Arrive at Addis Ababa, this afternoon, after having lunch in the hotel, we visit the nearby Geferssa reservoir some 20 km west of the capital. The beautiful blue-winged goose, projects rail, Black-headed siskin, White-collared pigeon, Wattled ibis and Abyssinian Long claw are some of the endemics that we expect to see; there are also some important Palearctic migrants that visit this area from early October to the mid of April. The ortolan Bunting, three-banded plover, little ringed plover, yellow Bishop, and marsh harrier are could be seen here. Return to the hotel. Overnight Addis Ababa.

Early starts for Debra Libanose Monastery about 110 km northwest of Addis Ababa via the Sululta plains. We have a short stop after 20 km for few birds like the Black-winged and Red-breasted Wheatear, Tawny Eagle, Pectoral-patched Cisticola and some others. Around the monastery and the gorge we expect to see a few endemics like the White-billed Starling, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Black-headed Oriole, Ruppell's and White-winged Cliff Chats. The cliff around the monastery is very productive for birds of prey. The Lammergeyer, Verreaux's eagle, Egyptian and White-backed Vultures, Lanner Falcon, and Peregrine Falcon might also be covered all the time around the monastery we drive back to Addis the night. O/N A.A.

Today we have a long drive to Lake Langano with several extended stops. Our first stop would be at Cheleklaka wetland near Debra Zeit some 45 km east of Addis Ababa where many water birds are to be seen. The White-backed and Knob-billed Ducks, African Spoonbills, Avocets, Pintails, Grebes and Flamingo are easily seen. Then we proceed to Ziway and have lunch at Ziway possible stops for different woodland birds. We will have lunch at Ziway where there is a great variety of birds. Lake Ziway is an area of shallow water, papyrus swamp and is the largest lake in the country. Here, we expect to see the African Pygmy-goose, Malachite and Pied Kingfisher, Lesser Jacana, Black Heron, different Terns, Pelican, Grey-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gull, African Fish-eagle, Black Crake, Saddle-billed Stork, Gallinule and a number of other species. We continue to Wondo Genet an overnight stay with a short stop at the acacia woodland area for the Cardinal and Bearded Woodpecker, Enduru, Red-faced Crombec and Red-billed Hornbill. O/N Lake Langano.

Leave for a day birding in the Wondo Genet forest, which is a home to a few endemics and other forest dweller birds. The Banded Barbet, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Narina Trogon, Abyssinian Half-collared Kingfisher, White-cheeked Turaco, Mountain Wagtail, Brown and Spot-throated Honeyguide, Red-billed Starling, African Little Sparrowhawk, Ayres's Hawk Eagle, Crowned Eagle, Sharpe's Starling, Lemon Dove, Double-toothed Barbet, Emerald Cuckoo shrike, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Scaly Francolin, Broad-billed Roller, Saw-wing and Lesser Striped Swallows are among other specialties of the area. O/N Wondo Genet.

Leaving Wondo Genet Resort we make our way towards the Bale Mountains Park. It is about 220 km up to Goba on a rough but very scenic and ornithological exciting road. Among an interesting collection of endemic birds we expect to see the Spot-breasted Plover, Black-winged Lovebird, Thick-billed Raven, White-backed Black Tit and the beautiful Abyssinian Catbird. The Bale Mountains are also home to different mammals like the beautiful Ethiopia Wolf, Menelik's Bushbuck, Warthog, Bohor Reedbuck and Klipspringer. As we enter the park, we will meet the Chestnut-naped Francolin, Rouget's Rail, and Abyssinian Longclaw, Stonechat and Baglafecht Weavers along the roadside and Mountain buzzards in the air. O/N Goba.

A full day bird watching in Bale Mountains NP, the largest moorland tract in Africa lying between 2600 ms and 4377ms above sea level. Today we spend most of our time on the Sanatte plateau and in the forest Genet. Goba. The Spot-breasted Sparrowhawk, Crowned Eagle, Verreaux's Eagle, Lammergeier and Steppe Eagle are among the birds of prey we may see. In this wonderful Afro-alpine habitat, we also expect to see the beautiful Wattled Crane, Moorland Francolin, Ruddy Shelduck, Malachite Sunbird, and African Snipe. The Sanatte Plateau is also home to the elegant Ethiopian Wolf and the Giant Mole Rat. O/N Goba.

We leave Goba very early in the morning to have enough time for afternoon birding at Lake Awassa. It is the smallest and shallowest lake in the Ethiopian rift system with a great variety of bird species. Of these, the Marabou Stork, Fish-Eagle, Grey Kestrel, Giant Kingfisher, Pied and Malachite Gallinule, Lesser Jacana, Saddle-billed Stork, Purple and Goliath Herons, Sulphur-breasted Bush Shrike, Black-headed Siskin, Violet-backed Starling, Bruce's Green Pigeon, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, Red-billed and Lesser Spotted Eagle, Spotted Creeper, Grosbeak Weaver, Olive Sunbird, Marsh Sandpiper, Grey Kingfisher, Blue-headed Coucal, Klaus's and Diederik Cuckoos are among the colorful birds that live and visit the lake. Awassa also has mammals like the beautiful Colobus and Vervet Monkeys, Olive Baboon and Hippopotamus. O/N Awassa.

Today we drive back to Addis. En route we have many stops to cover in Abijata-Willa lakes NP. Our first stop will be at the park HQ where we expect to see different savanna-woodland species like the Bare-faced Go-away bird, Von der Decken's Hornbill, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rattling and Boran Cisticolas, Rufous-crowned Roller, Lilac-breasted Roller, Black Wood-hoopoe, Black-billed Wood-hoopoe, Cardinal and Bearded Woodpeckers, Fawn-colored Lark, Yellow-vented Eremomela, Red-faced Crombec, Marico and Beautiful Sunbirds and Black-crowned Tchagra. Our second main stop would be at Abijata-Willa Lakes. It is the main feeding site of the lesser and Greater Flamingos and also has many ducks, plovers and storks. What make this lake so unique are the thousands of Lesser Flamingos that feed and nest in and around the lake. We proceed to Ziway for lunch. In the late afternoon we may have a short stop at Hora Crater Lake in Debra Zeit. O/N Addis Ababa.

Fly back to Home.