At dawn you depart into the undulating Sululta Plains, a seasonal wetland alive with dabbling ducks and darting herons. Ascending to the 13th-century Debre Libanos Monastery, scan the cliff-edge skies for ghostly Lammergeiers, powerful Verreaux’s Eagles, and soaring Rüppell’s Vultures against basalt cliffs. Below, the Blue Nile Gorge yawns like a miniature Grand Canyon—each bend of the river carved in ruby hues. As dusk falls, settle into C-Lale Resort in Fiche, where gentle breezes cool a day of spectacular cliffside birding.

Accommodation: C-Lale Resort in Fiche/German Lodge

As dawn spills molten gold across the rippling grasses of Jemma Valley, you’ll find yourself surrounded by a living tapestry of song and color: Ethiopian Wheatears flit among sun-warmed stones, Harwood’s Francolins slip into the riverine reeds, and swirling flocks of Ethiopian Siskins choreograph a ballet above pine-fringed escarpments.

By mid-morning you’ll leave these highland pastures behind for the sparkling crater lakes of Bishoftu, where the glassy waters of Lake Hora shimmer beneath papyrus wings, African Jacanas pirouette on lily pads, and Pink-backed Pelicans drift like drifting clouds. A lakeside feast of warm injera, tangy cheese and sun-ripened fruit will replenish your spirit before you venture on to Lake Kuriftu, where Grey-headed Gulls wheel overhead and sleek African Darters sun themselves on ancient driftwood. As afternoon light softens, you’ll ascend to Babo Gaya Viewpoint Lodge—perched atop a volcanic cone—where twin crater lakes glow like liquid gems against a tapestry of rolling foothills. Here, with a glass of local wine in hand and the horizon ablaze in sunset fire, you’ll toast a day of highland wonders that will echo in your dreams.
Accommodation: Babo Gaya Viewpoint Lodge

At first light, you’ll leave the volcanic hills of Debre Zeit (Bishoftu) behind and roll southward through patchwork farmland and acacia-lined roads toward Koka Reservoir—a shimmering expanse of water that glows like liquid sapphire under Ethiopia’s highland sun. Stepping onto the grassy banks, scan the papyrus fringes for elegant African Jacanas teetering on lily pads and the sleek flash of Malachite Kingfishers diving for minnows. In the shallows, statuesque Goliath Herons and purple-plumed Purple Herons stalk their prey, while flocks of Great White Pelicans drift overhead like drifting clouds.

After a picnic lunch beside the reservoir’s mirror-calm waters, continue to Lake Ziway, where the air is filled with the trumpeting calls of Greater and Lesser Flamingos painting the shoreline coral-pink. Eye-level with reed beds, you’ll spot the shy Papyrus Gonolek bursting from papyrus stems, and if you’re lucky, the ghostly silhouette of an African Fish Eagle perched atop a dead snag. As the afternoon light softens, return to shore and climb aboard a traditional boat for one last glide through the reeds, keeping watch for diving African Darters and skittering Blacksmith Lapwings.

Accommodation: Haile Hotel Ziwai

Under a copper sunrise, you’ll wander the saline flats of Lake Abijatta, where clouds of Lesser Flamingos paint the shoreline coral-pink and White-winged Cliffchats flit on sun-bleached rocks. Across the narrow isthmus at Lake Shalla, acacia-dotted savannah unfurls, home to secretive Abyssinian Ground Thrushes and proud Egyptian Geese. By afternoon, hot springs steam at Borati Resort, inviting you to soak as the air cools and nightjars begin their twilight chorus.

Accommodation: Borati Resort

At 05:00 you’ll slip out of Borati Resort under a sky still strewn with stars, heading up the winding road to Wondo Genet. By dawn’s glow, the forest canopy stirs with the bubbly whistles of Abyssinian Crimson-wings and the rumbling calls of White-cheeked Turacos. In moss-clad clearings, watch for the furtive Lemon Dove and catch the flash of iridescent green on Grey-headed Kingfishers.

By 10:00, a riverside brunch of steamy injera wraps and fresh fruit awaits, fuel for the journey ahead. At 11:00 you’ll depart Wondo Genet, rolling south through undulating tea terraces and eucalyptus-lined lanes. Along the way, acacia groves echo with the chitter of Speckled Mousebirds, and the open fields may yield Chestnut-headed Sparrow-larks and perched Northern Black Flycatchers.

As afternoon light softens, arrive in Dilla—a coffee-belt town perched on a green ridge. Spend late afternoon birding the estate roads for African Paradise Flycatchers darting above banana plantations and Yellow-throated Greenbuls calling from vine-entwined hedgerows.

At sunset, check in at Dilla Kuriftu Hotel, where panoramic balconies overlook rolling coffee farms. Over a candlelit dinner of local wats and injera, share today’s forest-to-highland highlights. Fall asleep to the distant hoot of nightjars, ready for tomorrow’s next frontier of Ethiopian birding.

Accommodation: Dilla Kuriftu Hotel

At first light, depart Dilla’s mist-tipped coffee farms and head south along the Negele Road. Rolling green plantations give way to sun-baked acacia scrub as you cross 170 km of changing landscapes in just under 4 hours. Along the way, keep your bins trained on roadside hedgerows for flocks of Chestnut-headed Sparrow-larks, hovering Grasshopper Buzzards, and chattering Speckled Mousebirds.

