6-Day Rift Valley Lakes & Bale Mountains Safari

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Arrival in Addis Ababa

Welcome to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Your guide will meet you and help you settle in at your hotel. Today is a relaxed day to rest after your flight and get ready for the trip. You can visit the National Museum, home of the famous fossil called Lucy, or simply rest and enjoy the mild highland weather. Your guide will explain the days ahead and help you check your clothing for the cold mornings on the high plateau later in the trip.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

Capital Hotel & Spa

• Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Rift Valley Lakes to Dodola

Drive south from Addis Ababa into the Great Rift Valley. Stop at Lake Ziway or Lake Langano, home to pelicans, storks, and many other water birds. Enjoy lunch by the lake before continuing south toward the town of Dodola, gateway to the Bale Mountains. The drive gives you a good look at rural Ethiopian life, with farms, small towns, and changing landscapes along the way. Overnight near Dodola.

Main Destination:

Lake Langano

Accommodation:

Wabe Shebelle Hotel Goba

• Budget hotel located less than 1hr drive from Bale Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Sanetti Plateau & the Ethiopian Wolf

Drive up into Bale Mountains National Park and onto the Sanetti Plateau, one of the highest roads in Africa at over 4,000 meters. This cold, open landscape of giant lobelia plants is the best place in the world to see the Ethiopian wolf, a rare animal found only in Ethiopia's highlands. Your guide will help you spot wolves, along with other high-altitude wildlife such as rock hyrax and mountain nyala. Overnight at a lodge near the park.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Best Time To Visit November to February (Little rain)

High Season October to January (Park is never busy)

Best Weather November to February

Wildlife in Bale Mountains NP

Ethiopian Wolf Common

Mountain Nyala Common

Warthog Common

Menelik's
Bushbuck Occasional

Guereza Monkey Occasional

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Olive Baboon Occasional

Bohor Reedbuck Occasional

Starck's Hare Occasional

Giant Mole-rat Occasional

Bale Monkey Rare

Giant Forest Hog Rare

Golden Jackal Rare

Gelada Monkey None

Walia Ibex None

Accommodation:

Bale Mountain Lodge

• Luxury lodge located inside Bale Mountains NP

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Harenna Forest Walk & Wild Coffee

Descend from the plateau into the Harenna Forest, a large area of cloud forest on the southern side of the Bale Mountains. This cool, misty forest is home to wild coffee plants, giant heather trees covered in moss, and troops of black-and-white colobus monkeys. Take a guided walk through the forest with a local ranger, learning about the plants and animals that live here. Overnight near the forest edge.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Bale Mountain Lodge

• Luxury lodge located inside Bale Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Return to Addis Ababa for Farewell Dinner

Drive back north toward Addis Ababa, stopping again at the Rift Valley lakes for a final chance to see birdlife and enjoy the open scenery of the valley. Arrive in Addis Ababa in the evening, tired but happy after a week of very different landscapes. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner hosted by Origin Abyssinia at a local restaurant in the capital, a relaxed way to end your trip with good food, coffee, and conversation with your guide.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

Capital Hotel & Spa

• Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Free Time in Addis Ababa & Departure

Enjoy a free morning in Addis Ababa after your journey through the Rift Valley and Bale Mountains. Depending on your flight time, you may have time for last-minute shopping, a traditional coffee ceremony, or a short visit to a local market or museum. Your guide will take you to Bole International Airport in good time for your departure flight, bringing your journey through Ethiopia's highlands and wildlife areas to a close.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.