17 Days: DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1 Addis Ababa – evening arrival and transfer to hotel
Day 2 Debre Libanos – we travel to Debra Libanos, where specials include White-billed Starling, Banded Barbet, Abyssinian Woodpecker & Ethiopian Oriole
Day 3 Debre Birhan – We transfer to Debre Birhan, looking for various endemics en route
Day 4 Ankober – the next day, we are off to Ankober, in search of serins
Day 5 Awash – driving to Awash, we start to see more of the arid country birds, such as starlings and barbets. We stop at the foot of Mt. Fantalle looking for Sombre Rock Chat, amongst others.
Day 6 Awash – the day is spent in Awash National Park, Larks, Bustards, Ground Hornbills and a whole lot more
Day 7 Langano – we drive south to the rift valley lakes, where we stay near Lake Langano. Black-crowned Cranes are possible at a roadside stop, together with several species of waterbird
Day 8 Langano – We bird the rift valley lakes and surrounds, Greyish Eagle-Owl, Slender-billed Gull, migrant ducks all possible
Day 9 Langano – We bird the rift valley lakes and surrounds, highlights may include Rufous Chatterer, Black-billed Wood Hoopoe, Slender-tailed Nightjar
Day 10 Goba – Goba is our base to bird the Bale Mountains, where we look for specials such as Ethiopian Wolf, Red-billed Chough, Thekla Lark, Rouget’s Rail
Day 11 Goba – another day spent birding the Bale mountains and surrounds
Day 12 Negele – we transfer to Negele, stopping for Ruspoli’s Turaco en route
Day 13 Negele – today we head east and look for the rare and endangered Archer’s Lark, along with a whole host of other specials, such as Acacia Tit, White-crowned Starling & Salvadori’s Serin
Day 14 Yabello – We drive down to Yabello, stopping at Dawa River, where one of the specials is White-winged Collared Dove. Sparrow-weavers, coursers, bush crows and swallows are the order of the day.
Day 15 Yabello – Again we bird the areas around Yabello, Bristle-crowned Starlings can be seen on the roadside, puffbacks and parisomas pop out of the acacia, we look for the stunning Magpied Starling
Day 16 Arbaminch – we start the long drive north with some roadside birding – arriving at the lakes, we visit the lakeside where Marabous and Pelicans scrounge scraps at the fish markets. Waterbirds abound.
Day 17 Drive to Addis, departing next morning
4 pax @ $6,075 pps
5 pax @ $5,675 pps
6 pax @ $5,425 pps
7 pax @ $4,925 pps
8 pax @ $4,575 pps
Single supplement: $685
Included in the price: all guide fees, hotels, airport transfers, and all transfers to sites, all accommodation, all meals, drinking water, all park entrance fees and all Conservation Contributions.
Not included: alcoholic and soft drinks, tips, personal expenses, travel insurance, international flights, visas, airport tax, laundry.