Ethiopia

Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Debre Zeyit/Bishoftu

Welcome to Ethiopia, a land of striking contrasts! Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you’ll be met by your guide and transferred southeast to Debre Zeyit (Bishoftu), a scenic town nestled among crater lakes. Along the way, learn about Ethiopia’s unique history, cultures, and landscapes—from the highlands and Rift Valley lakes to the legendary Blue Nile.

At Bishoftu, stroll the lodge gardens where Speckled Mousebird, Black-winged Lovebird(E), African Paradise Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher, Green-backed Camaroptera, Heuglin’s White-eye, and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu may appear. Enjoy a traditional Ethiopian dinner, including injera with wat and tibs, accompanied by locally brewed coffee, as you settle in for your first night.

Day 2-3: Bishoftu Lakes

Spend two full days exploring the crater lakes of Babogaya, Chelekleka, and Hora. Birding here spans lake shores, grasslands, and lodge gardens, providing a rich mix of central highlands species. Endemics and near-endemics include Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Rüppell’s Weaver, African Citril, Beautiful and Tacazze Sunbird, Black-billed and Banded Barbet, Black-winged Lovebird, Erlanger’s Lark, Wattled Ibis, Ethiopian Boubou, White-billed Starling, Ethiopian Cisticola, and Rüppell’s Black Chat.

Waterbird hotspots abound: Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Garganey, Tufted Duck, Maccoa Duck, and White-backed Duck are possible, along with African Spoonbill, Pink-backed Pelican, Hamerkop, Squacco Heron, and Black Crake. Grasslands may yield Northern Red Bishop, Red-rumped Swallow, Red-billed Quelea, and Abyssinian White-eye.

This area can deliver over 100 species in a single day—a thrilling introduction to Ethiopia’s endemic-rich avifauna. Evening dinners overlook the lakes as flocks settle for the night.

Day 4: Bishoftu to Awash National Park

An early morning birding session at Lake Hora and Chelekleka rounds out central highlands targets before a scenic drive to Awash National Park. Stop along the way for Striolated Bunting, Blackstart, and the elusive Sombre Rock Chat.

Awash’s acacia woodlands, grasslands, and volcanic landscapes host Beisa Oryx, Soemmerring’s Gazelle, Gerenuk, Greater and Lesser Kudu, and Spotted Hyena. Birding highlights include six bustard species (Kori, Arabian, Buff-crested, White-bellied, Black-bellied, Hartlaub’s), Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Gillett’s Lark, Somali Ostrich, Abyssinian and Lilac-breasted Roller, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Yellow-breasted Barbet, Greater Honeyguide, Somali Fiscal, Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Shining Sunbird, Nile Valley Sunbird, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, and Red-billed Quelea.

Overnight in Awash town, with a chance to enjoy local cuisine after updating your bird list.

Day 5: Aledeghi Wildlife Reserve to Nazret

Explore Aledeghi Reserve, a remote 1,800 km² wilderness of grasslands, wooded rises, and mountains. Key birds include Arabian Bustard, Secretarybird, Martial and Short-toed Snake Eagle, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Chestnut-bellied, Yellow-throated, and Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Crested Francolin, Red-throated and Little Bee-eater, Blue-naped Mousebird, Rüppell’s and Superb Starling, Northern Wheatear, Tawny Pipit, and African Silverbill.

Mammal highlights include endangered Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx, Soemmerring’s Gazelle, Gerenuk, Desert Warthog, Hamadryas Baboon, and with luck, Lion or Cheetah. Cultural encounters with the local Afar people enrich the experience before heading to Nazret for the night.

Day 6: Lake Ziway and Rift Valley Lakes

Birding stops at Lake Ziway reveal Black Crowned Crane, Saddle-billed Stork, Lesser Jacana, African Fish Eagle, Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Pink-backed Pelican, African Spoonbill, Knob-billed Duck, Southern Pochard, African Pygmy Goose, Black Crake, and Kittlitz’s, Caspian, and Whiskered Tern.

The surrounding Acacia woodlands and wetlands provide opportunities for Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Pied Kingfisher, Yellow-crowned Bishop, Red-throated Pipit, Brown-throated Martin, and Village Weaver (abyssinicus subspecies). Overnight in Ziway near the lakeshore.

Day 7: Lake Langano and Shashemene

Lake Langano offers open shoreline, Acacia woodland, and scrub habitats. Birds include Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black-billed Woodhoopoe, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Clapperton’s Francolin, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Rufous-necked Wryneck, Bearded and Cardinal Woodpecker, Black-winged Lovebird(E), Buff-bellied Warbler, Red-faced Crombec, Western Black-headed Batis, White-rumped Babbler, White-winged Black Tit, Mocking Cliff-Chat, Beautiful Sunbird, and White-headed Buffalo-Weaver.

We continue to Shashemene for the night.

Day 8: Shashemene to Dinsho, Bale Mountains National Park

Drive approximately five hours into the Bale Mountains, climbing into highland forests. Targets en route include Blue-winged Goose(E), Wattled Ibis(E), Rouget’s Rail(E), Spot-breasted Lapwing, and Cape Eagle-Owl.

