• What you should bring:
  Bring your sleeping bag (minimum rating of 00C but ideally -150C), sleeping mat (inflatable is best for the cold weather), tent (must be waterproof), and cooking supplies (basic pots, pans, and kerosene stoves can be acquired in Addis if necessary) as many edibles as your backpack can hold. Basic foodstuffs such as spaghetti, macaroni, onions, bread, eggs, sugar and tea can be bought in Dinsho, if necessary, and your guide can assist you in buying food and beverages. All such items can be put on a packhorse. Carry a water bottle, rain gear, sunscreen and other daily necessities in your backpack. A hat and sun cream is essential to avoid sunburn, and moisturizer cream and lip salve are recommended. The weather in the mountains tends to be unpredictable, so bring layers, including pullovers (fleeces), thermal clothing, warm jackets and waterproof overcoat and trousers. Cotton and/or denim trousers should be avoided – they get cold when wet; a synthetic quick-drying trouser is recommended. Be aware that trails can be wet and muddy, especially during the rainy season between June and October. Therefore, good trekking shoes/boots are essential, as are thick, comfortable socks and gloves. It is advisable to bring a small, personal first aid kit. At a minimum, this should include a bandage for sprained joints, antiseptic cream and altitude sickness pills. It is also good to bring along anti-bacterial gel for washing hands if water is not available. Soap, a small towel, and toilet paper are also advisable. Other essential items are a torch (essential), camera and binoculars.
• Altitude sickness: Bear in mind that physical activities at high altitude can be exhausting, especially without proper acclimatization. Altitude sickness affects different people in different ways and at different altitudes. The best way to avoid altitude sickness is to allow yourself time to acclimatize to any increases in altitude. Having spent a day or two in Addis Ababa and then driving to Bale, most people will feel little or no effect of altitude sickness. A predisposition to altitude sickness, dehydration, and strenuous exercise at high altitudes can lead to headaches, light-headedness, lack of appetite, disturbed sleep, and dehydration. These can usually be resolved by a good rest and by consuming plenty of food and fluids. A dry mouth, racing pulse, a faint feeling when getting up after sitting down, and a slight swelling of the extremities (fingers, ankles) suggest that one should begin to take things easy. Rest and sufficient fluid intake are essential at this stage. In severe cases, people can drift into a coma, as indicated by one or more of the following symptoms (a persistent headache, extreme fatigue, vomiting, staggering as if drunk, turning blue, very high pulse, gurgling sound in lungs). At this point, altitude sickness becomes life-threatening; descending rapidly to lower altitudes is the only cure for this and should be done immediately.

These Golden Rules are designed to minimize your impact on the park and communities and enhance your safety and enjoyment. Remember that everyone in the park, including you, is responsible for adhering to and enforcing these Golden Rules. Don’t be afraid to remind other park visitors gently.

• Be safe: Do not take risks by climbing or walking in dangerous areas with your safety. Follow the advice of your guide and stay in designated areas.
• Respect other park users: Other people have a right to use BMNP, whether scientists, local inhabitants or other visitors. Please ensure that your interactions with other people respect their work and culture.
• Don’t forget to pay your park fees: This helps park management conserve this unique place. You must pay only at officially designated sites and provide all required information to help with record-keeping and your safety. Accept only officially stamped and numbered receipts.
• Drive carefully: If viewing wildlife from a vehicle, keep to tracks, drive slowly and do not drive when the ground is very wet. Wild animals always have the right of way.
• Allow animals to behave naturally without disturbance: Many wild animals become distressed when approached too closely by people or vehicles. Keep noise to a minimum and never try to attract an animal’s attention.
• Please do not bring any domestic or exotic animals or plants into the park: Ensure that you do not bring any exotic plants or seeds into the park. Non-native species are a significant threat to the environment.
• Do not consume wildlife or purchase wildlife products in the park or park-associated communities.
• Make sure your environmental impact is minimal: Do not damage any vegetation or animals, and do not collect any native plants or animals. Stay on trails at all times.
• Remember to take out all litter you produce: Litter can harm both animals and people and is unsightly. This is especially true of cigarette butts, which often kill birds that mistake them for food. Please dispose of rubbish at your accommodation or designated collection points.
• Camp only in designated areas.
• Take care with fire: Be very careful with cigarettes and matches or when lighting fires. Accidental fires are a significant threat to much of the Bale Mountains vegetation. Campfires are only permitted at authorized campsites.
• Do not use non-biodegradable soaps or detergents in the natural water bodies.
• Use toilets where provided or bury waste at least 50m from water.
• Do not hand out water bottles or other items, including expensive gifts or money, to individuals. This will encourage begging, cause local conflict, and encourage negative interactions with future visitors. 
• Please follow set prices for services such as horse hire: Negotiation will create uncertainty and unpleasant relations. Prices can be obtained from the Park Fees page. 
• Ask permission before taking photographs: Please do not pay for photographs as this encourages begging.
• Only buy typical handicrafts such as baskets, mats, and spoons: Do not buy family heirlooms as these are an essential part of the cultural heritage and are sometimes stolen to be sold to tourists. 
• Tailoring your trip: Tours start at the Bale Mountains National Park headquarters in Dinsho, where you can meet the local Nyala Guides Association and horse providers. You are free to ride or walk through the park to the various camping sites. Pack horses are typically required, and it is recommended to take along riding horses because climbing to an altitude of 4000 meters is tiring, and walkers may be glad for the possibility of riding at times. No prior riding experience is required. The mountain camps are set at an altitude between 3500 and 4000 m. Each campsite has its distinctive features and spectacular views. The distance between the camps is 17 to 22 km. Walking or riding from one camp to the next takes 6- 8 hours. This allows you to spend every night at a different campsite. Thus setting off as early in the morning is preferable because you may encounter unpredictable rainfalls in the afternoon. If you do not have time for all camps, the local guides will help you select the ones you prefer. Trekking for just one night with two days ascending and descending is perfectly possible.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia