Ethiopia is an usual country - numerous endemics, a rich assemblage of montane and arid savanna species and an influx of Palaearctic migrants all add up to a truly bird-filled experience. Unrivalled scenery, unique mammals and fascinating cultures enhance the feeling of outlandishness. On our tours we visit a wide range of habitats. Highland grasslands and moorlands hold unusual endemics such as Blue-winged Goose, Spot-breasted Lapwing and Rouget’s Rail, whereas rocky areas are home to Rueppell’s Black Chat and White-billed Starling.

In forest patches in the central highlands we will search for White-cheeked Turaco, Ethiopian Oriole, Abyssinian Catbird, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Black-winged Lovebird, Abyssinian Woodpecker and White-backed Tit.The rift valley, with its arid savannas and numerous lakes, teems with birds, including a good diversity of bustards. In the remote south of the country we may find three of Ethiopia's most sought after endemics, the fabled Prince Ruspoli's Turaco and Stresemann's Bush Crow and unusual White-tailed Swallow.

We offer two tours to Ethiopia, run consecutively. The main tour concentrates on the wide range of habitats comfortably accessible from Addis Ababa, including montane forests and moorlands at Debre Libanos and in the Bale Mountains, and savanna birding in the rift valley around Lake Langano and Awash. The second tour is for the more adventurous and heads to remote south in search of Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco and Stresemann’s Bush Crow, among many others.

See a more detailed itinerary.

1. Arrive Addis Ababa
2. Day trip to Debre Libanos
3. Drive to Awash NP
4. Full day in Awash NP
5. Full day in Awash NP
6. Drive to Wondo Genet
7. Wondo Genet to Bale Mountains
8. Full day in Bale NP
9. Full day in Bale NP
10. Drive to Lake Langano
11. Return to Addis Ababa

STANDARD ITINERARY: ETHIOPIA - THE SOUTH
(8 days, Addis Ababa-Addis Ababa; follows Ethiopia Tour)

See a more detailed itinerary.

1. Arrive Addis Ababa
(as day 11, Ethiopia)
2. Drive to Lake Awasa
3. Drive to Yavello
4. Full day birding in Yavello area
5. Full day birding in Yavello area
6. Full day birding in Yavello area
7. Drive to Lake Awasa
8. Drive to Addis Ababa.

Please see African Tour Schedule

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• November-December 1999
  (Mills and Spottiswoode)

DETAILED ITINERARY: ETHIOPIA

DAY 1
We meet in Addis Ababa and adjust to Ethiopian time, in preparation for the rest of the tour. Around the city we may spot our first Brown-rumped Seed-eater, Dusky Turtle Dove or Tacazze Sunbird, but the real birding begins tomorrow.

DAY 2
We drive north across the Solulta Plains, where Blue-winged Goose mingles with Wattled Ibis, White-collared Pigeon, Common Crane and Spot-breasted and Black-winged Lapwings. We’ll also watch for Black-headed Siskin, Thekla and Erlanger Larks, Botta’s Wheatear and Ethiopian Cisticola as we continue towards Debre Libanos. Stops at rocky areas may well produce our first White-billed Starling, Rueppell’s Black Chat, Lammergeier, Erckel’s Francolin, Hemprich’s Hornbill, White-winged Cliff Chat, Nyanza Swift or Abyssinian Black Wheatear. The monastery at Debre Libanos has protected a small patch of forest, where several forest endemics may be found, including Banded Barbet, White-cheeked Turaco, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher and Ethiopian Oriole, alongside more widespread species such as Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill and Rueppell’s Robin Chat. In the afternoon we return to Addis Ababa.

DAY 3
This morning we head east of Addis Ababa, to the infamous Awash National Park. We will arrive in time for some introductory birding, but will have a further two days in the area to get to grips with most of the birds.

DAY 4-5
The Awash plains should be cloaked in silvery grass. Overhead we’ll watch for three very elegant raptors: African Swallow-tailed Kite and Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers. Several species of vulture also occur, including Egyptian Vulture. Bustards are a feature of the area and species include the scarce Arabian Bustard. Other ground-dwelling species include Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, several larks such as Red-winged Lark, and coursers. The plains are also a good area to watch for Ashy Cisticola and Straw-tailed Whydah, and two perch-hunters, Abyssinian Roller and Somali Fiscal.

