Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) is a national park of Ethiopia. The park encompasses an area of approximately 2,150 square kilometres (530,000 acres) in the Bale Mountains and Sanetti Plateau of the Ethiopian Highlands.
The park’s Afromontane habitats have one of the highest incidences of animal endemicity of any terrestrial habitat in the world. The park was nominated to the World Heritage Tentative List in 2009.
Addis Ababa
Early morning
Meet and greet you Bale Mountains Tours represantive at exit of luggage claim transfer you to the hotel. Overnight stay in one of the hotel in Addis.
This day after breakfast drive to Awash national park(125km), through Adama (Nazret) – an ideal stop for a coffee or tea. Enroute look for a great white pelican, Marabou storks and yellow bellied storks on the lake Baseka shores. As soon as in Awash national park, take a short walk through bush land inhabited by Baboon to the Awash river falls and search for he easily be spotted Beisa Oryx, Greater Kudu and Salt’s dik dik and so more.
After leisurly breakfast near the shrine, we can make tour the impressive conical white ’Gamo’ then continue driving to stunning view of the Gebayeu mountain on the way to the small town of Jarra via Delo Sebro to Ginnir (an ideal lunch stop) through vast agricultural fields coated with Euphorbia plants.
From bridges of Ardatere valley we will drive another 36km to sofomer cave (the longest network underground cave in Africa). After an hour walk in the cave continue driving to Goba via Dadimos mountain.
Today drive 45km to Dinsho the best place for viewing the endemic Mountain Nyala, Menelik bushbuck and Grey duiker on the northern grassland of the national park. This part of the national park sometimes you may see up to 50 herbs of Mountain Nyala and ever present, Bohor Reedbuck and Olive Baboon and so much more.
Birds can seen in this area include the Abyssinian Long claw (Endemic) , Winding cisticola, Marsh Harrier, Abyssinian ground Thrush (Endemic), spot breasted plover (Endemic) Rouget’s Rail, wattled Ibis, Abyssinian catbird (Endemic) and so more.
Early the following day head to the sanetti plateau to spot the most endangered canid in the world – Ethiopia wolf begins to hunt. Sanetti plateau is best place in Ethiopia to see the elegant animal and the winding road atop the plateau, one of the highest all weather roads in Africa and for prey birds soaring for rodent species. Then continue driving to Harenna forest (the second largest tropical rainforest and cloudy forest in Ethiopia).
Early the following day head to the sanetti plateau to spot the most endangered canid in the world – Ethiopia wolf begins to hunt. Sanetti plateau is best place in Ethiopia to see the elegant animal and the winding road atop the plateau, one of the highest all weather roads in Africa and for prey birds soaring for rodent species. Then continue driving to Harenna forest (the second largest tropical rainforest and cloudy forest in Ethiopia).
We will heading to the south of the national park, enroute we will stop for coffee village in Harenna forest and continue driving to Negelle – Borena , a lively lowland town chance to see endemic Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco and common birds.
Continue driving towards Yabello an enroute explore the village of Elsod known as the “House of Salt” then continuing to Yabello home of Streseman’s bush crow and white tailed swallow. Streseman’s bush crow is found in groups of up to 30 birds and is considered tobe quite enigmatic Yabello is one of the country premier birding sites due to high diversity and endeminism that combine to offer a superb birding experience.
Next day continue to Awassa (272km from Yabello) enroute we will have stop where traditional stelae have been erected in Ethiopia. The site of Tutu fella features around 80 of these carved stones. In this route we do have a chance to see some of these great Rift valley species.
Today enroute we will stop for aquatic birds along Lake Ziway to see marabou stork, Black tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Wood sand piper and African fish Eagle.
Then continue driving back to Addis to enjoy farewell dinner at one of the traditional Ethiopian restaurant with live songs and dances of different ethnic groups, then transfer to the Airport for departure back to home.
