Posted By Marvelous Ethiopia Tour on July 13, 2011

Bird Watching Tours, Ethiopia
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Ethiopia is one of the richest countries in bird life and has more than 850 bird species; about 10 % of the world’s bird species is found in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia has 17 endemic birds and others; 13 endemic birds are shared with Eretria (found both in Ethiopia and Eretria).
High diversity of eco-systems with different habitats including high lands, lowlands, lakes, etc. made Ethiopia paradise for bird watchers.
Ethiopia is an ideal destination for both short-range and long-range birding trip; Marvelous Ethiopia Tours organizes both ranges and you will have a chance to count from 400 to 500 different birds’ species with in 19 days trip.

Bird watching Itinerary / Tour Program:

Marvelous -1 (12 Days Birding)

 Day 1: Set out early in the morning and drive to the north to the Jemma River gorge which is one of the tributaries of Abay / Blue Nile River. On the way, you can find many different birds, and will have a chance to see the Gelada (bleeding heart) baboon which is one of the endemic mammals of Ethiopia. For overnight, return back to the main road and continue to Debre Libanos.

• Overnight in a lodge in Debre Libanos / in a hotel in Muke Turi town.

Day 2: In the morning visit different birds around Debre Libanos monastery and Portuguese bridge. In the forest around Debre Libanos church, you can expect to see Banded Barbet, Black Headed Forest Oriole, White Billed Starling, Red Billed Starling, White Winged Cliff Chat, White Black Tit, White Checked Turaco, and Hemp rich’s Horn bill. After this, you will return back to Addis Ababa and will drive to Debre Zeit where you can find crater lakes and Marsh areas (you can find many birds including Flamingos and pelicans). Drive further to Sodere for overnight.

• Overnight Sodere resort.

Day 3: On this day morning, you will have birding in Sodere. In Sodere, you can visit different birds including Black Winged Love Bird, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Abyssinian cat bird and Yellow Fronted Parrot. In the afternoon drive to Awash National Park. In Awash over 350 species of birds have been recorded including: the Abyssinian Roller, secretary birds, Abyssinian Ground Horn Bill, Carmine Bee Eater, Coucal, Go Away birds, Kori Bustard, Shrikes, Swallow- Tailed Kite, Carmine Bee Eater, Orange Billed Parrot, Lilac breasted roller, Lappet Faced Vulture are some of the birds seen.

• Overnight Awash in a lodge / in a hotel.

Day 4: In the morning birding in Awash national park. In the afternoon drive to Aledeghi Wildlife Reserve for more birding.

• Overnight Awash in a lodge / in a hotel.

Day 5: In the morning after breakfast drive to Langano. On the way birding along the roadside of Koka Dam, Awash River, and at Lake Zeway. At Lake Zeway, you can find many birds congregated. Yellow Billed Stork, African Pygmy Geese, Storks, White pelicans, Fish Eagles, Marabous, Sacred Ibis are some of the species.

• Overnight Langano in a lodge.

Day 6: Birding the whole day in Abijata-Shala national parks. Here you can see thousands of lesser and Greater Flamingos.

• Overnight Langano in a lodge.

Day 7: Leave Langano for Bale Mountains National Park where you can visit endemic mammals like Mountain Nyala, Simen fox, and Menelik’s Bush Back. In the park, expect to see the following birds, Spot Breasted Plover, Roget’s Rail, Abyssinian cat Bird, Black Headed Siskin, Blue Winged Goose, wattled Ibis.

• Overnight Goba Shebele hotel.

Day 8: Full day birding in Dinsho area and in the Amazing Afro Alpine Sanate plateau, which is a home for Ethiopian Endemic Simien fox.

• Overnight Goba Shebele hotel.

Day 9: In the morning, you will stay sometime in the Dinsho area around the head quarter for more birding. Then you will drive to Wondo Genet. After checking in to hotel in Wondo Genet, you will have walk on the hill of Wondo Genet. Some of the birds in Wondo Genet are: Endemic Fronted Parrot, Black-Headed Forest Oriole and the Abyssinian Woodpecker.

• Overnight Wondo Genet Shebele hotel.

Day 10: In the morning birding in Wondo Genet; before mid of the day drive to Awasa. After lunch birding in Awasa; Awasa is rich in bird life like Malachite King Fisher, spur winged plover, Pygmy Geese, Black Winged Love Bird, Ducks, Darters, and Cormorants are some of the birds.

