3-Days, Bale Mountains
Code: PET5001: Bale Mountains National Park
Duration: 3Days/2nights
Transport: Surface
Itinerary
Day 1: Drive to Dinsho-headquarter of Bale Mountains Naitonal Park.
The Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) is a protected area of approximately 2,200 km2 and is located 400 km southeast of Addis Ababa in Oromia National Regional State in south-eastern Ethiopia. It belongs to the Bale-Arsi massif, which forms the western section of the south-eastern Ethiopian highlands.
Late afternoon game drive and short walk to see endemic mammals and birds at the the Gaysay grasslands. The landscape of the northern Gaysay section extends from one mountain range to another with a central broad flat valley with an altitude ranging from 3000 and 3550m asl. The southern ridge of the Gaysay area, which is relatively dry, is mainly covered with Juniperus procera, a nationally protected species. The relatively wet northern ridge is largely occupied by Hagenia abyssinica and Hypericum revolutum. The flat valleys of Gaysay are dominated by species of the genera Ar temisia, Helichrysum, Ferula and Kniphofia.
Overnight Hotel
Day 2: Excursion to Sanetti Plateau to see the afro alpine moor land and endemic Ethiopian Wolf.
Due to the altitude, plant diversity here is low. However, one of the notable plant species is the giant lobelia found from 3,100 to 4,377m growing to a maximum height of 12m. On the plateau stands Tulu Dimtu at 4,377m. This is the second tallest mountain in Ethiopia, and the tallest in Bale.
Overnight Hotel.
Day 3: A scenic drive through Arsi and Bale Mountains to Addis Ababa and en route visit Arsi Mountains National Park. Evening farewell dinner and departure.