Day 1: Arrival in Addis Ababa and city tour

Welcome to Ethiopia! Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will be welcomed by our staff. Drive up to Entoto Mountains for a panoramic view, then bird the grounds of Ghion Hotel (White-backed Black Tit, Brown Tit Warbler). After lunch, head to Gefersa Reservoir for Blue-winged Goose, Black-headed Siskin, Abyssinian Long Claw, and Wattled Ibis.

Overnight: Golden Tulip Hotel or similar, Addis Ababa

Day 2: Trip to Debre Libanos

After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive north to Debre Libanos Monastery, crossing the Sululta Plains to search for Spot-breasted Lapwing and Gelada Baboon. At the monastery area look for Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Bearded Vulture, and Little Rock Thrush before driving on to Fiche.

Overnight: Silale Hotel or similar, Fiche

Day 3: Jemma Valley birding

Visit the Jemma River gorge (drop ~1000m) to bird the escarpment rim. Key targets include Banded Barbet, Black-headed Oriole, White-billed Starling, Red-billed Starling, White-winged Cliff Chat, White-backed Black Tit, White-cheeked Turaco, and Hemprich’s Hornbill. The main goal is to find the endemic Ankober Serin. Continue on to Debre Birhan for overnight.

Overnight: Getva Hotel or similar, Debre Birhan

Day 4: Drive to Awash via Melka Jebdu

Drive east toward Awash National Park, stopping at Melka Jebdu to search for Erckel’s Francolin, Crested Francolin, Speckled Pigeon, White-collared Pigeon, Dusky Turtle Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Eastern Plantain-eater, Abyssinian Nightjar, African Grey Hornbill, Yellow-breasted Barbet, and Shining Sunbird. Arrive at Doho Lodge in the afternoon to enjoy the hot springs and birding at the lodge grounds.

Overnight: Doho Lodge or similar, Awash

Day 5: Birding around the Ali Dege Plains

Head north to the Ali Dege Plains. Scan the cover clumps for Mocking Cliffchat, Egyptian Vulture, Helmeted Guineafowl, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Cut-throat Finch, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Woodchat Shrike, Tawny Pipit, Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark, plus Grevy’s Zebra, Gerenuk, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Grant’s Gazelle, Somali Ostrich and, rarely, Wild Ass. Return to Doho Lodge for lunch and hot springs.

Overnight: Doho Lodge or similar, Awash

Day 6: Drive to the Great Rift Valley Lakes

Drive to Lake Langano, then explore Lake Ziway and surrounding wetlands for Black Crowned Crane, Collared Pratincole, African Snipe, Gull-billed Tern, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, African Pygmy Goose, Western Marsh Harrier, plus Greater Spotted Eagle, Egyptian Vulture, White-headed Vulture, Clapperton’s Francolin, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Buff-bellied Warbler, Northern Black Flycatcher, Black-headed Batis, Pygmy Batis, Masked Shrike, Green-winged Pytilia, and Red-fronted Warbler.

Overnight: Hara Langano Lodge or similar, Langano

Day 7: Langano and area

Explore the forest around the lodge and lake shores for Yellow-fronted Parrot, Black-Winged Lovebird, Broad-billed Roller, Narina Trogon, Red-shouldered Cuckoo, Emerald Cuckoo, Lemon Dove, Blue-spotted Dove, Tambourine Dove, woodpeckers, Sharpe's Starling, Double-toothed Barbet, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Red-breasted Wryneck, Masked Weaver, Beautiful Sunbird, plus Bushbuck, Vervet and Black Colobus Monkeys, Olive Baboon, and Golden-backed Jackal. In the afternoon, visit Oromo villages for cultural interaction.

Overnight: Hara Langano Lodge or similar, Langano

Day 8: Drive to Bale Mountains National Park

Drive to Dinsho, gateway to Bale Mountains NP (4,500m). Over two days bird for Abyssinian Owl, Mackinder’s Eagle-Owl, African Wood Owl, Wattled Ibis, Chestnut-naped Francolin, Moorland Francolin, Wattled Crane, Red-billed Chough, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, and Golden Eagle. Also search for mountain nyala, klipspringer, Menelik’s bushbuck, and Bohor reedbuck amidst giant lobelia and moorlands.

Overnight: Wabe Shebelle Hotel or similar, Goba

Day 9: Sanetti Plateau and Harenna Forest

Travel the Sanetti Plateau (Africa’s highest road) for Black Stork, Rouget’s Rail, Blue-winged Goose, Spot-breasted Lapwing, Wattled Crane, Thekla Lark, Red-throated Pipit, Abyssinian Longclaw, Red-breasted Wheatear, Moorland Chat, and Black-headed Siskin. Then descend to Harenna Forest for Bale Monkeys, wild coffee groves, and bamboo understory birds.

Overnight: Bale Lodge or similar, Bale Mountains National Park

Day 10: Bale Mountains National Park - Negele Borena

Drive through grasslands and the Genale Valley, then head south to Delo-Mena en route to Negele-Borena. Look for Golden-breasted Starling, Turaco, Sidamo Lark, Somali Short-toed Lark, Heuglin’s Bustard, and dik-diks along the plains.

Overnight: Mareg Guest House or similar, Negele Borena

Day 11: Negele Borena - Yabello

Drive toward Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary near the Kenya border. Search for Stresemann’s Bush-Crow, White-tailed Swallow, Somali Ostrich, Secretary Bird, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, African Pygmy Falcon, Kori Bustard, Star-spotted Nightjar, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Rufous-crowned Roller, Red & Yellow Barbet, Short-tailed Lark, Northern Grey Tit, Black-capped Social Weaver, Grey-headed Silverbill, Taita Fiscal, and Somali Golden-breasted Bunting.

Overnight: Yabello Motel or similar, Yabello

Day 12: Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary

Full day exploring bush-crow country. Target Somali Courser, Somali Fiscal, Taita Fiscal, Short-tailed Lark, Red-naped Bushshrike, Speke’s Weaver, Black-faced Waxbill, Black-breasted Snake Eagle, Eurasian Hobby, Black Cuckoo, Steel-blue & Straw-tailed Whydah, and watch for gerenuk and Somali bushbaby on a night drive.

Overnight: Yabello Motel or similar, Yabello

Day 13: Yabello – Lake Hawassa

Drive to Lake Hawassa on the Rift Valley edge. Bird edge habitats for Spotted Creeper, Banded Barbet, Black-winged Lovebird, Grey-backed Fiscal, Double-toothed Barbet, Beautiful Sunbird, Blue-headed Coucal, Abyssinian Waxbill, Red-throated Wryneck, White-rumped Babbler; and shorebirds like African Pygmy Goose, White-backed Duck, Jacanas, Goliath Heron, Whistling Ducks, Pelicans, Kingfishers, Marabou Stork, Squacco Heron, and terns.

Overnight: Haile Resort or similar, Hawassa

Day 14: Drive back to Addis Ababa

Visit Hawassa town and fish market in the morning, then drive back to Addis Ababa. Transfer to Bole International Airport to conclude the tour.