Birds of Ethiopia —12 days
Explore Tours
Trip Code: ZET 038
Mode of Transportation: Surface (4WD)
Tour Type : Bird watching Tour
Length: 12 days / 11 nights
Group Size: 1- 15 Participants
Dates: Any date departure
Birds of Ethiopia coded for abundance, breeding, migration, wintering, endemic, rare, etc. Ethiopia is home to an impressive number of species of birds that vary from residents, that stay all year around, to breeding birds, that spend a good part of the growing season in Ethiopia to raise their young, migrants who pass through Ethiopia with the seasons, to wintering birds who like to spend a good part of the winter in Ethiopia to escape colder conditions up north. While many species of birds are relatively common as they are part of the ecosystems of the state, it is always a thrill to stumble upon a rare birdor vagrant, that does not really form part of any the Ethiopia ecosystems. Maybe it got lost during its travels between its summer and winter residence or it got displaced by bad weather.
Among the species of the checklist of the birds of Ethiopia you can find waterfowl and wading birds, a large suite of song birds, raptors, game birds, swifts and nighthawks, etc., many of which occupy several ecosystems simultaneously, as they fly to and from forests, meadows, shorelines of waters, cities and and urban green spaces. At Birdlist, we have developed a coding system that can help you predict when you may expect a certain species, with a code for seasonality, such as resident, nesting, wintering, etc. A code for abundance will give you a clue on the likelihood that you may actually see a certain species of bird. As we progressed with the coding, we realized that there should be a differentiation in the coding for “common”, such as less common, common and very common birds.
Included/Exclude
Tour Amenities
Tour Plan
On arrival in Addis Ababa you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel for overnight. After breakfast we have a full-day city tour, which departs at 9:00am from the hotel. Addis Ababa is the third highest capital city in the world. Located at 2,400 metres above sea level in one of the highest parts of the Entoto mountain chain. We take time to explore the city. We will visit the National Museum (home of the remains of the famous hominid fossil, “Lucy”) and the Ethnological Museum at the Addis Ababa University (housed in the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie). We will also witness the bustle of the one of the colourful local markets, which has an array of fascinating goods and curios, providing a great place for exploration and people watching.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight at Hotel
In the afternoon, a game drive into the savannah of the relatively unknown park (many species of birds and mammals to observe) and a stop at a viewpoint on the deep gorge of the Awash river and its powerful waterfalls are on the program.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight at Awash fall Lodge
Today, we continue to drive through the Rift Valley into the Afar triangle, slowly loosing elevation. The landscape changes from savannah to steppe and half-desert, interrupted by oases from the Awash River.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight hotel
If you are interested, you could join a group of salt workers in the early morning and watch the interesting technique to gain salt from the lake.
After breakfast, we pick up two Afar policemen and an Afar guide, then drive though the flat salt and lava desert to the Afar village of Dodom and set camp at the base of Erta Ale volcano. Unlike other expeditions, we don't rush you up the mountain the same night, but enjoy a magical night in the desert at the foot of the mountain: when it becomes dark, the intense zodiacal light of stardust and the red glow from the volcano lake and the brightest of starlit skies will compete with each other.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight Camping
During the night, Afar guides will join us with their camels. At sunset, we will start the realtively easy ascend (ca. 10 km, 500 m climbing, ca. 3 hrs) during the fresher morning hours along the flat flank of Erta Ale's shield volcano, while the camel caravan carries our luggage and the equipment.
The gently climbing hike itself follows interesting lava formations (aa and pahoehoe lava fields, lava tubes, hornitos, sand deposits, rare vegetation) until we stand on the rim of the caldera. An easy descend brings us to the floor of the caldera and after 10 minutes, we stand on the active pit crater containing the boiling ava lake.
This and the following two days are fully dedicated to observe the lava lake and the volcanic features of the caldera at our liking.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight Camping
There has been a lava lake at Erta Ale since its discovery in 1906, making it not only one of the very few present-day constant lava lakes as well as the by far longest existing lava lake. Yet the remoteness of the Afar area and difficult access to the volcano made that this wonder of nature was largely unknown up to the 1960s. Since then, there has been a gradual increase of adventurous tourists visiting this lava lake - a particular tourism that experienced a sudden increase due to improved accessibility in more recent years. Our small group will therefore not be the only one on Erta Ale´s caldera rim, but our extended stay there will maximise the opportunities to explore, observe and photograph the volcanic activity both during day and night.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight Camping
After a last sunrise at the spectacular lava lake, we break down our camp and using the camels again, we return to the point of departure where the jeeps are waiting.