Afternoon birding near Dinsho focuses on Chestnut-naped Francolin(E), Abyssinian Owl, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher(E), Ethiopian Boubou(E), Brown-rumped Seedeater, White-backed Black Tit, Thick-billed Raven, Ethiopian Siskin(E), and Abyssinian Catbird(E). Mammals include Mountain Nyala, endemic Bushbuck (meneliki subspecies), and Desert Warthog. Overnight near the park.

Day 9: Sanetti Plateau and Lake Awassa

Early morning exploration of the Sanetti Plateau (3,800–4,377 m) reveals Afro-alpine endemics: Blue-winged Goose, Rouget’s Rail, Spot-breasted Lapwing, Chestnut-naped and Moorland Francolin, Abyssinian Longclaw, White-collared Pigeon, Wattled Crane, Wattled Ibis, African Snipe, Thekla’s Lark, Moorland Chat, and Red-breasted Wheatear.

Return to Lake Awassa for late afternoon birding in woodland, wetlands, and lakeshore habitats. Species include African Spotted Creeper, Red-headed Weaver, Black-billed Wood Hoopoe, Double-toothed Barbet, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Western Black-headed Batis, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Northern Puffback, and African Paradise Flycatcher. Mammals such as Grivet Monkey and Guereza (Black-and-white Colobus) are also present.

Day 10: Awassa Lake

Spend a full day exploring Awassa’s lake and wetland habitats, including the lively fish market. Highlights include Marabou Stork, Great White Pelican, Pink-backed Pelican, Hamerkop, African Sacred Ibis, Black-headed, Grey-headed, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, African Pygmy Goose, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Senegal Thick-knee, Squacco Heron, Goliath Heron, Black Heron, Blue-headed Coucal, Red-faced Cisticola, Lesser Swamp Warbler, and Common Waxbill.

Day 11: Awassa to Yabelo

Journey south through the Sidamo coffee region into Acacia savanna near Yabelo. Focused birding for endemic and threatened species includes Stresemann’s Bushcrow and White-tailed Swallow, alongside Gabar Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Vulturine Guineafowl, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Tree Pipit, Spotted Palm Thrush, African Grey Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Hunter’s Sunbird, and Shining Sunbird.

Day 12-14: Yabelo–Arero–Mega Triangle

Three days of intensive birding in the arid southern savannas. Endemics and local specials include Stresemann’s Bushcrow, White-tailed Swallow, Ruspoli’s Turaco, Black-fronted Spurfowl, Somali Courser, Three-banded Courser, Foxy Lark, Boran Cisticola, Somali and Taita Fiscal, Red-naped Bushshrike, Pringle’s Puffback, Pale Prinia, Scaly Chatterer, Somali Bee-eater, Masked Lark, Pink-breasted Lark, Heuglin’s Bustard, and Quail-plover (rare).

Weavers, starlings, and finches abound: Speke’s Weaver, Chestnut Weaver, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Black-capped Social Weaver, Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver, Somali Sparrow, Purple Grenadier, Green-winged Pytilia, Black-faced Waxbill, Straw-tailed Whydah, Steel-blue Whydah, Golden-breasted Starling, Magpie Starling, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Kenya Violet-backed Sunbird, and Hunter’s Sunbird. Mammals include Grant’s Gazelle, Grévy’s Zebra, Gerenuk, and Somali Ostrich.

Day 15-16: Wondo Genet

Climbing back into the southern highlands, birding in Wondo Genet’s forest patches targets Scaly Spurfowl, African Emerald Cuckoo, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Brown Parisoma, African Spotted Creeper, Bamboo Warbler, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Lemon Dove, Green-backed Honeyguide, Abyssinian Woodpecker(E), Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Ethiopian Oriole, Brown Woodland Warbler, Narina Trogon, Green Twinspot, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher(E), Tambourine Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Grey Cuckooshrike, Slender-billed and Sharpe’s Starling, Eurasian Blackcap, Northern Puffback, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Thick-billed Weaver, Bronze Mannikin, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, and Half-collared Kingfisher.

The forest is also home to Guereza (Black-and-white Colobus) and Grivet Monkey. Relaxation is possible in natural hot spring pools before transferring to Shashemene for the night.

Day 17: Abijatta-Shalla National Park to Addis Ababa

Birding along the Rift Valley lakes of Abijatta and Shalla offers waterbirds including Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Northern Shoveler, Southern Pochard, Cape Teal, Abdim’s Stork, Senegal Thick-knee, Collared Pratincole, Western Yellow Wagtail, various terns, plovers, and gulls. Woodland species include Western Banded Snake Eagle, Greyish Eagle-Owl, Black-billed Woodhoopoe, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Clapperton’s Spurfowl, Red-throated Wryneck, Bearded and Cardinal Woodpecker, Brubru, Black-crowned Tchagra, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Black-winged Lovebird(E), Buff-bellied Warbler, Red-faced Crombec, Western Black-headed Batis, African and Little Rock Thrush, Red-billed Oxpecker, White-rumped Babbler, White-winged Black Tit, Mocking Cliff-Chat, Beautiful and Marico Sunbird, and White-headed Buffalo Weaver.

Mammals such as Grant’s Gazelle, Oribi, and occasionally Spotted Hyena may also be observed. Transfer to Addis Ababa International Airport for your evening departure, concluding an unforgettable Ethiopia birding tour.