DATES TO BE RELEASED
Join well known animal behaviour expert Professor Peter Neville and Africa specialist and safari guide Andrew Rae on this one of a kind safari. The focus will be on Africa’s most endangered large carnivore…the enigmatic Ethiopian Wolf.
Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most evocative and unique destinations…come and trek the two famous montane regions with us, The Bale and Simien ranges and experience their plethora of endemic wildlife wonders.
This is the horn of Africa at its absolute best!
HIGHLIGHTS
- Addis Ababa cultural experience
- Three days of Ethiopian Wolf viewing on the Senetti Plateau
- Bird watching at the limestone caverns of Sof Omar
- Touring the sites of Gondar
- Simien Mountain Trekking to Sankabar
- Trekking to Geech…Gelada Baboons, Walia Ibex
- Game viewing in Imet Gogo
- Trek through Bhawit Pass
- Peak of Ras Dashen
Day 1: ARRIVAL & ADDIS ABABA CITY TOUR
On arrival in Addis Ababa we will meet you at Bole International Airport. After settling in to the hotel and a bite of lunch we have the option of visiting the national museum (home of Lucy, a hominid skeleton dating back 3.2 million years) .We can also visit the ethnological museum, which was the former palace of Haile Selassie and then proceed to Mount Entoto for a panoramic view of Addis Ababa and some sundowners.
Accommodation: Skylight hotel or similar
Meals: Full Board
Day 2: ADDIS – BALE MOUNTAINS
Morning drive to Bale Mountain National Park, upon arrival in Dinsho we will arrange and acquire equipment for a short easy trek to explore the area with high concentrations of Mountain Nyala, Menelik’s Bushbuck, and other endemics.
Accommodation: Bale Lodge or similar
Meals: Full Board
Day 3,4,5: SENETTI PLATEAU
Drive to the Senetti Plateau, the second highest point in Ethiopia to look for Ethiopian Wolf. We enjoy three days of intensive viewing of these fascinating and endangered large canids.
Accommodation: Bale Lodge or similar
Meals: Full Board
Day 6: SOF OMAR
Early breakfast and a drive to Sof Omar, a vast network of limestone caverns, the largest in Africa, about 100km east of the Bale Mountains at an elevation 1300m. It has been shaped by the Web River, descending from the Bale Highlands to the flat arid plains that stretch to the Somali Border. The underground chamber, watered by the Web River is 16km long, the limestone pillars that support the caverns are up to 20m high.
Accommodation: Bale Lodge or similar
Meals: Full Board
Day 7: BALE – GONDAR
Transfer back to Addis and a flight to the medieval town of Gondar. Explore the sites of Gondar, including a visit to the Royal Enclosure, with six castles and several other ancient buildings. Additionally, visit Fasilidas’s Pool, still used for Timket celebrations today, Ras Gimb Palace Museum and the Debre Birhan Selassie church, with the most famous ceiling in Ethiopia.
Accommodation: Gondar Hills Resort or similar
Meals: Full Board
Day 8: SIMIEN MOUNTAIN TREKKING TO SANKABAR
In the morning, we head for the north through the high plateaus. The first mountain landscapes typical of the region are revealed little by little. It is by a beautiful trail at the end of the day that we acquire our first campsite…Sankaber.
Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Full Board
Day 9: TREKKING TO GEECH
We start a beautiful day trek between Sankaber and Geech. The trail proceeds along the vast escarpment, first slightly uphill before starting a descent to the big waterfall of Jinbar, one of the park’s most amazing waterfalls. Keep your eyes open for Gelada Baboons, Klipspringer, and a variety of endemic birds. Crossing barley fields and a climb through the giant lobelias to reach Geech (traditional houses) a Muslim village in an Orthodox-majority region. A last effort before reaching our camp at 3600M altitude, Optional trek to view point Kedadit
Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Full Board
Day 10: IMET GOGO INATYE-CHENEK
Early breakfast and a gradual rise to the vast plateau through the Afro-alpine meadow and giant lobelias to Imet Gogo (3926M), the summit above the escarpment, This unique rocky promontory grants a 360 degree views over the Simien Range and the playground of the Lammergeyer or Bearded Vulture. Along the ridge line and an impressive gorge, we look for Walia Ibex and, if we’re very lucky, Ethiopian Wolf.
Eventually we arrive at the top of Inatye (4070M), the first 4000m point of the trip, offering a splendid viewpoint over the surrounding, plunging cliffs, deep valleys and small plateaus … Lastly a descent to point Chenek (3620M). Several colonies of gelada baboons inhabit the area.
Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Full Board
Day 11: BHAWIT PASS – MESHA RIVER – AMBIKO
A long and beautiful day trek which first leads to the Bhawit Pass, at 4200M altitude. After going up a valley dotted with giant lobelia, the view stretches to all the surrounding peaks including Ras Dashen (4543M), the highest point of the country. A long descent follows into a valley and across the terraced barley crops, before reaching the large village of Chiro Leba (3300M) and Mesha River (2750M) At lower altitudes, sisal and euphorbia emerge. After crossing the river, a last climb to reach our camp in the village of Ambiko (3200M).
Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Full Board
Day 12: RAS DASHEN
An early start before the ascent to Ras Dashen at 4543M, the mountain landscapes are beautiful, dotted with giant lobelia.
A beautiful descent, on the eastern slope, through the giant lobelias follows back to Ambiko to relax
Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Full Board
Day 13: BACK TO CHENEK
Another early start from Ambiko, returning to Chenek where a vehicle will be waiting to take us back to Gondar
Accommodation: Gondar Hills Resort or similar
Meals: Full Board
Day 14: ADDIS ABABA/ DEPARTURE
In the morning, transfer to the airport for the return flight back to Addis Ababa. Later we visit Mercato, one of Africa’s largest outdoor markets and enjoy shopping in the city. In the evening we will experience a traditional farewell dinner in an Ethiopian restaurant famous for cultural performances from the different ethnic groups.
Accommodation: Skylight hotel or similar
Meals: Full Board
Please note:
- Suggested accommodation may be change depending on the availability at the time of booking.