Package ID: 1010
Duration: 5 days
Season: January- December
Activities: Five Days
*Admire the Great African Rift Valley System – *Bird Watching –
*Shalla &Abiyata National Park – *Natural Hot spring at Wondogenet –
*Fish market- Langano and Hawassa lakes
Day 1:
Option 1: A leisurely drive out of Addis along route of the Great
Rift Valley system, passing through Debre Zeit, and by the lakes of
Koka and Zwai - we will stop at Lake Zwai and head down to the lake
shore where huge numbers of water birds are congregated on view from
hatching chicks to full grown adults. African Pygmy Geese,
Yellow-billed Storks, Collared Pratincoles, Lesser and greater
Jacanas, African Jacanas, White Pelicans, Fish Eagles, crowned and
common cranes are some of the species to be seen here in impressive
numbers then proceed to Langano.
Option 2: A leisurely drive out of Addis along route of the Great
Rift valley system we will stop at Shalla and Abiata National Park,
head first towards Shalla Lake We then head towards Abiata Lake,
where by this time of day the lakes shores will be pink from the
thousands of both lesser and greater Flamingo’s which feed in the
shallows. African Pochard, Avocet, Gull billed Tern and Pintail,
Ruff and a variety of ducks are among other species to be seen.
Overnight Langano
NB: Lake Langano is bilharzia and crocodile free, and visitors can
go for a swim, walk along the shores of the lake or go bird watching
in the forests along the lake shores.
Day 2: We will spend the morning relaxing by the lake; continue to
drive to the small paradise of Wondogenet. Where a natural hot
spring is found and is ideal for bird watching, bathing and
swimming, until the midday heat sets in, you can enjoy magnificent
views from the hotel terrace over the Rift Valley, walk in the
forest for another observation of the abundant bird life and the
beautiful Columbus Monkeys. Overnight Wondogenet
Day 3: Continue to Hawassa via the Rift Valley lakes, where different species of aquatic birds and the fish market can be observed around the lake. View a gentle chain mountain and a low plateau surrounds the lake opening to a wide and low bay in the south. Overnight Hawassa
Day 4: Morning drive to Yirgalem is about 45 minutes past Hawassa.
Yirgalem is a coffee country, and its scenery is extraordinarily
lush and green. The accommodation at Aregash Lodge is based on the
very attractive traditional Sidamo House. There is an excellent
kitchen with lots of organic fruit and vegetables grown in the
vicinity. There are more than 100 bird species recorded in the area,
and on our walks we can see hyena, jackals, Colubus and vervet
monkeys. Overnight Yirgalem Aregash lodge
Day 5: On this day head off back to Addis Ababa via Wolayita- Sodo
road, on the way visit Tiya, arriving early evening. On the homeward
(Addis) leg of your journey; there are exciting stopovers and places
of interest to visit. Overnight Addis Ababa