Mid-morning arrival at the gate of Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary opens onto a golden sea of grass punctuated by termite mounds and rocky kopjes. After a quick field-lunch of injera wraps and honey-wine, plunge into your first guided safari on foot :

• Stresemann’s Bush-Crow– Watch for its pale-gray silhouette against termite mounds at the sanctuary’s western edge.
  • White-tailed Swallow– Catch these slender swallows weaving through the afternoon thermals.
  • Vulturine Guinea-fowl & Somali Ostrich – Scan open plains for their striking patterns and towering necks.
  • Kori Bustard – Seek out this world’s heaviest flying bird striding on the soda pans at dusk.

Accommodation: Yabelo  Hotel

Before dawn you’ll cross into Liben Plains, an endless sea of golden grass where the critically endangered Sidamo Lark springs from the earth like a living flame. Beneath acacia silhouettes, slender Temminck’s Coursers flash across open veldt, and near watering holes you may glimpse the stately Kori Bustard striding through tawny stalks. The plains seem to stretch to infinity, each bird encounter a gift in this conservation crown jewel. You’ll spend the night at Turaco Hotel, dreaming of tomorrow’s highland heights.

Accommodation: Turaco Hotel

Rainforest Canopy Treasures

Descend through swirling mists into Harenna Forest’s emerald cathedral. Beneath towering wild figs, the emerald-and-scarlet flash of Prince Ruspoli’s Turacos and the ruby gleam of Abyssinian Crimson-wings captivate your gaze. Listen for the delicate trill of the Yellow-fronted Parrot and the haunting hoo-hoo of a Cape Eagle-Owl at dusk.

Late afternoon, return to Nuu Robe Hotel, where the air is thick with the fragrance of moss and orchids. Over a forest-themed dinner, celebrate today’s discoveries before turning in for a night serenaded by unseen nocturnal choruses.

Accommodation: Nuu Robe Hotel

Your 4WD plunges through swirling cloud into the emerald cathedral of Harenna Forest, alive with dripping epiphytes and singing birds. Here, the crimson-and-green flourish of Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco flickers among ancient wild figs, while the haunting hoots of the Cape Eagle-Owl echo at dusk. Tiny flocks of Abyssinian Crimson-wings flash red in fern-knotted clearings, and if you pause long enough, the rare Montane Nightjar may ghost past on silent wings. Candlelit conversation and wild-honey mead await at Nuu Robe Hotel, deep in the forest’s hush.

Accommodation: Nuu Robe Hotel

At first light you’ll drive onto the windswept Sanetti Plateau, one of Africa’s loftiest plateaus above 4,000 m. Beneath sweeping skies, hardened Spot-breasted Lapwings scuttle through frost-ed grass, and the endemic Blue-winged Goose paddles misty tarns. The elusive Abyssinian Long-claw may dart across the moor, its fluttering chestnut wings igniting the dawn. After a day above the clouds, return to Nuu Robe Hotel, where roaring hearth fires beckon and stars glimmer like frozen dew.

Accommodation: Nuu Robe Hotel

Descending from the heights, you’ll enter Awash National Park, a sun-baked realm of flame-lit acacias and jagged lava fields. Beneath a sapphire sky, watch for the hulking Arabian Bustard striding the plains, while black-and-white Egyptian Vultures drift above volcanic ridges. In dense shrub, the melodious call of the Red-backed Scrub-Robin rings out as you scan for desert endemics. When evening cools, you’ll camp beneath glittering constellations at Genet Hotel, warmed by bonfire tales.

Accommodation: Genet Hotel

Your morning game drive into Alideghi Wildlife Reserve reveals vast savannahs where shapely Somali Fiscals perch on thorny bushes, and sky-blue Grasshopper Buzzards hover in thermal updrafts. Distant trumpeting heralds herds of antelope, while ground-nesting White-bellied Bustards strut in golden grass. As the sun dips low, settle in at Doho Lodge, its verandas overlooking watering holes where wildlife gathers.

Accommodation: Doho Lodge

On your last full day, wind back through rolling highlands, pausing at hidden wetlands for one final glimpse of highland specialties like the Brown-rumped Seedeater, African Citril, and colonial Rüppell’s Weaver flitting among village gardens. Golden light bathes eucalyptus stands as you reminisce on the 850 species you’ve encountered. Back in the capital, you’ll enjoy a farewell dinner that brings together local flavors and birding stories under Addis’s starry sky.

Accommodation: Azzeman Hotel

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Day 15: Farewell Cultural Dinner & Departure

Before your transfer to Bole International Airport, immerse yourself in an authentic Ethiopian coffee ceremony, where spiced roast beans fill the air and laughter echoes around low-smoked braziers. Savor your last taste of injera, doro wat, and tibs alongside vibrant Eskista dance performances. As drums pulse and coffee cups clink, you’ll carry Ethiopia’s wild heart—and its irreplaceable birdlife—into your next great adventure.

Accommodation: None

Ready to witness over 850 birds—many found nowhere else on Earth—and landscapes that redefine “spectacular”? Book your expedition now! End of Tour