17 Days Ethiopia Bird Watching Tour

Walk from the lodge along the Awash river and see able birds such as Senegal thick knee, Red – fronted tinker bird, Grey headed Batis, Gaber goshawk, Slender – tailed night jars and Yellow necked spurfowl.

Overnight Blen lodge.

Drive to Awash national park chance to spot white bellied bustard , Buff- crested and kori Bustard, Northern white crowned shrike, Somali fiscal, Tawny Eagle, Abyssinian ground horn bill, Yellow – necked spurfowl and throat finch and wildlife along the filwuha spring and Ilala sala plains.

Overnight Awash falls Lodge – Awash national park.

Drive west back  to Adama and south towards the rift valley lakes en route we stop at lake koka. Here white faced Ducks and numerous other water birds are seen. In lake koka birds are relatively tame, probably because the people do not hunt pintail, northern shoveller, Lesser jacanda, Black tailed God wit and Green pigeon are seen. Overnight Wabeshebelle hotel where the rooms are surrounded by pleasant gardens.

Full day spend in the Bale Mountains National Park and a long its access route, driving initially through the Junipers forest then steep climb through patches of indigenous forest until we entered the park. The terrain of Sanetti plateau is the largest afro alpine area in Africa chance to spot raptors such as Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Verraux Eagle and Golden Eagle. Plus that chance to see Chestnut Naped Francolin, Spot-breasted Lapwing, Moorland chat, Augur Buzzard and Moorland Chat.

Up on the plateau also a chance to see rare and endangered Ethiopian Wolves. Continue driving to Harenna forest (tropical rain forest) chance to spot some birds species and endemic Bale Monkey. Late afternoon drive back to Goba.

Overnight – Goba Wabeshebelle hotel.

Very early start drive to east of Bale Goba through vast agricultural lands to the valley containing the remote Sof omer caves, one of the deepest caves in the world formed by the Web river cutting through the Limestone formations on the way to the Genale rivers east of Bale Mountains National Park. The caves are named after Sheikh Sofomer, a 12th century muslim leader who used them as a refuge for pilgrimage Muslim. This area is good for endemic birds such as Salvadori’s Seedeater, Lesser kestrel, Dwarf Ravens, Brown tailed Rock –chat, Rosy- patched Bush Shrike, Slate colored Boubou, African Citril etc. Yellow spotted Hyrax and Vervet monkey also seen in this area. On the return trip we will stop and walk along the road birding in the trees and shrubs.

Overnight – Goba Wabeshebelle Hotel.

Drive from Negelle to Yabello birding nearby and on the way to Yabello chance to see Sidamo Lark, Somali Shor-toed Lark, African White winged Dove, Broad- billed Roller, Purple Roller, Grey Kestrel, Stremans Bush crow, White crowned Starling.

Overnight – Yabello.

Today we go birding nearby Yabello for full day chance to see endemic Stremanse’s Bushcrow, Grey headed silver bill, Red fronted Barbets, Go away bird, Variable Sunbird, Crimson- rumped Waxbill, Long billied Pipit and Eurasian Reed- Warbler.

Overnight – Yabello.

We will be heading to south Dilla to search of birds such as Pygmy Falcon, Jacobin Cuckoo, Nubian Woodpecker, Golden breasted Starling, Little Sparrow Hawk, Levant sparrow Hawk harassing a Tawny Eagle overhead, Tiny Cisticola, Stresemann’s Bush- Crow, Short tailed Lark.

Overnight – Dilla.

Our next destination will be lake side town of Awassa enroute we will see Double toothed Barbet, Black and White Mannikin in Awassa through the grounds to the Shoreline of the lake Awassa sightings for western Banded Snake Eagle, Batis ( Black headed) , Pygmy Goose, Ruff pied Kingfisher, Tern yellow wagtail, Red bellied Oxpecker, Silvery checked horn bill and Black – tailed God wit and another great sightings opportunity in Awassa is Colobus Monkey.

Overnight – Awassa.