.  Overnight Awasa in a hotel

Day 11: in the morning, walk along the shores of Lake Awasa and in fish market for more birding. In the afternoon drive back to Addis Ababa.

.  Overnight Addis Ababa in a hotel

Day 12: Departure.

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Marvelous – 2 (14 Days Birding)

Day 1: After breakfast set out to drive to Menagesha forest. The Abyssinian cat Bird, Banded Barbet, Golden Backed Woodpecker, Black Headed Forest Oriole and Watt led Ibis are some of the birds to be visited in Menagesha forest. When you return back to Addis Ababa by the Ambo Road, and you will stop at Gefersa water reservoir which is found to the west of Addis here it is possible to see Goose, Black Headed Siskin, Abyssinian Long Claw and watt led Ibis.

• Overnight Addis Ababa in a hotel.

Day 2: Set out early in the morning and drive to the north to the Jemma River Gorge which is one of the tributaries of Abay / Blue Nile River.

On the way, you can find many different birds, and will have a chance to see the Gelada (bleeding heart) baboon which is one of the endemic mammals of Ethiopia.

• Overnight hotel in Muke Turi town / in a lodge in Debre Libanos.

Day 3: In the morning visit different birds around Debre Libanos monastery and Portuguese bridge. In the forest around Debre Libanos church, you can expect to see Banded Barbet, Black Headed Forest Oriole, White Billed Starling, Red Billed Starling, White Winged Cliff Chat, White Black Tit, White Checked Turaco, and Hemp rich’s Horn bill.

After this, you will return back to Addis Ababa and will drive to Debre Birhane. On the way, you will have birding.

• Overnight hotel in Debre Birhane

Day 4: in the morning, you will have birding around Debre Birhan town, after this you will continue to Awash via Ankober. Around Ankober, we will look for Ankober Serin (which is very rare), Smith’s Francolin, Yellow Starling, Black- Winged Love Bird, Mountain Buzzard, Peregrine, Red-Breasted Sparrow Hawk, and Blue Rock Thrush.

• Overnight Awash in a lodge / in a hotel.

Day 5: In the morning birding in Aledeghi Wildlife Reserve.

In the afternoon birding in Awash national park.

Some of the bird species that you can find in Awash National Park are: Red-bellied Parrots, Bustards, Weavers, Hoopoe, Yellow-throated Serine, Red-fronted Barbet, Pygmy Batis, and the Lesser-striped Swallow. The park has also many mammals including the Anubis Baboon, Colobus Monkey, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox, Egyptian mongoose, Warthog, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Salt’s Dikdik, etc.

• Overnight Awash in a lodge / in a hotel.

Day 6: In the morning birding in Awash national park.

In the afternoon drive to Sodere.

In Sodere, you can visit different birds including Black Winged Love Bird, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Abyssinian cat bird and Yellow Fronted Parrot.

• Overnight Sodere resort.

Day 7: Drive from Sodere to Bale Mountains

In the morning, you will drive to Bale Mountains National Park. In Bale Mountains, you can visit endemic mammals like Mountain Nyala, Simen fox, and Menelik’s Bush Back.

In the park, expect to see the following birds: Spot Breasted Plover, Roget’s Rail, Abyssinian cat Bird, Black Headed Siskin, Blue Winged Goose, wattled Ibis.

• Overnight Goba Shebele hotel.

Day 8: Full day birding in Dinsho area and in the Amazing Afro Alpine Sanate plateau, which is a home for Ethiopian Endemic Simien fox.

• Overnight Goba Shebele hotel.

Day 9: In the morning, you will stay sometime in the Dinsho area around the head quarter for more birding. Then you will drive to Wondo Genet. After checking in to hotel in Wondo Genet, you will have walk on the hill of Wondo Genet.

Some of the birds in Wondo Genet are: Endemic Fronted Parrot, Black-Headed Forest Oriole and the Abyssinian Woodpecker.

• Overnight Wondogenet Shebele hotel.

Day 10: In the morning birding in Wondo Genet; before mid of the day drive to Awasa.

After lunch birding in Awasa; Awasa is rich in bird life like Malachite King Fisher, Spur winged plover, Pygmy Geese, Black Winged Love Bird, Ducks, Darters, and Cormorants are some of the birds.

