Wildlife vacations in Ethiopia

Lake Tana

Heart-shaped Lake Tana is the largest body of water in Ethiopia, its shores and islands dotted with ancient churches and monasteries. Its immense cultural significance notwithstanding, the lake is also renowned for its wildlife. Colobus monkeys dance in the boughs of trees on the islands, hippos submerge themselves in the shallows, often to be seen on boat trips, and the birdlife is spectacular – you may see pelicans, kingfishers and fish eagles here among many other species. The surrounding biosphere reserve is habitat for porcupines, hyenas and rock pythons, Africa’s largest snake.

Nech Sar National Park

Covering a small section of the Great Rift Valley, Nech Sar is one of the country’s least visited national parks. Herds of zebra and gazelle graze the grasslands, and there are rumours of the odd lion, but sadly the days of cheetah, elephant and giraffe populations are long gone here. Vervet monkeys can be heard chattering in the trees and there is a patch of shore on Lake Chamo known as the ‘Crocodile Market’ where at times hundreds of the toothsome reptiles sprawl menacingly.

Bale Mountains National Park

Considered one of the best birding sites in all of Africa – some 280 species have been recorded here – Bale Mountains National Park in the Ethiopian Highlands also holds around a quarter of the country’s endemic wildlife species. Across several distinct habitats you may see leopards, wild dogs, hyenas and the critically endangered Ethiopian wolf, which preys on rodents. There is also a small population of black-maned Lions.

The ‘bleeding heart baboon’

Among the most sought-after wildlife on Ethiopia vacations are geladas, sometimes known as ‘the bleeding heart baboon’ for their bright red chests, which live in large populations in the Simien Mountains. Despite the nickname they are not actually baboons, but actually the last surviving remnant of a branch of primates that live at high altitudes and eat grass. Endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands, they are generally unfazed by humans and will often gather in large numbers close to tour groups, so you can watch them grooming each other and playing. Curiously, the geladas seem to have developed a form of mutually beneficial truce with Ethiopian wolves, and appear content to let the carnivores wander nearby without appearing scared, while the wolves themselves seem uninterested in having monkeys for lunch.