11 Days Ethiopia Birds Tours

Day 01: Arrival – Sightseeing Addis (The new Flower)

You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Refresh and begin your sightseeing of Addis with a drive up to mount Entoto for a panoramic view of Addis. Descend down and drive to National museum where you will have a chance to spot the oldest hominids of ‘Lucy’ fossil. Visit and proceed to the Holy Trinity built during the WWII. Then proceed to Ethnographic museum, which use to be the palace of Emperor Hailesellase. To wrap up you drive to merkato, the biggest market in East Africa.  Overnight in Addis.

Day 02   Addis Ababa – Awash National Park

This day after breakfast you will be driving to Awash National Park on the way you will be stopping at the Rift Valley Lake of Bishoftu near Debre Zeit to take some pictures near to those lake  then we will continue our drive to  Take an evening game drive in Awash National Park and visit an area frequented by hyenas.

Overnight Hotel

Day 03   Awash National Park

After breakfast you will take a Birding in Awash National Park which is  located in the Great Rift Valley. Many species of birds are found here: African Orange-bellied Parrots, Bustards, Weavers, Hoopoe, Yellow-throated Serine, Red-fronted Barbet, Pygmy Batis, Lesser-striped Swallow, and the House Martin. The park also boasts a variety of mammals: the Anubis Baboon, Columbus Monkey, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox, Egyptian mongoose, Warthog, Beisa Oryx, Summering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Salt’s Dikdik, etc.

Overnight Camping

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Day 04  Drive Awash National Park – Lake Langano

After breakfast we will be driving  to Lake Langano on the way stop for  birding at Lake Ziway, truly a birder’s paradise and at Koka Dam. Spot bird species such as; the African Pygmy Goose, Black-billed Wood hoopoe, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Northern Black Tit, Little Weaver, etc.

Overnight Lodge

Day 05   Lake Langano

After breakfast we will have a full day birding at Lake Langano and  Abiyata – Shala National Parks then you will have a chance of seeing Over 300 species can be seen around Lake Abiyata, such as: Yellow Wagtails, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, Ducks, Egrets, Herons, Flamingos, Storks, Swallows, Chestnut-bellied Sand grouse, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rollers, Wheatear, African Marsh Harrier, etc.

Overnight Lodge

Day 06    Drive Lake Langano -Wondo Genet – Bale Mountains

After breakfast we will be drive to the Bale Mountains National Park and meet with park guide. Arrive at the park headquarters in the afternoon, in time for a leisurely afternoon hike, possibly spotting two endemic mammals that frequent the area: Menelik’s Bushbuck and the Mountain Nyala. Birds in this area include the Blue-Winged Goose, the Spot-Breasted Lapwing, the Abyssinian Long Claw, the Wattled Ibis, the Black-Headed Siskin, Rouget’s Rail, and numerous other species.

Overnight Hotel

Day 07   Bale Mountains National Park

This day we will be embarking to see Simien Red Wolves and other endemic mammals. Spot birds such as Chestnut-napped Francolin, Ground Thrush (of the distinctive, endemic race Simensis), the secretive Abyssinia Ground- thrush, the vocal Abyssinian Catbird, and the endemic White-backed Black-Tit. If we are very fortunate, we will see a pair of the endangered Wattled Crane in the moist grasslands or spot a Cape Eagle- Lapwing, Thekla Lark, Red-breasted Wheatear, and Moorland chats.

Overnight Lodge

Day 08   Bale Mountains National Park – Negeli Borena

In the morning we will be Drive to Negeli via Harena Forest. En route look for the Turaco and outstanding Golden-breasted Starling. We will also seek the endemic Sidamo Lark and the Somali Short-toed Lark and possibly Heuglin’s Bustard on the Negele Plains. The Sidamo lark is quite secretive and like many Ethiopian endemics inhabits a very small area.

Overnight Hotel

Day 09   Negeli Borena – Yabello Borena

This morning we Search for the endemic White-tailed Swallow and Stresemann’s Bushcrow. You should spot the Swallow threading its way through the termite chimneys and groups of Bushcrows in the thorn bushes. For the entire day explore the Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary and Reserve; species to look for include: Somalian Ostrich, Secretary Bird, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, Martial Eagle, Grasshopper Buzzard, African Pygmy Falcon, Vulturine Guineafowl, Kori Bustard, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Star- spotted Nightjar, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Rufous- crowned Roller, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Red and Yellow Barbet, Short- tailed Lark, Northern Grey Tit, Shelley’s and White-crowned Starlings, Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Somali Sparrow, Black-capped Social Weaver, Grey-headed Silverbill, Taita Fiscal, and Somali Golden- breasted Bunting. Other possibilities include: Coqui Francolin, Somali Courser, African Bare-eyed Thrush, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Pringle’s Puffback, Little Tawny Pipit, Fawn-coloured Lark. Mammals that inhabit the park include: Burchell’s Zebra, Aardvark, Grant’s Gazelle, Thompson’s Gazelle, and Lesser-spotted Genet.

Overnight Hotel

Day 10   Yabello Borena – Hawassa

After an early breakfast we will be driving to Awassa and on the way to Hawassa spot numerous species: Silvery-Cheeked Hornbill, Abysinnian Ground Hornbill, Roget’s Rail, Marabou Stork, Black and White Egrets, African Pygmy Goose, Spur-winged Goose, Swallows, Ibis, African Fish Egret, Woodland Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, etc.

Overnight Hotel

Day 11   Hawassa – Addis Ababa-Departure

In the morning we Drive back to Addis Ababa with stops for Birding on the way at Rift Valley Lakes. Lake Ziway, famous for birding,  has impressive numbers of water birds, African Pygmy Geese, Yellow-Billed Storks, Collared Pratincole, Lesser Jacana, Africa Jacana, White Pelicans, Fish Eagles and Crowned and common cranes.  In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country’s many ethnic groups.  Transfer to airport for late night departure