Tour Guide, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Home to dramatic mountain landscapes and the Great Rift Valley Lakes, Ethiopia is perhaps the best trekking destination on the African continent. A visitor to Southern Ethiopia is lucky to be offered not only one, but two majestic and distinctive mountain ranges. Grassland areas, waist-high wildflowers and juniper trees make up much of the landscape of the Bale Mountains National Park, along with dazzling alpine lakes and streams. The Harenna Forest covers almost half of the park, and offers gorgeous lichen-draped giant trees. More endemic animals live in the Bale Mountains than any other terrestrial habitat in the world. More than the Simien mountains, the Ethiopian wolf makes his home here, as well as the mountain nyala (spiral-horned antelope), the Bale monkey and the giant mole rat. Look down from the second highest point in Ethiopia, Tulu Dimtu at 4377m above sea level, take a deep breath, and smile at all that Ethiopia's unbelievable landscape has to offer.
There are numerous trekking routes throughout the park, varying from two to eleven days. A day of trekking consists of anywhere from three to eight hours of hiking. Treks range from 3,000m to above 4,000m altitude.