Addis Ababa to Hawassa

Great Rift Valley - Begin the tour with a morning drive of approximately 3 hours, departing from Addis Ababa and heading south through the lush Rift Valley to the lakeside town of Ziway.

Ziway - Here, enjoy a lunch break and take some time to explore the town and its lakeside, a perfect spot for birdwatching and relaxing.

Awasa - After leaving Ziway, continue south further into the Rift Valley to reach Hawassa, another charming lakeside town, where you’ll spend the night at a local hotel. Be sure to savor the delicious fresh-caught local fish and take a stroll along the shore to witness the sunset.

Hawassa to Dinsho

Dinsho - Continue the journey to Dinsho, the gateway to the Bale Mountains National Park. Set up camp here and take some time to explore the surrounding area and its wildlife.

Bale Mountains National Park - This area is known for sightings of Warthog, Mountain Nyala, Menelik’s Bushbuck, and Bohor Reedbuck, along with many endemic birds.

The Web Valley and Gaysay Grasslands

Bale Mountains National Park - After a hearty breakfast and some local coffee, set out from camp by foot or 4x4, depending on your preference. Follow a rough dirt track through farmland along the park’s edge, then enter the park itself. The track runs parallel to the Web River, skirting an impressive gorge where Rock Hyraxes are often seen. Black eagles and giant eagle owls are occasionally spotted here, along with rare sightings of Leopards. At the top of the gorge, enter the Afroalpine habitat, offering magnificent views across the Bale landscape. Look out for the rare and endemic Ethiopian wolf and hunting raptors. In the afternoon, head into the Gaysay Grasslands. Watch for Warthog, Mountain Nyala, Menelik’s Bushbuck, Grey Duiker, Bohor Reedbuck, and other mammals. In the woodlands, elusive animals such as the Serval, Spotted Hyena, and Golden (Common) Jackal reside. Also, listen for the Abyssinian catbird. At the end of the day, return to camp for some well-deserved rest!

Sanetti Plateau and the Harenna Forest

Sanetti Plateau - Early in the morning, strike camp and head to the Sanetti Plateau. As the sun rises, the world’s most endangered canid – the Ethiopian wolf – begins to hunt. The Sanetti Plateau is the best place in Ethiopia to see this elegant animal, and the winding road atop the plateau, one of the highest all-weather roads in Africa, is an ideal spot for viewings. The plateau is also home to many rodents, the largest being the giant molerat, found only in the Bale Mountains. If rodents aren’t your interest, there are plenty of rare lichens to admire too! You are likely to see a variety of birds of prey soaring in the skies above: golden, tawny, and Verreaux’s eagles, as well as the bearded vulture (lammergeyer), lanner falcon, and augur buzzard.

Harenna Forest and Manyete Coffee Village

Bale Mountains National Park - In the morning, take a short drive south from Rira to the southern edge of the National Park. If you’re fortunate, you might even spot a lion on this road! Here, you’ll find an area with massive fern pine and fig trees, now rare in Ethiopia. In the shade of these trees grows wild forest coffee. A 6km nature trail through this wild coffee forest leads to a natural spring. In the village of Manyete, the Sankate Community Tourism Association runs a coffee house where you can try the wild coffee, local honey, and other produce. Returning towards Rira, there’s an opportunity to relax or take the Gushuralle Peak Forest Trail. This 2-3 hour route takes you through dense bamboo forest to the summit of Gushuralle, with stunning views across the Harenna Forest. Look out for wildlife such as Bale monkeys, Menelik’s bushbuck, warthog, colobus monkeys, mountain nyala, giant forest hogs, or (very rarely) leopards or lions. At the end of the day, return once more to camp near Rira.

Rira to Wendo Genet

Sanetti Plateau - From Rira, make your way back over the Harenna escarpment and over the Sanetti Plateau once more, passing through Dinsho again as you leave the Bale Mountains behind and head westwards towards Wendo Genet.

Wendo Genet to Addis Ababa

Yod Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant | Karl Square | ዮድ አቢሲኒያ የባህል ምግብ ቤት | ካርል አደባባይ - Finally, arrive back in Addis Ababa and conclude the tour with dinner at a cultural restaurant, where you can enjoy local dishes while watching energetic traditional dances from across the country.

• Private transportation
• All meals included - breakfast, lunch, and dinner

• Gratuities
• Alcoholic beverages

Look out for hippos and birdlife as you take a boat trip on Lake Hawassa. Explore the natural beauty and wildlife of the Web Valley and Gaysay grasslands. Keep an eye out for the endangered Ethiopian wolf as you cross the Sinetti Plateau. Summit Tulu Dimtu (4,377m) the highest mountain in the park and experience stunning views from the Harenna escarpment to the tropical forests below.

Sample wild coffee and local honey from the Sankate Community Tourism Association. Visit Emperor Haile Selassie’s former palace, and one of his favourite retreats and enjoy a soak in the invigorating natural hot springs at Wendo Genet, meaning ‘heavenly place’.

If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.