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Tour to Ethiopia Endemic Birds of Ethiopia 18 days/ 17 nights
Day 01	Arrival to Addis
Day 02	Addis - Wondogenet We drive early morning to the rift heading south. En route we will be birding, stopping at Koka Dam and the Awash River and make a lunch stop at Ziway. Ziway lake shore is where huge numbers of water birds are congregated. African Pygmy Geese, Yellow-billed and Marabou Storks, Collared Pratincoles, Lesser and Greater Jacanas, African Jacanas, White Pelicans, Fish Eagles, Crowned and Common Cranes are seen in numbers. Shalla and Abijata National Park. Shalla 270 mts in depth, the deepest in Ethiopian rift, is an important breeding sites for birds on its four of the nine islands. We have to drive through the Ostrich Farms on the west of the main road. We then proceed to Abijata lake, where thousands of both lesser and greater Flamingo's congregate along the shores. African Pochard, Avocet, Gull-billed Tern and Pintail, little Stint, Ruff and a variety of ducks are among other species to be seen. Drive to Wondo Genet which is the site for some of the endemic birds like the Yellow-fronted Parrot, Thick-billed Raven, the Abyssinian Wood pecker and Banded Barbet. In addition, We expect to see the Red -shouldered and Black Cuckoo shrikes, Grey Cuckoo shrike, Narin's Trogon, White-checked Turaco, Double Toothed Barbet, Scally and Lesser Honey guide, Crowned Eagle, Arye's Hawk Eagle, Silvery checked Horn bill, Hadada Ibis, Banded Wattle eye, Sharpes starling, Broad billed Roller, Black billed. Barbet, Lemon Dove, Mountain Buzzard and Half-collared Kingfisher. O/n Wondo Genet Wabe Shebelle Hotel.
Day 03	Wonedogenet- Awassa Leave to Awassa, which is a half hour drive from Wondo Genet. Along the shores of the lake and in the adjoining forest we can expect Saddle bill and Marabou Storks ,Malachite king Fisher, Spur-winged plover, pygmy goose, Brown snake eagle, grey Kestler, Green-backed Honey guide, Blue-headed Coucal, Spotted Creeper, African Firefinch, Bruce's Green pigeon, Red-breasted Wryneck, Bare-faced Go away bird and the endemic Yellow-fronted Parrot, Black-winged Lovebird and Black-headed Forest oriole O/N hotel
Day 04	Awassa -Yabello Leave to Yabello where one finds the forest reserve with over 200 species like; Abyssinian Bush crow, White- tailed Swallow, Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Black- capped social weaver, short- tailed lark, Pringle’s puff- back, Northern Grey Tit, Somali Sparrow and many others. Overnight in a hotel
Day 05	Yabello Drive to the town of Mega birding on the way; Golden Breasted Starling Helmeted & Vulturine Guinea Fowl Superb Starling Lilac Breasted Starling and others. Overnight in a hotel
Day 06	Yabello- Negelle On the way to Negele we explore the forest around the town of Arero. In this forest, about 168 species have been recorded including 2 endemics that are among most sought-after birds in Africa: Prince Ruspoli's Turaco Salvadori's Seedeater. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 07	Negelle These day is dedicated to explore the diversified environment around Negele, expecting to see: Prince Ruspoli's Turaco, Salvadori's Seedeater, Sidamo long-clawed Lark, Somali short-toed Lark Red-napped Bush Shriek, White crowned Starling, Tiny Cisticola, Heuglin's Bustard, Hunter's Sunbird, Golden Pipit, Pygmy Batis, Rufus Sparrow, Coqui Francolin. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 08	Negelle- Goba Continue to Goba and the Sanetti Plateau, driving on the highest road and moorland in Africa. On the way we look at; Golden backed woodpecker, White backed Tit. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 09	Goba – Senatti Plateau- Bale Full day birding in Bale National Park and return to Goba with a chance to see; Lemmergeyer and Abyssinian Catbird. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 10	Bale – Sof Omer
Day 11	Bale – Sodera
Day 12	Sodera-Addis
Day 13	Addis- Debre Libanos- Nile Gorge
Day 14	City tour. In the evening, Departure

Endemic Birds of Ethiopia 11 days/ 10 nights
Day 1:	Arrive in Addis Ababa. Meet and greet at the airport then transfer to 3* hotel.