After lunch, we continue for 1-2 hours back into the desert, where we will set camp near a typical temporary Afar village. Refreshing showers will be available from simple wells in a river bed. For those interested, we can also visit the Afar village and get an impression of the nomadic culture of the Afar.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight Camping
The sometimes difficult 4x4 drive through the desert northwards to the large, mostly dry salt lake near Ahmed Ela is our goal of the day.
In the afternoon and evening we can watch the endless camel caravans coming and going: arriving empty, they stay in the fascinating town. They are met by the ones leaving packed full with precious salt blocks. After nightfall, we can assisit the procedure of assigning walt cutters (the focolo) to the camel owners (the Arho), for the next day in the salt mine at the lake.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight Camping
A full day will be available to explore the fascinating volcano of Dallol - a volcano hidden under kilometer-thick deposit of salt. The volcano marks its presence by the updoming of the salt and hundreds of fumaroles and hot springs in all colors.
We can visit the remains of a ghost town, almost entirely built in salt, at Dallol, where miners lived in the 1930s to extract potash from the Dallol area. The town was the hottest inhabited place on earth.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight Camping
Drive to Mekele in the afternoon, where we will stay in a good hotel and celebrate the expedition with all crew members in a stylish restaurant serving delicious Ethiopian and international food...
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight at Planet hotel : http://www.planetinternationalhotel.com
Drive to Mekele in the afternoon, where we will stay in a good hotel and celebrate the expedition
Drive from Mekel to Hawzien and the Gheralta Cluster. This Tigray region is home to some of the most remote, hard-to- reach churches, often situated in incredible locations. Some churches involve precipitous climbs and some are unfortunately forbidden to females. Your guide will discuss the options with you and you will stop and explore some on route.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight at Gheralta Lodge: http://www.gheraltalodgetigrai.com
Drive to Mekele in the afternoon, where we will stay in a good hotel and celebrate the expedition
Drive from Mekel to Hawzien and the Gheralta Cluster. This Tigray region is home to some of the most remote, hard-to- reach churches, often situated in incredible locations. Some churches involve precipitous climbs and some are unfortunately forbidden to females. Your guide will discuss the options with you and you will stop and explore some on route.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight at Gheralta Lodge: http://www.gheraltalodgetigrai.com
We drive to Axum and in the afternoon explore to Axum is the seat of the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Axum, which was once one of the most powerful in the ancient world. Located at the centre of the trading routes between the Mediterranean and India, and the great port of Adulis on the Red Sea, it was economically, politically and technically advanced and at times had control over both sides of the Red Sea. Axum is also the origin of Christianity in Ethiopia and believed to be the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant. The old church of St Mary of Zion was the first church to be built in Sub-Saharan Africa around 330AD. Its ruins can be seen in the precinct of the church compound. We visit the famous monolithic stelae of Axum, the tallest one still standing reaches over 21 metres and the greatest one of them all, once 34 metres high now lies toppled on the ground. It is still, however, the largest monolith ever erected by man. The subterranean tombs, stone inscriptions of ancient Axumite kings and the small archaeological museum are also living witness of the ancient Axumite history. We will also visit the ruined palace of the Queen of Sheba who is said to have given birth to Menelik the First, fathered by King Solomon, the founder of Ethiopia's ruling family until the late Emperor Haile Selassie.
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
Overnight at Hotel
flight back to Addis Ababa. If you leave on an international flight in the evening, we provide you with a day-room and suitable airport transfer in Addis.
In the evening before departure, you will be invited a farewell dinner party at one of the best traditional restaurants in Addis where you taste variety of Ethiopian meals, and watch the folkloric dancers of the Ethiopian people. Departure
Meals: Full board (B, L, D)
- Please note: This tour may precede or follow any other Ethiopian tours offered by See Ethiopia Tour.
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirement.
Date and Availability = All the year This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirement and itinerary can be adjusted according to your time, budget and interest. Price: , if you want quotation or any other tour information about this trip we are very happy to help. Request a quote
suit your requirement and itinerary can be adjusted
Trip Notes
Equipped with the best vehicles and driver Guide / upon request you will be escorted by expert guides /you are immersed in the ancient history, cultures, natural habitats and spiritually of this captivating country and its people. This itinerary can easily be modified as a custom trip and if your travel dates are flexible.
