Village - Ethiopia

VE 005B, 12 days, Rift Valley Lakes, Nechisar National Park, Konso, Yabello and Wondo Genet

Day 1: Depart London pm on Ethiopian Airlines.

Day 2: Arrive Addis Ababa, transfer to Ghion Hotel.

Visit to Entoto National Park. See Day 2 of VE 001B for a description of this day's activities.

Day 3: Today we head south down the Ethiopian Rift Valley, passing Lakes Koka and Zwai, and stopping for an overnight at Lake Langano. For this day's activities see Day 3 of VE 001B.

Day 4: Continue south to Lake Awassa - see Day 4 of VE 001B for this day's activities. o/n Wabe Shebelle.

Day 5: After an early morning visit to the fish market, we head west through the rolling countryside of Wolaita, and after Sodo turn south for Arba Minch. Lakes Abaya and Chamo are the southernmost of Ethiopia's Rift Valley Lakes, and are separated by a narrow stretch of forested land known locally as “the bridge of heaven”. We will explore part of this forest after checking into our hotel at Arba Minch, and the “40 springs” from which the town is named. o/n Bekele Molla Hotel.

Day 6: Full day with picnic lunch in the park, named after the “white grass” found on the Nechisar plains. The main habitats are the lakes, their shorelines, the ground water forest and connecting river, the dry grassy plains, thick bushland and wooded valleys and the foothills of the Amaro mountains to the east. The plains of Nechisar support three rare species, the Nechisar Nightjar, Northern White-tailed Bush Lark, and Star-spotted Nightjar, while two other night jars can be seen here, Dusky Nightjar and Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar. Species found in the bushlands include Black-billed Wood Hoopoe, Taita Fiscal, and Boran Cisticola. Other notable species recorded at Nechisar include: Lesser Kestrel, Pallid Harrier, Lesser Flamingo, Cuckoo Hawk, Bat Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kite, Lammergeyer, Ovambo Sparrow Hawk, Archer's Grey-wing, Finfoot, Scarce Swift, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, and Stripe-breasted Seed-eater. Among the wildlife species recorded are : Swayne's Hartebeest, Burchell's Zebra, Grant's Gazelle, Greater Kudu, Leopard, Guenther's Dikdik, Klipspringer, Crocodile, Hippopotamus, Gerbil and African Hunting Dog. o/n Bekele Molla Hotel.

Day 7: We drive south to Konso, whose people are known for their intricately terraced hillsides, fine woven materials and the carved totems with which they decorate their graves. We will be birding in the hills to the west of village, which are circled by the Segen River. 120 species have been recorded here, including, Lammergeyer, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Grey-headed Silverbill, Stripe-breasted Seed-eater, and both yellow and white-vented forms of the Common Bulbul. o/n fly tent or local hotel.

Day 8: We head east to Yabello, and the main north south road. The species we can expect to see en route are typical of those found near the Yabello reserve, see Day 6 of VE 004B. o/n fly tent or local hotel Yabello.

Day 9: Full day with picnic lunch in the Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary, where 210 species were recorded in 1996. See Day 6 of VE 004B. o/n fly tent or local hotel Yabello.

Day 10: We head north back up the Rift Valley, arriving in Wondo Genet mid-afternoon. Wondo Genet is a hot spring resort set in forested hills. See Day 8 of VE 001B for information about this site. o/n Wondo Genet Lodge.

Day 11: We head back to Addis Ababa, birding en route. We will take our lunch in Debre Zeit, and later visit Green Lake (Maccoa Duck, Cape Teal, Red-billed Duck, possibly White-winged Cliff Chat and Red-breasted Wry Neck), before leaving for Addis Ababa, arriving back in time for souvenir shopping. o/n Ghion Hotel.

Day 12: Transfer to the airport for mid day departure.

For those visitors arriving on Lufthansa or Alitalia:

Departure (from Europe) and arrival will be on Day 1. On Day 2 a full rather than half-day will be spent with picnic lunch in the Entoto National Park. (If clients wish, we can visit the Entoto National Park on horseback.) On Day 11 we can spend a little longer around Debre Zeit, visiting the Chelekleke Wetlands, before returning to Addis Ababa. On Day 12 there will be a morning excursion to Gefersa reservoir, some 20 km west of the city, where we can expect to see Rouget's Rail, Abyssinian Longclaw, Blue-winged Goose and Black-headed Siskin. Rest of afternoon at leisure (day rooms will be hired). Souvenir shopping can be arranged. Depart late evening.