Day 2:	Drive to Debre Libanos. En route, birding at Sululta plain and Debre Tsige area for many species of birds mainly the endemics. Continue driving to Debre Libanos which the best site for birding on this day. overnight hotel
Day 3:	Early morning drive to Jemma Valley which is the only place for Hardwood Francoline. Then drive to Debre Birehan. Late after noon, excursion to Ankober (42 km) for endemic bird of Ankober Serin which can be identified between 30 – 32 kms from Debre Birehan. Overnight basic hotel
Day 4:	Early morning drive to Melka Jebdu via Ankober. On the way, you will have a chance to see Ankober Serin if not seen on day 3. Melka Jebdu (65 km from Debre Birehan) is the place for endemic Yellow Throated Serin. Continue driving to Awash National Park. Overnight basic hotel
Day 5:	Birding at Awash Park and the Awash area. Overnight same
Day 6:	Early morning to Sodere for short time birding then continue driving to Langano. En route there are best birding stops at Koka Dame, Awash River and Lake Ziway. Overnight Bekele Molla hotel
Day 7:	Early morning birding around the hotel and little further in Abiyata –Shalla National Parks. Then drive to Wondogenet for afternoon birding. Overnight Wabishebele Resort hotel at Wondogenet
Day 8:	Drive to Bale Mountains. Afternoon, birding around Dinsho park then continue driving for overnight at Goba Wabishebele hotel.
Day 9:	Excursion drive to Senete plateau and Harena forest for birding and visiting the endemic Ethiopian Wolf. Overnight same
Day 10:	Drive to Lake Awassa via Shashemenie. Afternoon, birding along the shore of Lake Awassa. Overnight Wabishebele hotel
Day 11:	Drive to Addis Ababa and excursion drive to Geferssa for birding. Evening farewell dinner party and then transfer to airport for departure

Birding and Culture
Day 1:	Arrive at Addis Ababa On arrival in Addis Ababa our representatives will meet you at Bole International Airport and transfers to your Hotel. An overview of the program and itineraries will be given. We spend some time birding around Ghion Hotel. The Hotel has very extensive grounds for birding. Among the species spotted here are the White-backed Black Tit and the brown Tit Warbler. After lunch in the hotel, we leave for Geferssa Reservoir, some 20 kms west of Addis Ababa, where one can see the Blue-winged Goose, black-headed Siskin, Abyssinian Long Claw and Wattled Ibis. Return to Addis Ababa early evening. Overnight Ghion Hotel.
Day 2:	Excursion trip to Debre Libanos from Addis Ababa Leave early and drive north through the Sululta plain to Debre Libanos and the Jemma River Gorge, about 110 km. from the capital. For keen birders the journey can take up to 6 hours, as we pass through the Solulta Plain where we will see Black winged plovers, Wattled ibis, Blue winged geese, common cranes and wheatears. On arrival at Debre Libanos, we will first stop at the Jemma River gorge. The Jemma River is one of the tributaries of the Nile, and there is a drop of nearly 1000 meters to the valley below. Here at the gorge, and in the forest around the church we can expect to see the Banded Barbet, the Black headed forest oriole, the White billed starling, the Red Billed starling, the White winged cliff chat, the White backed black tit, white cheeked Turaco and Hemp Rich's hornbill. We will also see one of Ethiopia’s endemic mammals, the Gelada or bleeding heart baboon. (In the gorge we will see a variety of vultures - Lammergeyer's Rupell's and Lappet faced vultures.) We will leave Debre Libanos around 5.00 pm, returning to Addis Ababa early evening. Overnight Ghion Hotel.
Day 3:	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 4:	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 5:	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 6:	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 7:	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 8:	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 9:	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 10:	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 11:	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 12:	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 13:	Negele Morning birding around Mega, then we drive east to Negele, birding en route. Overnight Nile hotel.
Day 14:	Negele The habitat around Negele is similar to mega, and you will spend the day exploring differentlocalities for birding. Overnight Nile hotel.
Day 15:	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 16:	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 17:	Debre Birhan 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 to Debre Berhan . Overnight Local hotel at Debre Birhan.
Day 18:	from Debre Birhan to Alem Ketema to and to Jemma Valley and back to Debre Birhan An early departure from Debre Berhan to 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 Jemma valley. Then after drive back to Debre Birhan. Overnight local hotel at Debre Birhan.
Day 19:	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.