8 Days Harar, Bale Mountain & Awash Safari Tour: A Detailed Review
Ethiopia, a land so amazingly brimming with history, breathtaking scenery, plus hugely varied wildlife, you know, right, really does present some seriously phenomenal opportunities when it comes to adventure. Among all the different tours you could do, that 8-day Harar, Bale Mountains, plus Awash tour has just grabbed my attention. It promises a really thorough exploration right across quite a varied mix of locations – that walled town, Harar, those gorgeous Bale Mountains, and finally, that wildlife haven called Awash National Park. This review just aims to give you a bit of a more personal insight based on digging deep a bit into what you might expect, that things that stand out, plus also just those important details that can, you know, really make or break a trip.
Exploring the Historical Charm of Harar
Alright, let’s get things going talking about Harar. I mean, getting there might be a bit of a challenge, so it seems, like, maybe involving a domestic flight, possibly even a pretty lengthy drive from Addis Ababa, but honestly, I mean pretty much everyone says, it’s so worth all that effort. You know, what makes Harar so amazingly unique is that, well, very honestly it’s that sense of really being taken back in time as you move inside those walls that guard this town. It’s seriously a UNESCO World Heritage site, so it’s got quite some prestige too, it’s almost just loaded, pretty loaded with a whole wealth of history.
Just consider those amazingly colorful buildings, right? I mean, what a sensory overload – each with its, well, quite its own individual design. The streets – so narrow that you can nearly, that you can almost touch both walls at that same instant. It gives you a truly intimate look, like at what that daily life really looks like for the Harari folks, that really does bring that culture totally alive, almost you could reach out and touch it. The tour almost always will feature exploring those key spots within that town, for instance, that famous Rimbaud House – that’s actually where that poet Arthur Rimbaud is thought to have lived. Plus there’s always going to be a handful of those old mosques to see. So I understand they offer, like, pretty unique architectural insights, they could be said to give insights, if that make sense.
Now I’m going to mention that hyena feeding ceremony which I understand is often the highlight for many who travel to Harar. It sounds more or less unbelievably wild and, arguably a little frightening perhaps, but just imagine how very different, how pretty extraordinary it is, that the brave locals there feed hyenas by hand, at night!
I want to add, from everything I have read and people I have talked with, what matters a lot when you spend some time there in Harar is just, arguably, so much what’s called, “being respectful.” What I’m pointing to is following local customs, like dressing appropriately, being mindful when taking pictures, right, of those individuals out in the streets and so on. It’s arguably so very important so you’re making the trip respectfully as a visitor. So just that you’re careful when interacting with local community and following their established rules or norms of some kind.
Trekking in the Bale Mountains: A Biodiversity Hotspot
You know, from the old city vibe in Harar, the journey pretty quickly switches very radically to, oh well, something entirely so completely different in those Bale Mountains. I guess what stands out right here is it’s that absolutely dramatic transition within environments, you see? Right, that’s a very major aspect of that tour overall. Bale Mountains National Park, a place that is, that might be described as, right, like a “biodiversity hotspot” if I get you, right, you know?
It might have everything ranging from verdant grasslands right through to incredibly dramatic jagged peaks. But it’s more or less famously also just home to quite a couple of pretty awesome creatures you might see! And it may involve, yes, the Ethiopian wolf of course, which arguably, might be actually the world’s rarest canid of all, and what is sometimes a little easier to glimpse too is, just what’s referred to, a mountain nyala – an amazing sort of antelope. So there’s opportunities galore as it seemingly just teems with life of so many kinds.
So, just remember that if you plan any kind of serious trek at high altitudes, right?, that you just acclimatize yourself to what the altitude might be before starting up a demanding ascent. You might take Diamox which your MD suggests will likely mitigate altitude-linked issues or similar kinds of drug, anyway so there’s much you can be armed with if that’s the sort of heights at which you’re inclined to go. It’s almost vitally important that, even, well if that seems fairly obvious to some of you, and that should, still it’s so often where things might begin to possibly then take a very unfortunate turn if people get too proud when in tricky conditions such as mountains, altitude or perhaps heat etc. But for altitude generally – rest when able, too it’s always useful just not to overexert while you’re up higher. That could mean you are capable of a fair amount each day.
Just so I give the best info. So you just get that right equipment. And it really is so well worthwhile investing in what’s comfortable but reliably good-quality hiking boots; layering just tends to be the strategy of very capable experienced walkers because temperature variation gets significant changes from daytime compared to how cool evenings are going to feel! Then, too it’s vital for when just conditions possibly will be prone, anyway prone, at moments maybe too often for total reassurance as weather patterns may alter with so incredibly little notice or obvious clue beforehand too. So take care okay – think.
