Birding Trip 2

Day 1:  Arrive at Addis Ababa
A representative from African Adventure Tours will fetch you at Bole International Airport t and transfer to Ghion Hotel.
Day 2:  Awash National Park
Early in the morning you will be birding around the garden of Ghion hotel. After breakfast drive from Addis to Awash National Park through the awe-inspiring crater lakes of Debrezeit for birding. En route further we stop at Nazareth for lunch. Our next stop will be at lake Beseka. Then we    continue to Awash National Park. Overnight Awash Sebatkilo in the Genet hotel.
Day 3:  Awash National Park
Birding in Awash National Park, located in the rift valley. It is enriched with many species of birds and mammals; African orange-bellied parrots, bustards, weavers, European Hoope somber rock-chat, yellow-throated serine, Red-fronted barbet, pygmy baits, Lesser striped swallow, House   martin and Anubis Baboon, Colobus Monkey, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox, Egyptian Mongoose, Warthog, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Salt’s Dik-dik, etc. Overnight Genet Hotel.
Day 4:  Langano
Early morning leave Awash for Langano via Mojo. En route, birding at Lake Ziway and Koka dam. Among some bird species you will see; African pygmy goose, Black-billed wood hoopoe, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Northern black tit, little weaver, etc. The same day birding at Abiyata—Shalla    National Park. Particularly, Lake Abiyata is the best place to bird many species, over 300, walking along the muddy and partly sandy lakeshore. For instance, yellow wagtails, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, hammer cop, waders, ducks, egrets, herons, flamingos, storks, swallows, chestnut-bellied sand grouse, Abyssinian ground-hornbill, rollers, wheatears, African Marsh Harrier, etc. Overnight Bekele Molla Hotel.
Day 5:  Bale Mountains National Park
After breakfast, continue driving to Bale mountains National Park and it is here you will visit many of the endemics like Blue-winged goose, Spot-breasted lapwing, Abyssinian long claw, Wattled ibis, Black-headed siskin, Rouget’s rail, Banded barbet and of course other species, too. Overnight Wabishebele hotel.
Day 6:  A day excursion to Sof Omar
After an early breakfast start driving to Sof Omar, about 120 km from Goba. Along the route you will have some stops for birding. For instance, White-ramped babbler, Nightingale, Dodson’s bulbul, Somali golden-breasted bunting, sunbird, warbler, Northern gray tit, Brown-tailed chats, Pygmy   batis, etc but our final target will be for Salvadori’s serine. Overnight Wabishebele hotel.
Day 7:  Goba, excursion to Senete
Leave Goba early in the morning towards Sanete Plateau. While crossing a lush green forest, you will enjoy the Semien Wolves, endemic mammals. Then you will take another hike to the right hand side of the road to reach the highest peak, 4377 meters above sea level. It is here where you will highly experience the chilly wind. Then you will walk slightly down and down across a moorland landscape dotted with white and yellow cushions of flowers, colorful lichen-covered rocks and sparse Giant Lobelias. You will visit many water birds in the small lakes. Overnight Wabishebele hotel.
Day 8:  Wondo Genet
After an early morning birding   drive to Wondo Genet . Wondo Genet is a green and lush area, inhabited with lots of Grivet Monkeys, Colobus Monkeys and many species of birds. On the other hand, Wondo Genet is an excellent place for fresh tropical fruits and hot spring for which you find an Olympic size swimming pool. Overnight Wabishebele hotel.
Day 9:  Awassa
After an early breakfast drive to Awassa. En route and in Awassa, you will see lots of species for instance, Silvery-cheeked hornbill, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Rouget’s Rail, lots of Marabou storks, Black & white egrets, African pygmy goose, Spur-winged goose, thousands of swallows, Ibis, African fish eagle, Woodland kingfisher, Malachite kingfisher, and many more species. Over night Wabishebele hotel.
Day 10:  Yabello
Head south to Yabello, birding en route. In the late afternoon, we head into woodland west of   Yabello, in search of the endemic Stresemann’s Bush Crow. Overnight Yabello Motel.
Day 11:  Yabello
Full day birding (picnic lunch) in Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary, where we expect to see the white tailed swallow, Abyssinian Bush Crow and if luckily, Prince Raspoli’s Turaco. Overnight Yabello Motel.
Day 12:  Negele
Morning birding around Mega, then we drive east to Negele, birding en route. Overnight Nile hotel.
Day 13:  Negele
The habitat around Negele is similar to mega, and you will spend the day exploring differentlocalities for birding. Overnight Nile hotel.
Day 14:  Langano
After an early breakfast full day drive to Lake Langano, which is the best place for birding many species. Overnight Bekele Molla hotel.
Day 15:  Langano
These three neighboring lakes in the central Ethiopian Rift Valley could not be more different from each other. The medium depth reddish-brown Lake Langano, shallow, blackish Abijatta, and the     extremely deep, blue shalla, once a volcanic crater and now home to several bubbling sulphuric hot springs, are all superb birding localities. We will spend today exploring the lake shores and surrounding woodlands of all three lakes. Overnight Bekele Molla hotel.
Day 16:  Alem Ketema
After a final morning birding around the cliffs surrounding our hotel, you will drive to Addis Ababa, thus completing our southern loop. Continue driving beyond Addis Ababa across the Sululta Plains and proceed to the Jemma Valley. Overnight Local hotel
Day 17:  Alem Ketema to Debre Birhan via the Jemma Valley
An early departure from Alem Ketema is essential in order to be at our chosen site when the endemic Harwood’s Francolin is at its most vocal, thus providing our best opportunity for seeing this elusive species. We will have a picnic breakfast at the river and bird the surrounding woodlands Overnight Akalu hotel at Debre Birhan.
Day 18:  Ankober—Addis Ababa for night departure
Very early morning drive to the edge of the Great Rift Valley at Ankober. Afternoon, drive to Addis Ababa and use a day use room for shower and little rest. Evening fare well dinner party then transfer to airport for departure. End of the tour.

