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Ethiopian— vacations —

Parks, Wildlife & Safari Tours

Bale Mountains

Ethiopia's best wildlife mountains — a four-day trek on foot, or two days by vehicle.

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Region
Bale Mountains
Starts
Addis Ababa

Overview

The Bale Mountains are in the south-east, and they are Ethiopia's best mountains for wildlife rather than its most famous ones. The Sanetti Plateau runs above four thousand metres — open Afroalpine moorland, giant lobelia standing over the heath, and the largest surviving population of the Ethiopian wolf, which is the rarest dog in the world and genuinely seen here rather than merely present. Off the southern edge of the plateau the road drops into the Harenna Forest, a cloud forest where coffee still grows wild under the canopy. Mountain nyala and Menelik's bushbuck are usually found in the woodland and grassland around the park headquarters at Dinsho. This is also the one trip we run as a proper trek: three days of hiking from Dinsho up onto the plateau, camping on the way, for anyone who would rather walk it than drive it.

Highlights

  • Trekking from Dinsho up onto the Sanetti Plateau, camping two nights on the way
  • The Sanetti Plateau, Afroalpine moorland above 4,000 metres
  • The Ethiopian wolf, which survives here in greater numbers than anywhere else
  • Mountain nyala and Menelik's bushbuck in the woodland and grassland at Dinsho
  • Giant mole-rat colonies on the plateau, which is what the wolves are hunting
  • Long views over the Web Valley, and raptors most of the way across it
  • The Harenna Forest, where coffee grows wild and Bale monkeys and colobus live

Two ways to do this trip

On foot: trekking and camping

Two nights camping in the park, at Sodota and Wasama, then a hotel in Goba

Three days of hiking, from the park headquarters at Dinsho up onto the Sanetti Plateau, with a local guide, a scout and camp support. This is walking at altitude in thin, cold air and two of the nights are under canvas — but it puts you on the moorland at the hours when the wildlife is moving, rather than driving through in the middle of the day.

By vehicle, based in Goba and Robe

Hotels in Goba, then Robe

Driving into the park and out again each day, reaching the same plateau and the same forest without the trekking or the camping. It asks nothing of you beyond tolerating the altitude and a long drive, and it is the version to pick if Bale is one part of a longer Ethiopian trip rather than the point of it.

Itinerary — On foot: trekking and camping

  1. Day 1

    Trek from Dinsho to Sodota Camp

    Fly to Goba and drive up to Dinsho, or drive the whole way from Addis Ababa. Meet your local guide and scout at the Bale Mountains National Park headquarters, then start walking through juniper and Hagenia forest. The route crosses the Gaysay grasslands, which is the best ground in the park for mountain nyala and Menelik's bushbuck. Overnight at Sodota Camp.

  2. Day 2

    Trek from Sodota to Wasama Camp

    A full day's hiking on through open highland meadow, with long views down over the Web Valley and raptors and endemic birds most of the way. Wasama Camp sits under dramatic cliffs, and it is a cold night.

  3. Day 3

    Trek up to the Sanetti Plateau, then down to Goba

    A gradual climb onto the high Sanetti Plateau, which is the reason for the walk. Ethiopian wolves hunt the giant mole-rat colonies up here, and this is where you look for them. Your vehicle meets you on the plateau road and takes you down to Goba — a hot shower and a bed after two nights of camping.

  4. Day 4

    The Harenna Forest

    Down off the southern edge of the plateau into the Harenna Forest, one of the largest natural forests left in Ethiopia. Walking through bamboo stands and wild coffee under the canopy, looking for Bale monkeys and colobus. Past the Rira village area, then back to Goba to fly home or carry on to the next part of your trip.

Itinerary — By vehicle, based in Goba and Robe

  1. Day 1

    Arrive in Goba, wildlife at Dinsho

    Arrive in Goba and settle in, then drive out to Dinsho, the gateway to the park. Walk the grassland and forest there looking for the two endemics the park is known for — mountain nyala and Menelik's bushbuck — along with the birds. Back to Goba for the evening.

  2. Day 2

    Sanetti Plateau and the Harenna Forest

    Drive up through the national park, stopping at viewpoints along the way, and out onto the Sanetti Plateau — one of the highest places in Ethiopia and the best ground in the world for seeing an Ethiopian wolf. Then down the southern side into the Harenna Forest for a guided walk through it. Overnight in Robe; the next morning you either fly back to Addis Ababa or continue on to the rest of your trip.

Who it suits

Which option suits you is the real question. The two vehicle days ask nothing beyond tolerating altitude and a long drive from Addis Ababa. The four-day version is a genuine trek: three days of hiking above 3,000 metres, two cold nights under canvas, and previous hill-walking matters.

Before you go

Bale is south-east of Addis Ababa, on the opposite side of the country from the northern historic route. You can fly to Goba and start there, or drive the whole way from Addis Ababa. It joins naturally onto Southern Ethiopia and the Omo Valley rather than onto Lalibela or Gondar, and that combination is how we most often plan it.

Common questions

Will I see an Ethiopian wolf?
Bale gives you a real chance, which is not true anywhere else — the Sanetti Plateau holds the largest population left in the world. It is still a wild animal and nobody can promise you one, but people who spend a full day on the plateau frequently do see them.
Do I have to trek and camp?
No. There are two ways to do this trip. The four-day version hikes up from Dinsho and camps two nights in the park before a bed in Goba. The two-day version drives into the park each day and sleeps in hotels in Goba and Robe. Both cross the Sanetti Plateau and both visit the Harenna Forest.
How much hiking is there on the trek?
Three walking days. Day one goes from the park headquarters at Dinsho to Sodota Camp, day two from Sodota to Wasama, and day three climbs onto the Sanetti Plateau, where a vehicle meets you. It is sustained hiking at altitude rather than technical ground — no climbing, but thin air, long days and cold nights. The fourth day is spent in the Harenna Forest, with walking but no trekking.
Can Bale be combined with the Omo Valley or Southern Ethiopia?
Yes, and it is the combination we would suggest. Bale sits on the same side of the country as the south, so adding it to a southern or Omo Valley trip is a natural extension rather than a long detour back across Ethiopia.
How high does it get?
The Sanetti Plateau runs above 4,000 metres and Tullu Dimtu reaches 4,377. Altitude affects people differently and it is worth building in time to adjust rather than arriving straight from sea level.

Places visited

  • Dinsho
  • Gaysay Grasslands
  • Web Valley
  • Sanetti Plateau
  • Harenna Forest
  • Goba

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