Awash National Park: Wildlife Encounters in the Savannah
So, moving on away again now going right to Awash, you know, that landscape changes so incredibly quite dramatically one more time. From all those heights, down through all of the plateau bits right until, anyway until a real savannah scene reveals almost itself, you will think possibly in how utterly it morphs each new sector. It means lots more opportunities right now for, seemingly loads, wildlife-related encounters – so almost it seems for all types, all kind of creature – I’ll have to talk a bit more in that sector though because it, right, that detail always does depend so very often doesn’t it…
Right then… That Awash National Park that seems like one location to see lots so very incredibly different in variety is where to catch sight of that stunning oryx of course – not missing how so impressively-shaped those very striking horns seem by those shots of these that people captured so amazingly well and showed online recently to us all! And in particular anyway these oryx seemed just quite amazing in themselves at those parts. Also lots, maybe fairly a lot even, you’re tending to see gazelles in certain specific portions or parts. So, that’s fairly standard – to find all, anyway at least often just plenty there. So that park which feels relatively accessible as what I learned. That will, right, usually provide one completely, well quite less strenuous possibility overall to have access across a whole huge host wildlife sites too, you just find too that there tend to actually be lots individuals.
It’s understood though from folks too you will, like, probably encounter those very harsh so extremely challenging arid environments, and therefore so seemingly critical really it might get considered to, actually consider and therefore prepare, that all sun protections should be totally adequately prepared, right well at that trip point! Water could get really crucial for those stretches you know too in reality, especially any kind you would maybe choose to spend walking in those bits – so don’t overlook or ever minimize having something with that protection factor to the max and carrying all of a whole bunch.
So now if any are those maybe birdwatchers type and similar right – listen now because that trip bit might excite as the site, honestly seemingly offers simply great prospects in that direction! Yes that sounds right – as it also presents just seriously varied chances generally relating viewing a complete variety completely wide-spread sorts or species across parts too right so maybe check thoroughly if anything truly unique that maybe nobody is seeing elsewhere too currently seems located particularly there because chances come- but they often may get restricted fast also perhaps…
Cultural Immersion and Local Interactions
You will actually find that although obviously loads right, maybe maybe fairly much, to make focus relating watching every amazing site visually I did have a few discussions generally pointing simply regarding interacting right in amongst inhabitants as possibly possibly pretty great for really adding to it completely much, lots really, by getting way beyond merely just viewing those points while travelling there in any way! To me any truly authentic trip means getting a genuine, well, quite much a good idea and deep insight or just something interesting beyond a photo op you see too you just find right, you kind understand, the people bring what an area makes or breaks! It needs appreciating it simply by knowing anything really about them! Right?! That truly goes such a seriously, so far – incredibly way doesn’t it?
So, with any kind of ethical traveling well right – be it just so obvious too – support the whole community right not so completely focusing on those profit drivers from what they want – maybe not their biggest issues and goals by such a complete range, really you feel. Get fairly thoroughly just right from the start in simply finding where you might support best because otherwise money going some place doesn’t make anyone’s whole scene improve overall.
As that point related respecting customs right so what individuals choose as how in their every interaction, how it makes a good thing happens and then actually see clearly what goes better in this scenario after right – is there a bit they will share! Okay – those gestures go such way when just you show some interest instead merely expecting so right, completely loads for nothing just. Ask with your heart – actually you may find just often, possibly, they simply want your mind okay or at their point, somewhere to start something or any angle that builds – right in with people – be what that should look or where…
Practical Considerations and Recommendations
So anyway – look just briefly on those things worth thinking fairly right through because this needs, I just find – maybe at point anyway really deserves a serious mention because some completely pretty terrible choices, perhaps maybe for various individualistic bits so actually do crop so simply often, always right?! Be simply armed too okay just by really knowing lots.
Oh, and those types of thing always needs really focusing as for instance those seasonal variations right there that just has real complete impacts through doing stuff…! Then just get very knowing maybe too because those drier portions make ideal scenarios okay… But for some all simply find it maybe simply far extra pleasant doing this perhaps throughout different points just really because that has impacts perhaps? Right just thinking about things with different seasons. About well, actually think what all simply may say is important that a proper good insurance as it will have those crucial areas there which you need because with various possible issues, simply will be just something vital. In that end so many simply realize often perhaps just by that unfortunate hard method of possibly going down bad route too you all can hear? And getting ill you never can prepare for always eh. Maybe if anything that’s your learning here okay!!
Anyway I recommend to check all those recent travelling info always because those tend, that tend, at that place will simply fluctuate every various time always!! Just simply double or fairly quadruple test. As with travel generally simply learn also everything so thoroughly maybe simply through everything possibly to know to travel but particularly if not fluent local – right!? It gives perhaps a slightly additional burden with everything that should get a great plan really or well right when there simply are some people okay which should just require that as you may have that specific medical something in particular right – so maybe check with your doctors… Be thorough with all plans.
- Diverse Experiences: The tour packages multiple contrasting settings, so that, giving you plenty and several great points in the journey
- Respectful Travel: This could give more local or something. Simply just thinking just more right when simply choosing
- Careful Planning: Getting what suits that or not with lots possibly or you are set-up for whatever is something very simply worth spending.
#Harar #BaleMountains #Awash #Ethiopia #Safari #TravelReview