Tour Description
Ethiopia is a vast country with various terrain and ecological zones. It is the fourth largest biodiversity zone in the world. The difference between the highest mountain Ras Dashen (4620mts) and lowest points (120meters is below sea level), ranges 4740 meters and this enables the country to grow vegetation and animals varieties that could be found between tropics and poles.
Due to its various and diverse eco-systems with different habitat, Ethiopia has some of the richest bird life in the horn of Africa with more than with 863 species registered so far, representing about 9.5% of the worlds and 39% of Africa's birds. Ethiopia has 31 endemic birds found in different areas of the country.
Coffee is one of Ethiopia’s gift to the world, it was discovered in a place called “Kaffa”, western Ethiopia and got its name coffee, and in large areas of western Ethiopia coffee still grows as part of natural forest. Western Ethiopia is endowed with intact nature and culture, it is home to virgin forests, unique tribes and wild life and yet the least discovered regions.
WUB ETHIOPIA TOURS special package offers new fixed and tailor made special tour packages including the bird watching tour, coffee tour ,exploring western Ethiopia and Gambela that could be done between 10 to 16 days.
Tour Program
Tour Code: WET-801
Tour Title: 16 Days Bird Watching Tour
Duration: 16days 15nights
Transportation: Surface driving
Day1. Transfer and Addis Ababa sightseeing tour
Arrive Addis Ababa Bole international airport and transfer to hotel. Depending on your arrival time make Addis Ababa city tour including the National Museum, which is home to the fossilized hominid (Lucy), the Ethnological Museum, which was the former palace of Haile Selassie and then continue to Holy Trinity Cathedral Orthodox Church. Overnight in Hotel
Day2. Excursion to Geferssa
Morning drive to Geferssa Reservoir. Here, we expect to see some of the endemic birds like the Wattle Ibis, Rouget's Rail, and black-headed Sis- kin, Abyssinian Long claw, the white collared pigeon and Blue-winged Goose. In the afternoon we will see he African-black Duck, Ortolan bunting, Red-breasted Wheatear, Three-banded plover; African Marsh Harrier and African Fish Eagle. Overnight in hotel.
Day3. Excursion to Debrelibanos and Sululta plain
Morning after breakfast drive Debre-Libanos monastery about 110 km north of the capital via Sululta Plain and the Red-rumpled and Lesser-striped Swallows, Pectoral-patched Cist cola, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, common Buzzard and Black winged Lapwing are some of the birds that would be seen along the road. Around the monastery we expect to see endemic birds like the Black-headed Forest Oriole, Banded Barbet, the White-billed Starling, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Rappel's chat, the White-backed Black Tit and Abyssinian slaty Flycatcher and the Lammergeyers, Egyptian Vulture, Lanner Falcon, Verreaux's Eagle and the White-checked Turaco are seen along the escarpment. Late afternoon drive back to Addis and overnight in hotel.
Day4. Excursion to Awash national park
Drive 210km east to Awash National Park and make first stop at the Cheleklaka wetland, near Debra-Zeit, which has a variety of wonderful aquatic birds including few arboreal species. The Common and Crowned Cranes, Tawny and Lesser Spotted Eagles, Eurasian Marsh Harrier, Spur-winged Goose, White-backed Duck, Knob-billed Duck, Avocet, Glossy Ibis, Southern Pochard, Red-billed Teal, African Spoonbill, Isabelline Wheatear, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark, Red-throated Pipit, Laughing and Red-eyed Doves, Masked Weavers, Spotted Flycatcher and Beautiful and Tacazze Sunbirds are among the birds we may see this morning. After lunch break in Nazareth continue to Awash National Park. Overnight in Lodge
Day5. Full day Birding in the park
Today we will see different bird species like the Swallow-tailed Kite, Martial and Imperial Eagles, Nubian (or Lappet-faced) Vulture, Gabar Goshawk, Shikra, White-faced Scops Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, White-backed and Egyptian Vultures. In addition to these birds of prey, the thorny bushes of Awash and the ravine forests by the Awash River Falls also have a variety of different species. Secretary bird, Red-winged Bush Lark, Ashy and Gillett's Cisticolas, Somali Fiscal, Great Grey Shrike, Sulphur-breasted and Grey-headed Bush-shrikes, Cardinal and Bearded Woodpeckers, five species of bustards, Somali Golden-breasted Buntings, Red-billed and Yellow-billed Hornbills, Acacia Paradise and Steel-blue Whydahs, Grey Wren-warbler, Green-winged Pytilia, two species of sand grouse, different social weavers, Red-and-yellow Barbet, Rosy-patched Shrike and many other bird species may be seen in this wonderful birding site. Overnight in Lodge
Day6. Drive to Langano
Morning we will drive to Langano (311Km from Awash NP), Enroute brief stop at Koka and lake Ziway to visit different water birds like Saddle-billed stork, greater jacana, African fish eagle, darter, herons, darters and Wood hoope. Late afternoon you will arrive in Langano and after check in to hotel explore the riverine forest and adjacent lake for birds such as Yellow-Fronted Parrot, White Cheeked Turaco, Orange-bellied Parrot, African Paradise Flycatcher, Bare-faced Go-Away Bird, African Fish-eagle, Cuckoo Shrikes, Kingfishers, Weavers and water birds including Egrets, Herons, Cormorants, Gulls, Geese, Ducks and Shanks. Overnight in Lodge.
