Duration
9-Day
Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
In keeping with Ethiopia's status as a land of startling contrasts, Bale Mountains National Park is a land of rugged mountains, cloud-dampened alpine forests, and the country's largest concentration of large mammals. Known for its lush forests and high concentration of mammals, Bale Mountains National Park is the perfect destination for hikers, wildlife lovers, and nature enthusiasts. Here you can find stunning views of gorges, lakes, streams, waterfalls and volcanic ridges.
Plan snapshot
Duration
9-Day
Route
Addis Ababa to Addis Ababa (City)
Via Bale Mountains NP, Lake Langano
Country & park
Ethiopia / Bale Mountains National Park
Style
Shared safari
Group size
1-12 travelers
Starts
Any day if available
Minimum age
13 years
Activities
walking safaris (with an armed guide) & nature hikes/walks
Accommodation
Da'amat Hotel - Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – Dinner Included
Meals
Dinner Included; All Meals Included
Pickup
Airport transfer included
Booking
Request quote
Currency
USD
Solo travelers
Can join this group tour
Rates
USD
Before booking
Quote flow
This budget tour includes camping and resorts.
On this shared tour, you will join a group of other travelers. Max 10 people per group.
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
The accommodations and destinations of this tour cannot be changed.
Single travelers can join this group tour, but it requires a minimum of 2 people to run.
The minimum age for this tour is 13 years.
Day 1
Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – Dinner Included
Dinner Included
Day 2-7
Inside Bale Mountains NP – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 8
Mid-range resort at Lake Langano – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 9
(No accommodation)
All Meals Included
Tour step
You'll be collected from the airport. Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.
Day 1
Meet our team on arrival at Bole International Airport and transfer to your hotel. Located in the center of the country, Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s geographic, political and cultural hub. Addis is distinct from many other African capitals, because it was not developed under the colonial rule. One of its best-known sites is the National Museum of Ethiopia, which houses the remains of “Lucy,” a bipedal hominid who lived 3.2 million years ago and was discovered in 1974. If you arrive early, you can take an optional tour of this bustling city, established by the Emperor Menelik II in 1887. The city tour will include the National Museum, where you’ll find the famous remains of "Lucy" and the Ethnographic Museum set within the beautiful gardens of Haile Selassie’s former palace. We'll gather for a welcome dinner with our fellow travelers this evening. Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City) Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 2
After an early breakfast in Addis, we will drive to Bale Mountains National Park. We will drive about 400km through the southeast highlands of Ethiopia. Afterward, our hike will take us through park headquarters where we'll get a chance to spot some endemic/endangered mammals such as the Menilik’s bushbuck, mountain nyala, warthog, reedbuck, grey duiker and baboon. Ethiopian endemic birds such as the black-headed siskin, wattled ibis, and Abyssinian catbird, can also be found in the juniper woodlands of Bale Mountains headquarters. You will enjoy dinner and your overnight stay at Dinsho Campsite. Inside Bale Mountains NP All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 3
After breakfast, we will begin our hike to Sodota which is about 18km. We will trek from Dinsho through the spectacular scenery of Web Valley towards the Fincha Habera Waterfall, where the Web and Wolla Rivers meet. In this area, we have our first opportunity to spot the endemic Ethiopian wolf, as well as raptors, rock hyraxes and endemic birds such as the blue-winged goose. This will surely leave you excited and in awe of the actual wilderness of Bale Mountains. On arrival at the campsite, you will have a nice coffee/tea break and have dinner and your overnight stay at Sodota Campsite (3500 masl). Inside Bale Mountains NP All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 4
After breakfast, we begin our hike to Keyrensa which is about 20km long. We will continue our trek through magic landscapes to the Keyrensa Campsite. Again, we will have very good chances to spot a variety of bird species, particularly raptors, as well as the Ethiopian wolves. On arrival at the campsite, you will have a nice coffee/tea break. You will overnight at Keyrensa Campsite (3900 masl). Inside Bale Mountains NP All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 5
The hike to Rafu Campsite is about 18km. We will have an interesting stop at a special viewpoint for photography and bird watching. We will then pass by the volcanic rock pillars near Rafu from where we'll enjoy spectacular panoramic views. On the way, we should see rock hyraxes, birds of prey, klipspringers and others mammals. On arrival at the campsite, you will have a nice coffee/tea break. We will overnight at Rafu Campsite (4000 masl). Inside Bale Mountains NP All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 6
Today we will have a long trek of about 22km through the largest afro-alpine part of the African continent, the Senneti Plateau. We will be able to spot the rare Ethiopian wolf once more, along with high-altitude birds and shrubs. After we reach our campsite, we will take a walk around the biggest alpine lake in the Bale Mountains called Gerba Guracha, meaning ”Black Lake”. A variety of water birds usually stay around the lake. On arrival at the campsite, you will have a nice coffee/tea break. You will overnight at Gerba Guracha Campsite (4100 masl). Inside Bale Mountains NP All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 7
