Day 1: Arrive in Addis Ababa and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, drive to Geferssa Reservoir. Look out for endemic birds such as the Wattle Ibis, Rouget’s Rail, black-headed Sis-kin, Abyssinian Long claw, the white-collared pigeon, and Blue-winged Goose.
Day 2: Start early for Debre-Libanos Monastery, about 110 km north of the capital. Look out for birds such as the Red-rumpled and Lesser-striped Swallows, Pectoral-patched Cist cola, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, common Buzzard, and Black-winged Lapwing.
Around the monastery, spot endemic birds like the Black-headed Forest Oriole, Banded Barbet, the White-billed Starling, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Rappel’s chat, the White-backed Black Tit, and Abyssinian slaty Flycatcher.
Day 3: Leave Addis Ababa for Awash National Park. Stop at Chalalklaka wetland near Debre-Zeit. Look out for birds such as the White-backed Duck, Tufted Duck, little stint, Ruff, African Spoonbill, Yellow-billed stork, Common and crowned cranes, White-winged Black Tern, and others.
Day 4: Spend the day bird-watching in Awash National Park. Look out for birds such as the Arabian Bustard, Kori Bustard, White-bellied Bustard, Buff crested Bustard, the Rosy-patched Shrike, Swallow-tailed Kite, Bristle Crowned Starling, different woodpeckers, Grey-headed and Sulpher breasted Bush-Shrike, Gabar Goshawk, Shirk, Crested Francolin, Common Quail, Harlequin Quail, Palm Swift, Orange-bellied Parrot, Martial Eagle, different wood Doves, Yellow-billed Hornbill, Crested Lark, Singing Bush Lark, Redwing Bush Lark, Somali Golden-breasted Bunting, Little Rock Thrush, Grey-headed Batis, and Spotted Flycatcher.
Day 5: Drive to Langano. Before lunch, stop at Koka Dam (Awash River Bridge) for more aquatic and woodland birds. Continue to Lake Zeway where you stop for lunch and an afternoon of bird-watching.
Day 6: Spend the morning bird-watching around the hotel garden and the cliff near the lake. After breakfast, drive to the Abijata-Shalla Lakes National Park for more bird-watching.
Day 7: Spend the day bird-watching in the forest of Wondo Genet. Look out for endemic birds like the Yellow-fronted Parrot, Thick-billed Raven, Abyssinian Woodpecker, and Banded Barbet.
Day 8: Set off for Lake Awassa. Look out for birds such as the spotted creeper, African pygmy kingfisher, Bruce’s Green pigeon, Violet-backed Starling, Grey Kestrel, Giant Kingfisher, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Tree pipit, Allen’s Gallenue, Lesser Moorhen, Painted Snipe, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Grey kingfisher, Banded snake Eagle, the African and common snipe, purple and Goliath Heron, Greater Honey Guide, Grosbeak weaver, Red-breasted Wryneck, African Harrier Hawk, and Greater spotted Eagle.
Day 9: Drive back to Addis Ababa. En route, look for the species that haven’t been seen in the previous days of the trip. In the afternoon, take a city tour of Addis Ababa.
Day 10: Departure – Fly Back Home.
