Itinerary

1. Arrive in Addis Ababaa and explore City tour

   Arrival   Bole International Airport

   Awaze Tours meets all guests arriving at the airport regardless of arrival time.  For morning flight arrivals you may begin your tour after checking into your hotel.  For afternoon Explore Addis Ababa City Tour. Overnight Damat Hotel. 

2. Awash National Park

   Continue birding in Awash National Park and proceed to the Alledeghi Plains about 70 kilometers from Awash Park. This is a good area to spot different bustards, larks, sandgrouse, etc.

   Overnight Kuriftu falls Lodge 

3. Awash National Park - Lake Langano

   Drive to Lake Langano with birding stops at Koka Dam, the Awash River, and Lake Ziway. Spot species such as; the African Pygmy Goose, Black-billed Woodhoopoe, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Northern Black Tit, Little Weaver, Yellow-billed storks, Collared Pratincole, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, White Pelicans, Fish Eagles, and crowned and common cranes are seen here in impressive numbers.

   Overnight Lodge

4. Lake Langano

   Continue birding around Lake Langano and Abiyata—Shalla National Park. Over 300 species can be seen around Lake Abiyata, such as: Yellow Wagtails, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, Ducks, Egrets, Herons, Flamingos, Storks, Swallows, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rollers, Wheatear, African Marsh Harrier, etc.

   Overnight Lodge

5. Lake Langano - Bale Mountains

   Drive from Langano to the Bale Mountains National Park, rated by the African Bird Club as the number 4 birding destination in Africa. Over 300 species of birds live here, six are endemic to Ethopia. Arrive at the park headquarters in the afternoon in time for a leisurely afternoon hike, possibly spotting two endemic mammals that frequent the area: Menelik's Bushbuck and the Mountain Nyala. Birds in this area include the Blue-Winged Goose, the Spot-Breasted Lapwing, the Abyssinian Long Claw, the Wattled Ibis, the Black-Headed Siskin, Rouget’s Rail, and numerous other species.

   Overnight Hotel

6. Bale Mountains National Park

   Bale Mountains National Park

   Continue exploring Bale Mountains National Park and drive further into the interior. Spot birds such as Chestnut-naped Francolin, Ground Thrush (of the distinctive, endemic species Simensis), the secretive Abyssinia Ground- thrush, the vocal Abyssinian Catbird, and the endemic White-backed Black-Tit. If we are very fortunate, we will see a pair of the endangered Wattled Crane in the moist grasslands or spot a Cape Eagle- Lapwing, Thekla Lark, Red-breasted Wheatear, and Moorland chats. On the Senetti Plateau, (the largest continuous area of its altitude in Africa) look for the endemic and rare Ethiopian Red Wolf.

   Overnight Hotel

7. Bale Mountains National Park

   Continue birding in the Bale Mountains.

   Overnight Hotel.

8. Bale Mountains National Park - Dila

   Drive to Dila with birding stop en route.

   Overnight Hotel

9. Dila- Yabello Borena

   Drive to Yabello. Search for the endemic White-tailed Swallow and Stresemann’s Bushcrow. You should spot the Swallow threading its way through the termite chimneys and groups of Bushcrows in the thorn bushes. For the entire day explore the Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary and Reserve; species to look for include: Somalian Ostrich, Secretary Bird, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, Martial Eagle, Grasshopper Buzzard, African Pygmy Falcon, Vulturine Guineafowl, Kori Bustard, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Star-spotted Nightjar, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Rufous-crowned Roller, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Red and Yellow Barbet, Short-tailed Lark, Northern Grey Tit, Shelley’s and White-crowned Starlings, Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Somali Sparrow, Black-capped Social Weaver, Grey-headed Silverbill, Taita Fiscal, and Somali Golden-breasted Bunting. Other possibilities include: Coqui Francolin, Somali Courser, African Bare-eyed Thrush, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Pringle’s Puffback, Little Tawny Pipit, Fawn-coloured Lark. Mammals that inhabit the park include: Burchell’s Zebra, Aardvark, Grant’s Gazelle, Thompson’s Gazelle, and Lesser-spotted Genet.

   Overnight Hotel

10. Yabello Borena

    Continue birding in the Yabello area. See Degodi Lark, Bush crow ,white -tailed swallow,corsar,Garganey pintail and others you might not have seen on the first day.

    Overnight Hotel

11. Yabello Borena

    Continue birding at this fantastic birding site. Overnight Hotel

12. Yabello Borena - Hawasa

    Drive to Hawassa. En route to spot numerous species: Silvery-Cheeked Hornbill, Abysinnian Ground Hornbill, Roget's Rail, Marabou Stork, Black and White Egrets, African Pygmy Goose, Spur-winged Goose, Swallows, Ibis, African Fish Egret, Woodland Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, etc.

    Overnight Hotel Optional

13. Hawassa - Addis Ababa

    Return to Addis Ababa with optional return stop at Lake Ziway, In Addis Ababa, enjoy a Farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country's many ethnic groups. Later you will have a farewell dinner and Transfer to airport for late night departure or additional hotel night booked upon request.

    Overnight Hotel