We will visit the medieval walled city of Harar which stands amid green mountains, on
the east wall of the Great Rift Valley near the Somali border. Harar’s heritage is almost
entirely Muslim and Oriental; with its 90 mosques and shrines. Harar is considered to be
the fourth most sacred center of the Islamic world. Harar is a labyrinth of small streets
surrounded by old city walls. Its architecture reflects a strong Islamic influence
Located400kmsoutheastofAddisAbaba,BaleMountainsNationalParkcontainsaspectacularlydiverse
landscape.Thehighaltitude,afro-montaneSanettiPlateaurisestoover4,000mandincludesthe
highestpeakinthesouthernEthiopiahighlands.Thisundulatingplateauismarkedbynumerousglacial
lakesandswampsandsurroundedbyhighervolcanicridgesandpeaks.
HararandBaleMountainsNP
8Days
PriceUSD
$4170.00Perpersonbasedon2.
Single$6440.00
Includeaccommodationasindicated,fullboard,cars&drivers,English-speakingtourguide,entrance
feesasindicated,porterfees,andwaterontheroad.
FlightsNOTincluded-willadviseattimeofrequest
Day1:ArrivalinAddisAbaba
Welcometothethirdhighestcapitalintheworld!AddisAbabaisthebuzzlingcapitalofEthiopiaandthe
AfricanUnion.WetakeyouonacitytourthatincludestheNationalMuseumwiththebonesofLucy,
youroldestknownancestor,theEthnographicMuseumthatpresentstherichculturaldiversityof
Ethiopia,andSt.George’sCathedral,builtin1896tocommemoratetheEthiopianvictoryoverthe
ItalianinvadersintheBattleofAdwa.
Overnight:SheratonHotel(www.sheratonaddis.com).Lunchanddinnerareincluded.
Day2:DrivetoHarar
AscenicdrivetakesyouthroughtheEastAfricanRiftValley.Onyourwayupthemountainstowards
Harar,youpasscoffeeandchatplantations.Intheevening,yougettowitnessalivehyenafeeding.
Overnight:RewdaGuestHouse.Breakfast,lunchanddinnerareincluded.
Day3:VisitHarar
Todayyou’llexploretheoldwalledtownofHarar.StartattheHarariMuseumforanintroductory
courseinHararhistory.ProceedwiththehouseofthelegendaryFrenchpoetRimbaud.Marvelatthe
sightofthe16thcenturyGrandMosquewithitseleganttwintowersandslenderminaret.Enjoythe
religiousartworksondisplayatthechurchofMedhaneAlem.BargainatthecolorfulShoaGateMarket.
Overnight:RewdaGuestHouse.Breakfast,lunchanddinnerareincluded.
Day4:DrivetoLangano
OnthewaytoDireDawa,youstopinLegaOdatoseeprehistoricpaintingsdatingbackto700BC.In
DireDawa,you’llvisitthelargeKefiraMarket.YouflyfromDireDawabacktoAddisAbaba,fromwhere
acomfortableLandCruiserwillpickyouupandtakeyoudownsouthtoLangano.Enroute,youhave
timeforastopatLakeZiway,abirdwatchers’paradise.
Overnight:SabanaBeachResort.Breakfast,lunchanddinnerareincluded.
Day5:DrivetoBaleMountainsNP
NumerousscenicphotostopsspiceupyourdrivetoBaleMountainsNationalParktoday.Withevery
mileyougetclosertotheNationalPark,thescenerygetsmorespectacular.Magnificentforestsclingto
thesidesofdeepvalleys,highpeaks,rockyoutcrops,pinnaclesandridgespiercehorizons,and
moorlands,grasslandsandpeatypoolssitinplainsandhollows.
Overnight:BaleMountainLodge(www.balemountainlodge.com).Breakfast,lunchanddinnerare
included.
Day6:BaleMountainsNP
Spendafulldayexploringtheparkwithyourguide.TheBaleMountainsarebetween9,500feetand
14,360feethighandcontainthelargesttractofhighmoorlandinAfrica.Almostuninhabited,theyare
entirelyunspoiltandweresetasideasaNationalParkinordertoprotecttheendemicMountainNyala.
However,formanyvisitorstheEthiopianWolfistherealstaroftheshowandisregularlysightedhere.
Overnight:BaleMountainLodge(www.balemountainlodge.com).Breakfast,lunchanddinnerare
included.
Day7:BaleMountainsNP
Enjoyawe-inspiringviewsandtheclean,freshaironahighplateau.Discoverthisrichlandscapeonyour
feetandwatchendemicmammalsaswellasmightybirdsofprey.
Overnight:BaleMountainLodge(www.balemountainlodge.com).Breakfast,lunchanddinnerare
included.
Day8:DriveBacktoAddisAbaba
OnyourdrivebacktoAddisAbaba,youstopatLakeAwassa,abeautifulfreshwaterlakesetagainsta
backdropofhillscoveredinlushgreen.Birdwatcherslovethelakeforitsplethoraofendemicaquatic
birds.StopbyattheFishMarketonthelakeshore.
BeforeyoucontinueyourjourneybacktoAddis,yougettoenjoytheSenkelleWildlifeSanctuarywithits
openacaciawoodlans.
Intheevening,weinviteyoutoamemorablefarewelldinnerinatraditionalrestaurantwithmusicand
dance.
DayuseattheSheratonHotel.Breakfast,lunchanddinnerareincluded.