-winged Dove, Red-napped Shrike, Vulturine Guineafowl, Yellow-necked Francolin, Pygmy Falcon, Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Gabar Goshawk, White-bellied Canary, Northern Grosbeak-canary, Pygmy Batis, Spotted Palm-thrush, Bare-eyed Thrush, Somali Fiscal, Taita Fiscal, Somali Courser, Grey-capped Social Weaver, Black-capped Social Weaver, Chestnut Weaver, Chestnut Sparrow, Dodson’s Bulbul, Foxy Lark, Northern Brownbul, Freckled, Tiny Cisticola, Croaking Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Northern Black Flycatcher, African Grey Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Purple Grenadier, Rufous Chatterer, Acacia Tit, Abyssinian White-eye, White-winged Black Tit, Violet-backed Sunbird, Hunter’s Sunbird, Woodchat Shrike, Brubru, Turkestan Shrike, Isabelline Shrike, Black-crowned and Three-banded Tchagra, White-crested Helmetshrike and Magpie Starling.
DAY 15 :
Drive to Konso tribe villages known for their social way of life ie. building house style, traditional weavings, terracing (stared 1500 years ago, unesco registered) and open air-market.
DAY 16 & 17 :
Drive more south to Omo valley where mosaic tribes with unspoiled way of life including Tsemay, Bena, Ari, Mursi, Hamer, Erbore, Karo, Dasenech, Boome and more. These people villages and market places are worse to visit their traditionally ornamental decorated wearings style, body and hair buntings and clay made lip-plate. Mostly they are pastoralist, honey gatherers and hunters.
DAY 18 :
Visit to Mago park and go beyond to Mursi villages. In the afternoon drive Arbanich town situated on panoramic view point of Lakeside of Chamo and Abaya.
DAY 19 :
Boat trip in lake Chamo particularly Crocodile Market (where crocodiles resides, of course not for sell) and Hippo site. Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, African Fish Eagle, Yellow-billed Stork, Great White Pelican, Giant Kingfisher, Long-crested Eagle, Pied Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Greater Honeyguide, White-browed Coucal, and more. In the afternoon drive to Chencha village where the Dorze tribe is known for their traditional weaving, bamboo made house style and food type that extracted from the plant like banana tree called KOCHO, uses for bread and Porridge, you will test it!
DAY 20 :
Drive Hawassa where traditional fish market activity take place and excellent birding site. On arrival to United African Group Hotel, search the grounds for Eastern Grey Woodpecker, Nubian Woodpecker, Blue-headed Coucal, Spotted Creeper, Double-toothed Barbet, Banded Barbet, Red-throated Wryneck, Eurasian Wryneck, Little Weaver, Speckled Mousebird, Bronze Manikin, White-browed Robin-Chat, Wattled Starling and Violet-backed Starling.
DAY 21 :
Lake Ziway is important for Black Crowned Crane, Yellow-billed Stork, Pygmy Goose, Black Heron, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Grey Heron, Spurwinged Goose, Grey-headed Gull, White-faced Whistling and Fulvous Whistling Ducks Lesser and Common Moorhen, Spurwinged Lapwing, Three-banded Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover, Grassland Pipit, African Stonechat, African Mourning Dove, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Nubian Woodpecker, Malachite Kingfisher, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Ethiopian Cisticola, Collared Pratincole, African Darter and Thrush Nightingale.
On the way back to Addis Ababa, detours to Bushoftu Crater lakes including Hora, Chalaklaka and Bushoftu. African Thrush, African Dusky Flycatcher, Beautiful and Variable Sunbird, Ruppell’s Weaver, Village Weaver, Baglafecht Weaver, African Marsh Harrier, Little Stint, Temmink’s Stint, Black-winged Lovebird, Red-eyed Dove, Speckled Mousebird, Black-billed Barbet, Banded Barbet, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Spectacled Weaver, Ruppell’s Weaver, African Quailfinch and Village Indigobird, are just to mention. In the afternoon drive to Addis and visit some
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