The Bale Mountains is one of our favourite places in Ethiopia. You can lose yourself on the high plateau  in this south west corner of the country. It covers a huge area - over 2,000 km²  with a huge variety of landscapes and vegetation types.  The high altitude, afro-montane Sanetti Plateau rises to over 4,000m and includes the highest peaks in the southern Ethiopia highlands: Tulu Dimtu (4,377m) and Batu (4,350m). This undulating plateau is marked by numerous glacial lakes and swamps and surrounded by higher craggy volcanic ridges and peaks. The southern slopes are covered by the lush and largely unexplored Harenna Forest.

The massif was formed by ancient and massive lava flows between 38 and 7 million years ago (before the Rift Valley even started to form. From this the are  at least 6 volcanic cones remnants stick out as peaks.  This massif was eroded by glaciers up to as recently as 2,000 years ago leaving distinctive carved valleys.  And the mountains themselves are home to an incredible variety of birds, and some distinctive mammals, most notably the Ethiopian Wolf, the most endangered of the dog (Canid) family.

Highlights of your visit:

• See wolf packs socialising and marking their territory. 

• The geology in Bale is incredible, and we will take you to places you won’t believe, with towering rock pillars sculpted by millennia of weathering. We will camp in specially selected locations not often or in some cases never used before. 

• You can explore on horse back -across an immensely vast landscape - this is really a special feeling. (You do not need to have riding experience)

• Hiking through thick forest and bamboo forest to get incredible views. 

• Visit the magical and captivating Giant heather forest - moss covered trees. 

• Wildlife of the northern flanks of the park - Mountain Nyala, Reedbuck, Baboons, Forest hogs maybe even a Serval cat 

• Birdlife across the plateau and into the forest.

• Climb up one of the peaks in Bale, we’d suggest Mnt Batu, which is more remote and does not have a road going up, nor anywhere near. 

Who is it for: This is a hiking & camping trip at high altitudes. You need a moderate to good level of fitness and should be an active outdoors person

Child friendly :  We also believe that active and adventurous children will enjoy this trip. If they are old enough to sit on a horse (which can be led by a horse handler) they can enjoy the wide open space and the feeling of being something akin to a cowboy in the Ethiopian high-altitude outback. My kids have always loved camping - bring along some marshmallows to toast on the fire - and they will love it! And there is little or no wifi here, so expect a device-free few days!

Stay in Hotels - If you don’t want to do camping, we can arrange several nights at the hotels outside the park, but it does mean a lot of driving each day to get in and out from the park, with smaller walks in the daytime.

Add a soft ending - Drive to Langano and spend a night at the comfortable ecolodge beside this Rift Valley lake - take a swim, go bird watching or just unwind. This also saves a local flight back, and as your car will be returning it’s a good idea.

Options: Short trek - 3 night / 4 day;  Medium trek: 4 night/ 5 day; Long trek 5 night / 6 day + Add on the end a night either in Goba or Langano.