Travel Tips
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 camp site has its own 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 in a different camp site. Thus setting off as early in the morning is preferable because you may come across unpredictable rain falls in the afternoon. If you do not have time for all camps, the local guides will help you to select the ones you prefer. Trekking of just one night with two days for ascending and descending is perfectly possible.
What you should bring
Bring your own sleeping bag (minimum rating of 00C but ideally -150C), sleeping mat (inflatable is best for the cold weather), tent (must be waterproof), cooking supplies (basic pots, pans, and kerosene stoves can be acquired in Addis if necessary) and 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 pack horse. Carry a water bottle, raingear, sunscreen and other daily necessities in your backpack. A hat and sun cream are essential to avoid sun burn, 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 over coat 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 especially during the rainy season between June and October trails can be wet and muddy. Good trekking shoes/boots are therefore essential, as are thick, comfortable socks and gloves It is advisable to bring a small, personal first aid kit. At minimum this should include a bandage for sprained joints, antiseptic cream and altitude sickness pills. It is also a good idea to bring along anti-bacterial gel for washing hands if water is not available. Soap, a small towel, and toilet paper also advisable. Other important items are a torch (essential), camera and binoculars.
Altitude sickness
Bear in mind that physical activities at high altitude can be very 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. Most people, having spent a day or two in Addis Ababa and then driving to Bale, will feel little, or no, effect of altitude sickness. Having said that, a predisposition to altitude sickness, dehydration, and strenuous exercise at high altitudes can lead to symptoms such as 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, 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) people can drift into a coma. At this point altitude sickness becomes life-threatening, Descending rapidly to lower altitudes is the only cure for this and should be done immediately.