Day 17: Bishingari Lodge to Addis Ababa
Tuesday 24th February 2015
Bishingari Lodge – Abbiata-Shalla Lakes National Park – Addis Ababa It is a testament to Bishingari that our stay was so relaxing but also full of wildlife. We appreciated a good range of mammals, especially the local Warthogs, who were highly entertaining! We found lots of new bird species and it was great to finish on a high with birds like Yellow-fronted Parrot, Broad-billed Roller and Narina Trogon. On the long journey back to Addis Ababa, we made a fruitful visit to the Abbiata-Shalla National Park. We walked out through open acacia woodland where Somali Ostrich were seemingly unconcerned by our close approach. We saw our first Grant’s Gazelles which showed well as they watched us warily from the shade of the trees. We saw a good range of new birds including Red-bellied Parrot, Von Der Decken’s Hornbill, Bearded Woodpecker and Marico Sunbird. Reluctantly, we had to leave and continue the drive to the capital. We arrived back at the Ghion Hotel with just enough time to have a shower and to repack before our last supper in an atmospheric pizza restaurant in downtown Addis! We enjoyed a hearty meal and good conversation, including a chance for a last chat with Abiy and Tony from Ethiopian Quadrants. We reflected on the superb range of both mammals and birds that we had encountered on our journey across Ethiopia. Equally memorable were the extraordinary landscapes, from the precipitous mountains to the wide plains and lakes of the Rift Valley. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time and were able to complete the checklists as well as browse the airport shops for last minute souvenirs. Our flight home was happily uneventful and we landed back at Heathrow as scheduled.
Bishingari Lodge – Abbiata-Shalla Lakes National Park – Addis Ababa It is a testament to Bishingari that our stay was so relaxing but also full of wildlife. We appreciated a good range of mammals, especially the local Warthogs, who were highly entertaining! We found lots of new bird species and it was great to finish on a high with birds like Yellow-fronted Parrot, Broad-billed Roller and Narina Trogon. On the long journey back to Addis Ababa, we made a fruitful visit to the Abbiata-Shalla National Park. We walked out through open acacia woodland where Somali Ostrich were seemingly unconcerned by our close approach. We saw our first Grant’s Gazelles which showed well as they watched us warily from the shade of the trees. We saw a good range of new birds including Red-bellied Parrot, Von Der Decken’s Hornbill, Bearded Woodpecker and Marico Sunbird. Reluctantly, we had to leave and continue the drive to the capital. We arrived back at the Ghion Hotel with just enough time to have a shower and to repack before our last supper in an atmospheric pizza restaurant in downtown Addis! We enjoyed a hearty meal and good conversation, including a chance for a last chat with Abiy and Tony from Ethiopian Quadrants. We reflected on the superb range of both mammals and birds that we had encountered on our journey across Ethiopia. Equally memorable were the extraordinary landscapes, from the precipitous mountains to the wide plains and lakes of the Rift Valley. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time and were able to complete the checklists as well as browse the airport shops for last minute souvenirs. Our flight home was happily uneventful and we landed back at Heathrow as scheduled.