Note:
Make sure you read the travel related documents: Terms and Conditions, Pre-Departure Info, Things to Consider first.

18 DAYS EAST AFRICAN ENDEMICS BIRDING TRIP
`TOUR CODE`	`DURATION`	`SITE`	`TRANSPORT`
`AAT-BT 002`	`18 DAYS`	`BIRDING`	`SURFACE`
Itineraries Day 1: Arrive at Addis Ababa A representative from African Adventure Tours will fetch you at Bole International Airport t and transfer to Ghion Hotel. Day 2: Awash National Park Early in the morning you will be birding around the garden of Ghion hotel. After breakfast drive from Addis to Awash National Park through the awe-inspiring crater lakes of Debrezeit for birding. En route further we stop at Nazareth for lunch. Our next stop will be at lake Beseka. Then we continue to Awash National Park. Overnight Awash Sebatkilo in the Genet hotel. Day 3: Awash National Park Birding in Awash National Park, located in the rift valley. It is enriched with many species of birds and mammals; African orange-bellied parrots, bustards, weavers, European Hoope somber rock-chat, yellow-throated serine, Red-fronted barbet, pygmy baits, Lesser striped swallow, House martin and Anubis Baboon, Colobus Monkey, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox, Egyptian Mongoose, Warthog, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Salt’s Dik-dik, etc. Overnight Genet Hotel. Day 4: Langano Early morning leave Awash for Langano via Mojo. En route, birding at Lake Ziway and Koka dam. Among some bird species you will see; African pygmy goose, Black-billed wood hoopoe, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Northern black tit, little weaver, etc. The same day birding at Abiyata—Shalla National Park. Particularly, Lake Abiyata is the best place to bird many species, over 300, walking along the muddy and partly sandy lakeshore. For instance, yellow wagtails, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, hammer cop, waders, ducks, egrets, herons, flamingos, storks, swallows, chestnut-bellied sand grouse, Abyssinian ground-hornbill, rollers, wheatears, African Marsh Harrier, etc. Overnight Bekele Molla Hotel. Day 5: Bale Mountains National Park After breakfast, continue driving to Bale mountains National Park and it is here you will visit many of the endemics like Blue-winged goose, Spot-breasted lapwing, Abyssinian long claw, Wattled ibis, Black-headed siskin, Rouget’s rail, Banded barbet and of course other species, too. Overnight Wabishebele hotel. Day 6: A day excursion to Sof Omar After an early breakfast start driving to Sof Omar, about 120 km from Goba. Along the route you will have some stops for birding. For instance, White-ramped babbler, Nightingale, Dodson’s bulbul, Somali golden-breasted bunting, sunbird, warbler, Northern gray tit, Brown-tailed chats, Pygmy batis, etc but our final target will be for Salvadori’s serine. Overnight Wabishebele hotel. Day 7: Goba, excursion to Senete Leave Goba early in the morning towards Sanete Plateau. While crossing a lush green forest, you will enjoy the Semien Wolves, endemic mammals. Then you will take another hike to the right hand side of the road to reach the highest peak, 4377 meters above sea level. It is here where you will highly experience the chilly wind. Then you will walk slightly down and down across a moorland landscape dotted with white and yellow cushions of flowers, colorful lichen-covered rocks and