Length 04 days
Nature
Bale Mountains
Bale Mountains
Dawn on the Sanetti Plateau above 4,000 m, watching for the Ethiopian wolf, then the long descent into the Harenna forest.
Nature journeys
Harar, Bale and the Omo Valley
The walled city of Harar, a 4,000 m plateau where Ethiopian wolves hunt, and Mursi villages in the lower Omo, linked by short flights.
Overview
The journey in brief
- Duration
- 12 days, 11 nights
- Where
- Southern · Bale Mountains
- Travel style
- Private tour
- Best season
- October to March
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Price
- USD 3,295 per person
Inside Harar’s old walls, 82 mosques and five historic gates share one UNESCO-listed town, and at dusk hyenas come to its edge to be fed by hand. From there the trip climbs to Bale’s Sanetti Plateau, above 4,000 m, where Ethiopian wolves hunt among giant lobelias, and ends in the lower Omo with a Mursi community in Mago National Park.
Three domestic flights cover the long distances, so your days go to places, not roads. It is a trip for travellers who have done the safari classics and want more. Expect cold plateau mornings, rough Omo roads and simple guesthouses in Harar.
Highlights
- Harar’s five gates, Rimbaud House and the hyena feeding at about 6:30 pm
- The Shewa Gate market and Harar’s old-town spice and basket stalls
- Ethiopian wolves above 4,000 m on the Sanetti Plateau, their largest stronghold
- Mountain nyala and Menelik’s bushbuck around the Dinsho park headquarters
- A Mursi village in Mago National Park, introduced by a local guide
- Addis Ababa, seat of the African Union, and Haile Selassie’s tomb at Holy Trinity
What is included
- 11 nights’ accommodation, twin share
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Domestic flights Addis Ababa–Dire Dawa, Addis Ababa–Robe and Addis Ababa–Jinka, all round trip, at the Ethiopian Airlines discounted fare
- Private vehicle and driver
- English-speaking guide throughout
- Local guides in Harar, Bale and the Omo
- Park and entrance fees
- Airport transfers
- Bottled water
What is not included
- International flights
- Ethiopian visa
- Domestic fare difference if you do not fly Ethiopian Airlines internationally (about USD 450 for this tour)
- Photo fees in the Omo, paid directly to the people you photograph
- Single room (optional extra)
- Meals not listed
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Travel insurance
Itinerary
Day by day
Day 1Addis Ababa Arrive in Addis Ababa
We meet you at Bole International Airport and drive you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours. Addis sits at about 2,350 m, so take it slowly and drink water.
Activities
- Airport welcome and transfer
- Trip briefing with your guide
- Free time to rest
Day 2Addis Ababa Addis Ababa, Capital of Africa
Addis is the seat of the African Union, and its National Museum shows how far back the story runs: the human-origins gallery holds casts of Lucy (3.2 million years old) and Selam, the child found at Dikika (about 3.3 million years old). Then Haile Selassie’s tomb at Holy Trinity, and after lunch Merkato, one of Africa’s largest open-air markets.
Activities
- National Museum
- Holy Trinity Cathedral
- Merkato walk
- Coffee ceremony
Day 3Harar Into Harar’s Walls, and Hyenas at Dusk
A short flight to Dire Dawa, then about an hour’s drive up to Harar and an afternoon in the lanes of the Jugol, the walled old town. At about 6:30 pm, at the edge of town, the hyenas come out of the dusk to be fed by hand.
Activities
- Morning flight to Dire Dawa
- Afternoon walk in the Jugol
- Evening hyena feeding
Day 4Harar Harar’s Houses, Markets and Rimbaud
The day starts in the crowded market outside the Shewa Gate, then moves inside the walls: a traditional Harari house hung with painted baskets, Rimbaud House, and the old-town spice and basket markets. You finish with coffee in the lanes.
Activities
- Shewa Gate market
- Traditional Harari house
- Rimbaud House
- Old-town spice and basket markets
Day 5Addis Ababa Back to Addis Before the Mountains
A free morning in Harar, then the drive down to Dire Dawa and a flight to Addis. The evening is yours, a quiet pause before the mountains.
Activities
- Free morning in Harar
- Flight from Dire Dawa to Addis Ababa
- Free evening
Day 6Goba Mountain Nyala at Dinsho
You fly to Robe and drive about 40 minutes to Dinsho, the park headquarters, for a guided walk among mountain nyala and Menelik’s bushbuck. VIP guests continue over the plateau to Bale Mountain Lodge in the Harenna Forest.
