The variety of species and their uniqueness in Africa is one of the Great Attractions of Ethiopia’s wildlife heritage. with about 320 species of mammals including 36 endemics, Ethiopia has one of the most diverse mammalians faunas in Africa . Celebrating this diversity in a national park wildlife brand “Ethiopia -home of the unique seven “which refers to seven Distinctive and Endemics large mammals found only in Ethiopia: Ethiopian Wolf, Mountain Nyala, Walia Ibex, Menelik’s bushbuck, Swayne’s hartebeest, Gelada Baboon, and Bale Monkey.
Day 01
Drive from Addis Ababa to Bale Mountains National Park HQ, Afternoon bird watching, Mammals and Floras exploring in the BMNP headquarter, overnight at Dinsho camping
- Key Animals; Mountain Nyala, Menelik’s Bushbuck,
- Key Birds; yellow-fronted parrot, white-backed black tit, Abyssinian Long eared Owls, African Wood Owls, Abyssinian Slaty flycatcher, Abyssinian Woodpecker,
- Other Animals; Warthog, Golden Jackal, Spotted Hyena, Bohoor Reedback, Grey Duiker, Colobus Monkey, Tree Hyrax.
- Other Birds; Abyssinian ground thrush, cinnamon bracken warbler, Brown woodland warbler, Montane Nightjar.
- Habitats; Open Woodland
Day 02
This broad flat large area, covered by Artemisia Afra, helichrysum Splendidum and Kniphofia foliosa, areas is very interesting to visit before you reach Sodota there is a very big waterfall which is known as Finch Habera means women Urine as a local language, Overnight at Sodota Campsite camping.
- Key Animals; Mountain Nyala, Klipspringer, Grey Duiker, Ethiopian Wolves, Graint molerat, Blick’s Grassrat.
- Key Birds; Wattled Crane, spot-breasted lapwing, Blue-winged Goose, three-banded plover, Common Sandpiper, Black-Eagle, tawny eagle, peregrine falcon, lanner falcon, and Augur Buzzard.
- Habitat; Afro Alpine
Day 03
This Day you will be above 3400m on the roof of Africa, incredible scenery, spectacular mountain cliff and you have chance to see one of the Rare and critical endangered Ethiopian Wolves and the birds will be an awesome part of this trip, Over Night at Wassam Campsite.
- Key Animals; Ethiopian Wolves
- Key Birds; Bearded Vulture, Black Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Lanner Falcon, Rouget’s Rail.
- Habitats; Afro Alpine and Wetland
Day 04
No rush on this day it is not the that long day we hike however we going to stay where The Bale Mountains were formed prior to the creation of the Rift Valley, from lava outpourings, which covered all underlying rock formations between 38 and 7 million years ago. The rocks of the volcanic outpourings are predominantly trachytes, but also include rhyolites, basalts and agglomerates, and tuffs. Overnight Rafu Rock lava
Key Animals; Ethiopian Wolves
Day 05
Departure after breakfast to reach the second highest peak in Ethiopia which is known as Tullu Dimtu located on the Sanate Plateau after we have a full day on Sanate Plateau to explore very well by vehicles and drive to the Harenna forest one of the best places to spot some game mammals.
- Overnight; Harenna forest
- Key Animals; Abyssinian Black manned lion, Leopard, Gaint Forest Hog, Bushpig, Bush Baby,
Day 06
Before we leave the Harenna forest early morning bird watching is a very interesting thing to do as it is forest the area is highly diverse birdlife mammals also like the endemic Bale Monkey after that there is optional activity hiking to bamboos trail waterfall.
- Drive back to the biggest afro-alpine plateau with a packed lunch
- Overnight; Goba Wabe Shabale Hotel
- Key Animal; Bale Monkey, Menelik’s Bushbuck,
- Key Birds; Abyssinian Catbird, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Abyssinian Ground Trush,
Day 07
After breakfast journey will continue to the caves of Sof-Omar are located about 115km from the Bale Mountains National Park headquarters and 95km from the zone’s capital of Robe. It is one of the longest underground caves in Africa, with a total length of over 1.5km. The meandering Web River lies in
- An entrenched gorge, 150m below level basalt plateau,
- Overnight; Goba Wabe Shabelle.