Bale has a less inhabited, richer mosaic of high-altitude plateau, heather moorlands, and dense juniper forest, with an easily seen population of mountain nyala and simien fox, and some fabulous birds, many of them endemic. For dedicated climbers, Bale offers Tullu Deemtu at 4377 metres (14553 feet) and Mount Batu at 4207 metres (13799 feet), although these are just the highest "bumps" in the already very high Sanetti Plateau.

The other option to trek in Bale is outside of the park on the massive chain ecological mountain by starting from the town of Dodola or Adaba.

BALE MOUNTAIN PARK TREKKING

The Bale Mountains offer guided wilderness trekking amidst juniper woodlands, across Afro alpine moorlands, over rugged and breath-taking mountains, and through thick tropical forest. The diversity of habitats, scenery, and wildlife is awe inspiring. It is one of those special places in Ethiopia where visitors can see rare and endemic wildlife, appreciate the tranquility of their natural surroundings, and find themselves far from the densely populated cities and towns.

Trekking in the Bale Mountains can be adapted to meet the requirements and physical abilities of almost any person – from fairly gentle and undemanding trips to more extreme and physically challenging ones. Visitors are free to horseback ride or hike between campsites. Most trekkers make the journey with a mixture of walking and riding as this provides a varied experience in the mountains – plus climbing to an altitude of over 4000 metres above sea level can be tiring. All levels of horseback riding experience can be catered for – the local mountain horses come in a variety of personalities from gentle to high-spirited; thus no prior riding experience is required.

Treks can range from a day trip to a two week expedition, from travelling 5 or 10 km per day to 25 km per day. Every night can be spent in a different campsite, or one can choose to explore a particular area for more than a day. Local guides, all members of the newly-formed Nyala Guides Association, will help you select the best route depending on the time you have available, your sightseeing interests, and the amount of physical energy you would like to exert.