After breakfast, we will hike 5km to Sanneti Campsite, then drive down to Harrena Forest (the largest tropical rainforest in Ethiopia). The southern part of the national park holds unique vegetation and animals. We will explore parts of the pristine Harenna Forest on foot and hopefully spot the endemic Bale monkeys as well as Colobus monkeys. We will overnight at Harenna Forest (2600masl). Inside Bale Mountains NP All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 8
After breakfast, we will take a drive to Sabana Resort (about 300km) to the Rift Valley of Ethiopia. At the shores of Lake Langano, you may relax on the beach (swimming is possible), take a walk through the lodge and encounter many bird species in the forest. Mid-range resort located at Lake Langano All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 9
Today we drive back to Addis (about 250km). On arrival, we will have an optional city tour, which include the National Museum, where you’ll find the famous remains of 3.4 million-year-old "Lucy", and the Ethnographic Museum set within the beautiful gardens of Haile Selassie’s former palace. In the evening, you will have a traditional Ethiopian dinner and dance at a renowned restaurant in Addis Ababa. You will then be transferred to your hotel or the airport for your departure. All meals included Drinking water & beer and wine (Other drinks not included)
Tour step
Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. You'll be dropped off at the airport.
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
Camping equipment
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All Taxes/VAT
Roundtrip airport transfer
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Sleeping bag
International flights (From/to home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Bath towels
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Offered by
Armaye Ethiopia Tours is an expert Ethiopian private tour operator based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is run by a highly professional team comprising experienced tour organizers and fully licensed tour guides.
Office In
Ethiopia
Size
5-10 employees (Founded in 2015)
Tour Types
Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
Destinations
Ethiopia
Traveler feedback
Overall
5.0/5Communication
5.0/5Accuracy
5.0/5Value
5.0/5Safety clarity
5.0/5Cultural value
5.0/5I am a naturalist with an appetite to photograph endemic and vulnerable species. Armaye worked with me, awesome communication skills btw, to provide me with the appropriate destinations for the time I had available. Even with the challenges of the changing political climate during the trip, Armaye had the flexibility to make changes to lodgings, flights, destinations, etc. that still offered me the photo opportunities for which I had hoped and remain in budget. My travel plans placed me in Ethiopia during off-season for tourism, but I was rewarded with a unique insight into the natural world of that region during the rainy season. I am delighted by the many babies, juveniles, and family units that nature revealed to me, glimpsing some of the more elusive animals. The trade-off was that the trip did not coincide with migrations of birds, but the abundant numbers and varieties of resident species filled camera memory cards with animals I had never encountered. This was my first trip to the Horn of Africa. I was immersed in rural Ethiopia, but my professional guide and driver took good care to keep me safe. Of note, I do not have a palate for spicy food (I feel that cayenne pepper and curry is too spicy) so that was a challenge for me personally, but I planned for that inevitability and brought nuts, raisins, and crackers to sustain me.
Marcia · United States
Perfect organization, the hotels were very good and clean, and the drivers very professional. Armaye organized the tour only for 2 people and we visited very interesting places in the North and in the south of the country. Ethiopia has been a very nice discovery.
Nadia · Italy
It was an amazing trip! Easy to talk with, the tour operator! Our guides & drivers are punctual, really friendly and very kind to us. They were not only guide us to the place, but also taught us many cultural things. Really appereciated!
Hana · Japan
Armaye was so responsive to our request for a very last minute request for a trip to Ethiopia. He answered quickly, responded to questions quickly and designed our tour to our preferences. I was a bit nervous about travelling to Ethiopia where we knew we would be "off grid" but it was very safe and the people we met were very friendly. Armaye was our guide too - very informative and answered all my husband's inquisitive questions about culture, traditions, food. Aman was our driver and also comes highly recommended. Aman is an expert driver both on major roads and offroad. WE saw many animals specific to Ethiopia that we hadn't seen before, including lots of Ethiopian golden wolves. The 3-day tour in Afar was excellent value.
Christina · Botswana
Practical answers
Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
This tour accepts children who are 13 years and older. Children under 16 receive a discount.
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
The accommodations and destinations of this tour cannot be changed.
Da'amat Hotel - Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – Dinner Included. Meals: Dinner Included
This tour starts and ends in Addis Ababa
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Operator policy
This tour is offered by Armaye Ethiopia Tours, not SafariBookings.
This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings.
This group tour requires a minimum of 2 people to run.
The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability.
If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will suggest a comparable alternative.
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