sparse Giant Lobelias. You will visit many water birds in the small lakes. Overnight Wabishebele hotel. Day 8: Wondo Genet After an early morning birding drive to Wondo Genet . Wondo Genet is a green and lush area, inhabited with lots of Grivet Monkeys, Colobus Monkeys and many species of birds. On the other hand, Wondo Genet is an excellent place for fresh tropical fruits and hot spring for which you find an Olympic size swimming pool. Overnight Wabishebele hotel. Day 9: Awassa After an early breakfast drive to Awassa. En route and in Awassa, you will see lots of species for instance, Silvery-cheeked hornbill, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Rouget’s Rail, lots of Marabou storks, Black & white egrets, African pygmy goose, Spur-winged goose, thousands of swallows, Ibis, African fish eagle, Woodland kingfisher, Malachite kingfisher, and many more species. Over night Wabishebele hotel. Day 10: Yabello Head south to Yabello, birding en route. In the late afternoon, we head into woodland west of Yabello, in search of the endemic Stresemann’s Bush Crow. Overnight Yabello Motel. Day 11: Yabello Full day birding (picnic lunch) in Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary, where we expect to see the white tailed swallow, Abyssinian Bush Crow and if luckily, Prince Raspoli’s Turaco. Overnight Yabello Motel. Day 12: Negele Morning birding around Mega, then we drive east to Negele, birding en route. Overnight Nile hotel. Day 13: Negele The habitat around Negele is similar to mega, and you will spend the day exploring differentlocalities for birding. Overnight Nile hotel. Day 14: Langano After an early breakfast full day drive to Lake Langano, which is the best place for birding many species. Overnight Bekele Molla hotel. Day 15: Langano These three neighboring lakes in the central Ethiopian Rift Valley could not be more different from each other. The medium depth reddish-brown Lake Langano, shallow, blackish Abijatta, and the extremely deep, blue shalla, once a volcanic crater and now home to several bubbling sulphuric hot springs, are all superb birding localities. We will spend today exploring the lake shores and surrounding woodlands of all three lakes. Overnight Bekele Molla hotel. Day 16: Alem Ketema After a final morning birding around the cliffs surrounding our hotel, you will drive to Addis Ababa, thus completing our southern loop. Continue driving beyond Addis Ababa across the Sululta Plains and proceed to the Jemma Valley. Overnight Local hotel Day 17: Alem Ketema to Debre Birhan via the Jemma Valley An early departure from Alem Ketema is essential in order to be at our chosen site when the endemic Harwood’s Francolin is at its most vocal, thus providing our best opportunity for seeing this elusive species. We will have a picnic breakfast at the river and bird the surrounding woodlands Overnight Akalu hotel at Debre Birhan. Day 18: Ankober—Addis Ababa for night departure Very early morning drive to the edge of the Great Rift Valley at Ankober. Afternoon, drive to Addis Ababa and use a day use room for shower and little rest. Evening fare well dinner party then transfer to airport for departure. End of the tour. Book this trip Note: Make sure you read the travel related documents: Terms and Conditions, Pre-Departure Info, Things to Consider first.

18 DAYS EAST AFRICAN ENDEMICS BIRDING TRIP

Itineraries