Activities
- Flight to Robe
- Guided walk at Dinsho park headquarters
- Mountain nyala and Menelik’s bushbuck
Day 7Goba Wolves, Lobelias and the Harenna Forest
The Goba–Dolo Mena road, billed as Africa’s highest all-weather road, climbs onto the Sanetti Plateau, where Ethiopian wolves often hunt rats in the early light. You stop near Tullu Dimtu (4,377 m), then descend from about 3,800 m to 2,800 m into the Harenna Forest.
Activities
- Ethiopian wolf watching on the Sanetti Plateau
- Stop near Tullu Dimtu
- Descent into the Harenna Forest
Day 8Goba Sof Omar Caves or a Slow Day
Choose a full day at the Sof Omar Caves, 15 km of passages cut by the Weyib River about 110 km from Robe, or a slow morning and a short forest walk. VIP guests at Bale Mountain Lodge usually take the slow option, since the caves are far from the lodge.
Activities
- Sof Omar Caves with a local guide
- Or a slow morning and short forest walk
Day 9Addis Ababa Fly Back to Addis Ababa
You drive to Robe for the flight to Addis; VIP guests leave the lodge early. The afternoon is free in the city.
Activities
- Flight from Robe to Addis Ababa
- Free afternoon
Day 10Jinka Jinka, the Museum and an Ari Village
You fly south to Jinka, the market town at the top of the Omo region. The South Omo Museum and Research Center gives you the background on the valley’s peoples before an afternoon walk through an Ari village, among its coffee and enset gardens.
Activities
- Flight to Jinka
- South Omo Museum and Research Center
- Ari village walk
Day 11Jinka With a Mursi Community in Mago
An early start for the rough half-day round trip into Mago National Park, where a local guide who knows the families introduces you in a Mursi village. Photos only with consent, with fees paid directly to the person. Afternoon free, or Jinka market on a Saturday.
Activities
- Drive into Mago National Park
- Mursi village visit with a local guide
- Jinka market (Saturday)
Day 12Addis Ababa Last Lunch in Addis, Then Home
You fly back to Addis Ababa for a farewell lunch and a last coffee. Your guide then takes you to Bole for your international flight.
Activities
- Flight from Jinka to Addis Ababa
- Farewell lunch
- Airport transfer
Itineraries can change with weather, road and flight conditions. We will tell you promptly if they do.
Gallery
A look at the trip
Photo: Unsplash
Good to know
Before you book
- Guide languages
- English, Amharic
- Minimum age
- 10 years and over
- Group size
- 1 to 12 travellers
- Meeting point
- Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa. Your guide meets you in arrivals with a name sign.
- Accessibility
- Harar’s lanes are narrow and uneven, Bale climbs above 4,000 m and the Mago road is rough. Not suitable for wheelchairs or for travellers who should avoid high altitude.
What to bring
- Warm jacket, hat and gloves for the plateau
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sun hat and sunscreen
- Light long sleeves for the Omo
- Binoculars
Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered in churches, mosques and Harar’s old town; women bring a light scarf.
Cancellation policy
This tour follows the Strict policy. Days are whole calendar days before departure.
| When you cancel | What you get back |
|---|---|
| 30 or more days before departure | 50% refund |
| Fewer than 30 days before departure | No refund |
A non-refundable USD 450 per traveller (domestic flights) is deducted before these percentages are applied.
Questions
About this tour
Is the altitude in Bale a problem?
You cross the plateau by day and sleep lower, after several days in the highlands. Walk slowly and tell your guide if you feel unwell.
How comfortable are the hotels in Harar?
Simple. Harar has no luxury hotels, but its guesthouses are full of character, and VIP guests get the best available rooms.
Can the days move?
Yes. Robe has only a few flights a week, so we may shift the Bale days to fit the schedule.
Can we add the Hamer and Karo areas around Turmi?
Yes. Two extra nights in Turmi add Key Afer, Dimeka and a Karo village on the Omo River.
Can I travel solo?
Yes. This is a private tour, so it runs for one traveller; add a single room as an optional extra.
Questions welcome
Ask us anything
Dates, prices, hotels, a private version: ask, and a local specialist replies by email.
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