25 Jan 2026 - 07 Feb 2026 (14 days)
USD6,695 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Nigel Redman
Tour price (Per person): USD6,695 * GBP5,345 * EUR6,431 * AUD10,309
Single Supplement: USD430 * GBP343 * EUR413 * AUD662
Can be linked with: Ethiopia - Lalibela Extension 2026
Our 14-day relaxed Ethiopia birding tour covers the central birding circuit of this unique country. We explore the massive Rift Valley lakes teeming with birds, moss-draped montane forests supporting a wide selection of endemics, the high Bale Mountains home to the critically endangered Ethiopian Wolf, the impressive Jemma Valley and Awash National Park, a Mecca for game and bird watching in Ethiopia (home to an incredible six species of bustard!). Key Ethiopian bird species we will seek include Spot-breasted Lapwing, Blue-winged Goose, Rouget’s Rail, Wattled Ibis, Ankober Serin, Yellow-fronted Parrot, White-backed Black Tit and Abyssinian Woodpecker.
White-cheeked Turaco; Spot-breasted Lapwing; Blue-winged Goose; Rouget’s Rail; Wattled Ibis; Ankober Serin; Yellow-fronted Parrot; Black-winged Lovebird; Erkel's & Harwood's Francolins; White-backed Black Tit; Abyssinian Woodpecker; Gillett's & Blanford's Larks; Tacazze & Beautiful Sunbirds; Arabian & Hartlaub's Bustards; White-billed Starling; White-collared Pigeon; Black Crowned Crane; Moorland Chat; Abyssinian Ground Thrush; Abyssinian Catbird; Abyssinian Crimsonwing; African Citril; Thick-billed Raven; Little Rock Thrush; Sombre Rock Chat; Blackstart; Black-headed Lapwing; Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse; Yellow-breasted Barbet; Ethiopian Siskin; Hemprich’s Hornbill; Rüppell’s Black Chat; White-winged Cliff Chat; Red-billed Pytilia.
Ethiopian Wolf; Gelada, Olive & Hamadryas Baboons; Mountain Nyala; Giant Mole Rat; Serval; Salt's Dik-dik; Gerenuk; Lesser Kudu; Beisa Oryx; Soemmering's Gazelle
montane forest, Afro-alpine moorland, Acacia savanna, Rift Valley lakes
temperate in highlands, hot and dry in lowlands
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
our Relaxed series of tours are designed to focus on having an enjoyable holiday with a bird and wildlife focus. Where possible; we have reduced or removed long drives, single night stays and poor/rustic accommodation. We have also sought to reduce or remove difficult hikes, narrow/muddy trails and otherwise oppressive environmental conditions. Early starts and night birding are mostly optional, and we will not spend much time searching for difficult and/or skulking species. These tours are not suitable for hardcore birders and listers, or dedicated photographers.
comfortable to basic hotels
not challenging
spectacular montane scenery, interesting ancient farming methods
excellent
Greg de Klerk did a very good job managing the tour, was personable and was highly effective at bird spotting & identification.
This tour was our first one with Greg de Klerk. I would certainly go with him again. He is an extremely good birder, quick to locate birds and get all of the tour group on them. He worked hard to get those difficult endemics. His sense of humour added greatly to the group experience. What I most appreciated about Greg was his method of helping us to see the necessary field marks to identify a bird and to explain the difference between a bird and one that looked similar. I was therefore sure of the identity of every bird we had.
Just a few comments on the recent Ethiopia Summer Highland Endemics tour guided by David Hodinott. First, I want to commend David on his skills as a leader and guide. His logistic and organizational skills are first-class and his knowledge of the bird life in Ethiopia matchless. His interpersonal skills with the group kept people on time, focused and successful in getting good looks at most species and great looks at many. That was his challenging task and he accomplished it with passion and patience, two qualities that are often difficult to combine.
Stephen Lorenz, our tour leader, was exemplary especially in the face of some tour problems. At least two sites we could not access because of civil unrest. Stephen worked tirelessly with the local guides to find safe locations where we could still see endemics. He also handled some issues with one of the tour group who could be rather difficult. Stephen did an outstanding job making sure everyone felt at ease and included. He is also a fantastic birder!
Heinz Ortmann did an excellent job of leading a group with diverse interests. He was particularly patient in showing the birds to the non-birders, and I believe he increased the level of interest in all of them with his enthusiasm. (Graham is already talking about a possible trip to Uganda!). He also did his best with my "wish-list" and I don't think we missed much. I have some stunning pictures of Stresemann's Bushcrow and Vulturine Guineafowl as evidence. It was necessary to make a couple of changes to the itinerary and accommodation, and Heinz managed all of this without any stress to the group.
Ethiopia - Lalibela Extension I 2024 - January 2024
Ethiopia - Endemic Birding I 2024 - January 2024
Ethiopia - Endemic Birding II 2023 - November 2023
Ethiopia - Summer Endemics 2023 - June 2023
Ethiopia - Endemic Birding (Small Group) 2023 - February 2023
Ethiopia - Brewer 2023 - January 2023
Ethiopia - Endemic Birding III 2022 - November 2022
Ethiopia - Endemic Birding (Small Group) 2022 - February 2022
Ethiopia - Budget Birding 2019 - November 2019
Ethiopia - Endemics Birding II 2019 - November 2019
Ethiopia - Summer Endemics 2019 - May 2019
Ethiopia - Endemics Birding I 2019 - January 2019
Ethiopia - Budget Birding 2018 - November 2018
Ethiopia - Mega Birding 2018 - January 2018
Ethiopia - Endemics Birding I 2018 - January 2018
Ethiopia - Endemics Birding III 2017 - November 2017
Ethiopia - Glendinning & Welman 2017 - February 2017
Ethiopia - Endemics Birding II 2017 - January 2017
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