Day 11: Drive from Awassa to Langano

In Langano area some of the species of birds that you will find are great white pelicans, cormorants, darters, storks, kingfishers, Egyptian geese, fish eagles, hornbills, weavers, bustards and many more. 

• Overnight Langano in a lodge.

Day 12: The whole day birding in Abijata-Shala national parks. Here in the park, you can see over 300 species of birds such as: Yellow Wagtails, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, Ducks, Egrets, Herons, Flamingos, Storks, Swallows, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rollers, Wheatear, African Marsh Harrier, a great number of Lesser and Greater Flamingo.

• Overnight Langano in a lodge.

Day 13: In the morning after breakfast drive to Debre Zeit

On this day, you will have birding in Zeway, along the roadside of, Awash River, and at Koka Dam.

Some of the birds that you will find are: Yellow Billed Stork, African Pygmy Geese, Storks, White pelicans, Fish Eagles, Marabous, Sacred Ibis are some of the species.

• Overnight Debre Zeit in a hotel.

Day 14: In the morning, you will have birding in Debre Zeit; the birds that are expected to be seen in Debre Zeit are:

White-faced Whistling Duck, Yellow Wagtail, Blacksmith Lapwing, Great Goshawk. Little Egret, Marabou, Little Bee Eater. Tawny (Steppe) Eagle, Martial Eagle, Laughing Dove. Grey Woodpecker. Black-headed Batiks, Blue-breasted Bee-Eater, Yellow-billed Stork, Spur-winged Goose. Ring-necked Dove, Egyptian Goose, Cattle Egret, Eurasian Coot, Grey Heron.

In the afternoon, you will drive back to Addis Ababa.

In the evening after dinner: Departure back home.

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Marvelous -3 (19 Days Birding)

Day 1: After breakfast, we set out to drive to Menagesha forest.

Bird Watchers from USA + Australia

The Abyssinian cat Bird, Banded Barbet, Golden Backed Woodpecker, Black Headed Forest Oriole and Watt led Ibis are some of the birds that you can see in this forest. After lunch, return to Addis Ababa by the Ambo road and will have a stop at Gefersa water reservoir which is found to the west of Addis. It is possible to see Goose, Black Headed Siskin, Abyssinian Long Claw and watt led Ibis are some of the birds seen.

• Overnight Addis Ababa in a hotel.

Day 2: Early in the morning drive to the north, when you arrive at a town called Muke Turi, take the right road leaving the asphalt and drive further to the Jemma River gorge which is one of the tributaries of Abay /Blue Nile River.

On the way, you can find many different birds, and will have a chance to see the Gelada (bleeding heart) baboon which is one of the endemic mammals of Ethiopia.

• Overnight hotel in Muke Turi town / lodge in Debre Libanos.

Day 3: In the morning visit different birds in the forest around Debre Libanos monastery church and around Portuguese bridge. In this area you can expect to see Banded Barbet, Black Headed Forest Oriole, White Billed Starling, Red Billed Starling, White Winged Cliff Chat, White Black Tit, White Checked Turaco, and Hemp Rich’s Horn Bill. You will have also a chance to see the endemic mammal Gelada baboon. After this you will drive to Debre Birhane town via Addis Ababa (230km) for overnight.

On the way to Debre birhane, you will see many birds including the endemic Blue Winged goose bird.

• Overnight Debre Birhane in a hotel.

Day 4: In the morning, you will have birding around Debre Birhan town, after this you will continue to Awash via Ankober. Around Ankober, we will look for Ankober Serin (which is very rare), Smith’s Francolin, Yellow Starling, Black- Winged Love Bird, Mountain Buzzard, Peregrine, Red-Breasted Sparrow Hawk, and Blue Rock Thrush.

• Overnight Awash in a lodge / in a hotel.

Day 5: In the morning birding in Aledeghi Wildlife Reserve.

Some of the notable bird species that found in Aledeghi plains are: Ostrich, Arabian Bustard, Kori Bustard, Grasshopper Buzzard and Carmine Bee-eater.In the afternoon you will have birding in Awash national park; Over 350 species of birds have been recorded in the Awash savanna grass land including, Abyssinian Roller, Secretary birds, Abyssinian Ground Horn Bill, Carmine Bee Eater, Coucal, Go Away birds, Kori Bustard, Shrikes, Swallow- Tailed kite, Carmine Bee Eater, Orange Billed Parrot, Lilack Breasted Roller, Lappet Faced Vulture are some of the birds seen.