We will also visit Mount Fantalle, where we may find Fox Kestrel, the little-known Sombre Rock Chat, Gillet’s Lark and Boran Cisticola.

DAY 6
Today we retrace our steps towards Addis Ababa, and then turn south, continuing along the rift valley past several lakes to Wondo Genet. We will make several stops to bird in the acacia woodlands around some of the lakes, and hope to find Black-billed Woodhoopoe, Acacia Tit, White-rumped Babbler, Little Rock-Thrush, Grey-headed Batis, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, African Orange-bellied Parrot, Black-billed Barbet, Rueppell’s Weaver and perhaps Abyssinian Waxbill.

DAY 7
A short walk from our hotel will bring us to some forests, where several Ethiopian endemics can be found, including Yellow-fronted Parrot. We will also watch out for Abyssinian Ground Thrush. From Wondo Genet we continue into the Bale Mountains, watching out for the endemic Thick-billed Raven, with its colossal beak.

DAYS 8-9
We have two full days to explore the wonders of Bale National Park, the highlight of most people’s visit to Ethiopia. Spectacular scenery and rare mammals such as Ethiopian Wolf and Mountain Nyala will divert our attention from time to time. However, the birding is exceptional and we stand a good chance of seeing Moorland and Chestnut-naped Francolins, Rouget’s Rail, Abyssinian Long-eared Owl, Abyssinian Longclaw, Red-billed Chough, White-backed Tit, Abyssinian Catbird, Bale Parisoma, Stout Cisticola, Ruddy Shelduck, Mountain Buzzard, Alpine Chat, Brown Woodland Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Black-winged Lovebird, Abyssinian Woodpecker, and many others.

DAY 10
We start our journey back to Addis Ababa, over-nighting at the bird-rich Lake Langano on our way.

DAY 11
We complete our journey to Addis Ababa, where the tour is concluded.

DETAILED ITINERARY: SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

DAY 1
We meet in Addis Ababa (same day as day 11 on Ethiopia tour)

DAY 2
We commence our journey southwards, dropping off from the highlands into the rift valley, passing a chain of lakes on our way to Lake Awasa. Birding around the lake is excellent, and we expect to see Black-billed Woodhoopoe, Acacia Tit, White-rumped Babbler, Little Rock-Thrush, Grey-headed Batis, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, African Orange-bellied Parrot, Black-billed Barbet, Rueppell’s Weaver and perhaps Abyssinian Waxbill.

DAY 3
We continue southwards to Yavello, watching out for conspicuous road-side birds such as Shelley’s Starling, White-bellied Go-away-bird and Von Der Decken’s Hornbill.

DAY 4-6
Given the distance we have had to drive to get here, we have allocated three full days of birding in the Yavello area. Most of the district is covered in arid thornbush country, where we will look for Vulturine Guineafowl, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Abyssinian Woodhoopoe, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Black-throated Barbet, Foxy (Abyssinian) Lark, Pale Prinia, Red-fronted Warbler, Yellow-vented Eremomela, Grey Wren-Warbler, Rosy-patched Bush Shrike, Golden-breasted Starling, Hunter’s Sunbird, Black-capped Sociable Weaver, Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk and Tiny Cisticola. Rarer species may include Somali Crombec, Pringle’s Puffback, Three-streaked Tchagra or the very attractive Red-naped Bush-Shrike. However, the main reason for our journey is to look for three of Ethiopia’s most famous endemics. White-tailed Swallow and the enigmatic Stresemann’s Bush Crow both have small ranges centred on Yavello. The crows tend to join mixed flocks with starlings and can be quite conspicuous, whereas White-tailed Swallow is often more difficult to track down. The highlight, however, will hopefully be Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco, a striking and highly localised member of this African family.

DAY 7
We retrace our steps northwards, again stopping at Lake Awasa en route.

DAY 8
The tour concludes with a drive back to Addis Ababa.