Bale Mountains National Park Holidays
Bale Mountains National Park is situated in the Oromia Region of South East Ethiopia. Bale Mountains National Park is the largest area of Afro-Alpine habitat in the whole of the African continent. The high altitude area is scattered with numerous spectacular volcanic peaks, beautiful alpine lakes and rushing mountain streams that descend into deep rocky gorges on their way to the lowlands below. It offers the opportunity for unsurpassed mountain walking, horse trekking, scenic driving and the chances to view many of Ethiopia's endemic mammals, in particular, the Ethiopian Wolf, the Mountain Nyala and birds, such as the thick-billed raven, wattled ibis, blue-winged goose and Rougets rail. Whilst soaring into the mountain peaks the scenery and vegetation changes dramatically, from juniper forests to heather moorlands and alpine meadows, which at various times of year exhibit an abundance of colourful wildflowers. Scenically, the highlight is the Sanetti Plateau, studded with enormous lobelias and cool tarns that provide the essential existing stronghold for the Ethiopian wolf, a russet endemic that's regarded to be world's rarest canid. In addition, the juniper forest on lower slopes of the mountains offer home to other Ethiopian endemics such as the kudu-like mountain nyala and the jet-black Menelik's bushbuck.
Bale National Park embraces sixteen of Ethiopia's endemic birds including the forest-dwelling endemic birds, the Yellow-fronted parrot, Abyssinian catbird, Banded barbet and Abyssinian woodpecker. In the Sanetti moorlands the keen ornithologists are able to spot Blue-winged goose, Rouget's rail and Spotbreasted lapwing.
There is accommodation available near the Bale Mountains national park at Goba. Another one of the halfway stops used en route to Bale is Sodere, known for its hot springs at the Awash River. However the road to the national park is not for the fainthearted.