• Overnight Awash in a lodge / in a hotel.

Day 6: In the morning, you will have time for more birding in Awash national park.

In the afternoon, you will drive to Sodere having a stop at Lake Beseka.

In Sodere, you can visit different birds including Black Winged Love Bird, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Abyssinian cat bird and Yellow Fronted Parrot.

• Overnight Sodere Resort.

Day 7: After breakfast, you will drive to Langano.

Drive to Lake Langano with birding stops at Koka Dam, Awash River, and Lake Ziway. The expected birds to see are the African Pygmy Goose, Black-billed Wood hoopoe, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Northern Black Tit, Little Weaver, Yellow-billed storks, Collared Pratincole, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, White Pelicans, Fish Eagles, and crowned common cranes, Marabus and many more.

• Overnight Langano in a lodge.

Day 8: Birding the whole day in Langano area and in Abijata-Shala national parks. Over 300 species can be seen around Lake Abijata-Shala park such as Yellow Wagtails, Ibis, Cormorant, Pelicans, Ducks, Egrets, Herons, Flamingos, Storks, Swallows, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rollers, Wheatear, and African Marsh Harrier.

• Overnight Langano in a lodge.

Day 9: In the morning, birding in Bishangari area around the lodge. After this, you will drive to Wondo Genet and in the afternoon; you will walk on the hills to see the black headed Forest Oriole, Abyssinian Woodpecker, and the Endemic Yellow Fronted Parrot.

• Overnight Shebele hotel

Day 10: Leave Wondogenet for Bale mountains National Park where you can visit endemic mammals like Mountain Nyala, Simen fox, and Menelik’s Bush Back.

In the park, expect to see the following birds, Spot Breasted Plover, Roget’s Rail, Abyssinian Cat Bird, Black Headed Siskin, Blue Winged Goose, wattled Ibis.

• Overnight Goba in Shebele hotel.

Day 11: Full day birding in Dinsho area and in the Amazing Afro Alpine Sanate plateau, which is a home for Ethiopian Endemic Simien fox.

• Overnight Goba Shebele hotel.

Day 12: Drive to Borena Negelle passing the Haranna area covered with dense forest and Dolo Mena.

 On the way to Dolo Mena, you can find birds including White Checked Turaco and Golden Backed Woodpecker.

After passing Genale river you can find Prince Rus Police Turaco from its habitat.

• Overnight Negelle in a hotel.

Day 13: After breakfast drive some 15 km to look for Sidamo Lark (endemic) and other birds.

• Overnight, Negelle in a hotel.

Day 14: Early in the morning, you will drive to Yabello, on the way many stops for birding.

• Overnight Yabelo in a hotel.

Day 15: In the morning birding in Yabelo sanctuary to see White Tailed Swallow, the endemic Stress Mann’s Bush Crow and many more birds. In the afternoon drive to Dila for overnight.

• Overnight Dilla in a lodge.

Day 16: After breakfast, you will drive to Awasa having a stop in Yirgalem for birding.

In Awasa you will see many birds including Malachite King Fisher, Spur Winged Plover, Pygmy Geese, Black winged Love Bird, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Bare Faced Go Away are some of the birds.

• Overnight Awasa in a hotel.

Day 17: In the morning you will have birding along the shores of Lake Awasa and on fish market. In the afternoon, you will have boat trip to see the hippos.

• Overnight Awasa in a hotel.

Day 18: Morning after breakfast you will drive to Debre Zeit. In Debre zeit, you will have birding. In the afternoon, you will drive back to Addis Ababa (40km).

• Overnight Addis Ababa in a hotel.

Day 19: Departure.

Rosy-patched Bush-Shrike bird.
Email: marvelousethiopia@gmail.com

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Marvelous – 4 ( Birding Tour up to 20 Days)

For birding Tour request be it One Day, Two Days, Three Days … up to 20 Days, please contact me.

Email: eyassudagnew@yahoo.com / marvelousethiopia@gmail.com  

Categories: SHORT DAY TOURS, ETHIOPIA
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