7-Day Bale Mountain National Park Eco-Trekking

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

Drive Addis Ababa to Dinsho

In the morning at 7:00 am, we start driving from your hotel to the town of Dinsho, the location of the Bale Mountains National Park headquarters. En-route, we see the Arsi massif and abundant agricultural farmland. Continue driving south and stop for lunch at the town of Asela (250 km from Addis Ababa). We arrive in Dinsho at the Bale Mountains National Park headquarters in the afternoon, and complete all the necessary forms needed for trekking in the park. If time permits, take a short hike along the northern part of the park, close to where you will be staying for the night. You might spot two endemic mammals that frequent the area, Menelik's bushbuck and the mountain nyala. Birds in this area include the blue-winged goose, the spot-breasted lapwing, the Abyssinian longclaw, the wattled ibis, the black-headed siskin, Rouget’s rail, and numerous other species.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Best Time To Visit Nov to Feb (Little rain)

High Season Oct to Jan (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:

Budget camping

• Inside Bale Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Trek Dinsho to Sodota

After breakfast, start the hike from Dinsho to Sodota. Today’s trekking will offer a good opportunity to see the typical biodiversity of the area. You may spot the mountain nyala, Menelik's bushbuck, warthog and the Ethiopian wolf. The birdlife includes the gigantic bearded vulture, also known as the lammergeyer, thick-billed raven, wattled ibis, blue-winged goose and Rouget’s rail. You will have lunch at the mid-way point of the trekking. After enjoying the beautiful highlands' fauna and flora, we have dinner and overnight at the campsite in Sodota.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Bale Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Trek Sodota to Wasama Valley

After breakfast, we resume the trek that will take us to the Wasama camping area. We pass through Mararo valley where the lammergeyer and Verreaux eagles keep their nests. The trek offers the chance to see Ethiopia's endemic Abyssinian wolf. At this point in the trek, we begin to look for the Ethiopian wolf, the rarest canid in the world and Africa’s most threatened carnivore. Ethiopian wolves live in packs of between 2 and 18, but there are also solo hunters surviving primarily on a diet of rodents. We will have lunch at the mid-way point of the trekking. Beneath the peaks of Wasama valley, see and taste the strange mineral springs (“hora” in Oromo) before making the steep ascent out of the head of the valley onto the Sanetti Plateau. Our overnight camping site is at the base of Wasama Mountain.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Bale Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Trek Wasama to Gebre Guracha

Today we trek through the highlands, crossing Batu Mountain on the way to Gebre Guracha, set beneath towering cliffs in the head of the Tegona valley. We have lunch at the mid-way point of the trekking. Wildflowers abound, the dominant plant being the Helichrysum, or 'everlasting' flowers. The everlasting plant can be seen in several forms, but the grey bushes of H. splendidum are the most striking with its yellow flowers. Several rodent species are found in the area. We climb Mount Wasama, situated at 4200 meters above sea level. The terrain around the mountain is dotted with colorful giant lobelia and other plants typical to the high-altitude Afro-alpine landscapes. Our walk will pass through high altitude plateau with amazing views and amazing clear alpine lakes.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Bale Mountains NP

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Trek Gebre Guracha to Sanetti Plateau Drive to Goba Town

After breakfast, we trek to the highest peak in the Bale Mountains, Tullu Deemtu (4377 m, 14357 ft), which is part of the Sanetti Plateau. The vistas are simply unbelievable and photogenic. Here you will find small alpine lakes and typical Afro-alpine vegetation that includes the giant lobelia and shrubs such as 'everlasting'. Vistas reach out to the strange pinnacles of Chorchora Peak and across the sheer-sided Tegona River gorge. There are views of the steep-sided volcanic plug of Konteh Tullu and the long, craggy ridges of Mount Batu. Highland birding includes the Abyssinian catbird, Abyssinian woodpecker, white-backed black tit, Abyssinian ground thrush, yellow-crowned canary, Somali chestnut-winged starling, olive pigeon and mountain buzzard. The vehicle will meet us here and drive us down to Goba town for an overnight stay.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel

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

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Drive to Sof Omar Cave

Early in the morning, we drive to the fantastic limestone caves of Sof Omar to make a day’s outing from Dinsho, Robe or Goba. The road leaves Robe town, crossing the farming areas to the east, before descending into the lowlands. We'll see various animals along the way, most noticeably the greater and lesser kudu. The caves themselves carry the whole flow of the Web River. There is 15 km of associated passages, which require skill, time and special equipment for a full exploration. Our friendly local guide will show you enough to take your breath away and make the trip worthwhile. We can spend an hour or longer, the choice is yours.

Main Destination:

Bale Mountains National Park

Accommodation:

Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel

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

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Drive Back to Addis Ababa and Departure

Today you will return to Addis Ababa. On the way, visit the Abijatta-Shala National Park. Lake Shala is a very deep crater lake (over 260 meters deep!) and Lake Abijatta is a soda lake, which attracts thousands of flamingos. After the visit, continue the drive back to Addis Ababa. In the evening, go to the farewell dinner party (invitation from Finot Tour Ethiopia), to experience Ethiopia's cultural meals and drinks, which include a traditional special buffet. Here you will enjoy and experience several tribal dances. After the farewell dinner party, we transfer you to Bole International Airport for your international departure.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

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