The BMNP’s wide expanse of Afroalpine habitat is the largest on the continent, and Its moist tropical forest is the second largest in Ethiopia. It harbours more endemic Mammals than any other similar sized area on this planet, and the largest populations of two of Ethiopia’s flagship species – the Ethiopian wolf, and the mountain nyala. However, it is not only for its unique biodiversity, alpine and forest ecosystems and cultural history that the Bale Mountains are important.

The BMNP’s wide expanse of Afroalpine habitat is the largest on the continent, and Its moist tropical forest is the second largest in Ethiopia. It harbours more endemic Mammals than any other similar sized area on this planet, and the largest populations of two of Ethiopia’s flagship species – the Ethiopian wolf, and the mountain nyala. However, it is not only for its unique biodiversity, alpine and forest ecosystems and cultural history that the Bale Mountains are important.

The Sanetti plateau is just one of five distinct and unique habitats of the Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP). To the south, the Harenna escarpment drops rapidly from 4,000m to 2,000m over a distance of just 8km into the serene and unexplored Harenna forest. The escarpment contains a patch of tree heath (Erica sp.) – a shrub common to the western world that grows to staggering proportions in the Bale Mountains. The Harenna forest is the second largest forest in Ethiopia and the largest cloud forest in the country, containing stocks of Ethiopia’s famous wild forest coffee. Wildlife is elusive here. To the north lies the Gaysay grasslands, as well as the juniper woodlands, home to the endemic and endangered mountain nyala, and many endemic birds.