Day7. Birding around Wondogenet
Drive to wondogenet and have a full day of birding in the tropical rain forest, which is home to endemic species such as the beautiful Yellow-fronted Parrot, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Banded Barbet and localized subspecies of the Brown Saw-wing. In addition to these endemic species, there are variety of birds in the forest including Narina Trogon, Double-toothed Barbet, Half-collared Kingfisher, Tambourine Dove, Broad-billed Roller, Ayres’s Hawk Eagle, Sharpe’s Starling, Scaly Francolin, Lemon and Blue-spotted /wood Doves, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Osprey, Cuckoo-shrike, Crowned Eagle, Thick-billed Raven, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Red-shouldered and Emerald Cuckoos, Mountain Wagtails, African Wood Owl, Spectacled and Grosbeak Weavers are among the many species that inhabit the lush forests of Wondogenet. Overnight Hotel
Day8. Drive to Bale Mountain National Park
Morning drive 176 km to Dinsho (Bale Mountains National ParkHQ) and check into a lodge. Afternoon walk in the surrounding forest near Dinsho and spot birds such as; Cape Eagle-Owl and Rouget’s Rail, Chestnut-naped and Moorland Francolins, Spot breasted Lapwing, Blue-winged Goose and Abyssinian Long claw. Overnight in Lodge.
Day9. Drive to Goba and Sanetti Plateau
Morning drive first drive to Goba (25 Km from Dinsho) and then to Sanetti Plateau (15 Km from Goba). Sanetti Plateau is home to endemic Ethiopian Wolf and this moorland forest has excellent birds such as; Black-headed siskin, Roget Rail, Blue-winged goose, and other crowned crane. Late afternoon drive back to Goba .Overnight in Hotel.
Day10. Excursion to Sofumer Cave
Today we drive 115 km east of Goba to Sofumer, the largest underground caverns in the country. The thorny bushes of this lowland has a large number of bird species including the endemic Salvador’s Serin, Grasshopper Buzzard, Martial Eagle, Ring-necked Dove, Brown-tailed Chat, African Goshawk, Abyssinian Scimitar bill, Shining Sunbird, Bristle-crowned Starling, Eurasian Hobby, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Black-billed Wood Dove, Black-throated Barbet, different shrikes and bustards. The Straw-tailed Whydah, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Levaillant’s and Great Spotted Cuckoos, Pygmy Falcon, Yellow-throated Barbet, Collared Sunbird, Hunter’s Sunbird and different social weavers. Late in the afternoon drive back to Goba. Overnight Hotel
Day11. Drive to Negele Borena
Morning drive to Negele town through Harena forest, Ethiopia’s moist tropical forest. Enroute along Genale river basin, spot spectacular African White-winged Dove, Juba Weaver, Somali Bunting, Pringle's Puff back and Pygmy Batis. Flowering shrubs attracts Hunter’s and Marico Sunbird. Overnight in Hotel.
Day12. Excursion to Liben plain
Morning we drive to Hara-kalo and Wadera dry river valleys to explore the rare and striking birds called Ruspoli’s Turaco. In the afternoon, excursion to the large grassland of Liben Plain looking for birds including: the endemic Sidamo Lark, Tiny Cisticola, Themink’s Courser, Rufous Short-Toed Lark, Crowned Lapwing and many more. Overnight in Hotel.
Day13. Drive to Yabello
Today we drive to the town of Yabello. It is an important junction town and this arid land is home to several spectacular birds notably the charismatic Stresemann's Bush-Crow, White-tailed Swallow, Golden-breasted Starling, Vulturine Guineafowl, and White-crowned Starlings. Overnight in Hotel
Day14. Excursion to Yabello Sanctuary
Morning after breakfast first we explore forest along the road to Mega and Dubluk that attracts Pygmy Falcon, Slate-colored Boubou, Bare-eyed Thrush, Purple Grenadier, Black-capped and Grey-capped Social Weaver and Birds of prey including Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Gabar Goshawk, Amur Falcon, Wahlberg’s Eagle and White-headed Vultures. In the afternoon we will drive to Yabello Forest Sanctuary and spot Northern Black Flycatcher, White-cheeked Turaco, Tawny Wagtail, Bare-faced Go-Away-Bird and more. Overnight in Hotel.
Day15. Drive to Awassa
Today we will drive to Awassa and after check in to Hotel we will walk to Lake Awassa and bird for Spotted Creeper, Blue-headed Coucal, Dusky Flycatcher, Fiscal and Marabou Storks and White Pelicans. Overnight in Hotel
Day16. Drive back to Addis Ababa
Early morning walk along the bank of Lake Awassa looking for African Pygmy Goose, Black Crake, Greater White and Intermediate Egret, Pelicans and Sedge Warblers. Continue to visit the vibrant Awassa fish market, where birds of prey feed on fish left over. Then drive back to Addis Ababa, participate in the farewell dinner in famous traditional restaurants and transfer to the airport for your return flight to home.