I arranged a week backpack through Bale Mountains National Park with Jamal Kassim of Bale Mountains Authentic Tours. He is organized, easy to communicate with, and fluent in English with an excellent knowledge of the biology, ecology, and history of the region, answering my endless questions about wildlife, plants, and everything else. He is very easygoing, honest, and respectful, and works hard to make your trip enjoyable and fun at a decent price.When my bag was delayed a couple of days, he quickly and seamlessly reorganized to accommodate long day hikes, spotting endemic owl species, and other activities until I could pick up my backpacking gear. Although my trip was a solo backpack, Jamal has many contacts and can accommodate any size group.

Our guide in the Bale Mountains ‘Jamal Kassim’ was outstanding. An accomplished biologist from a humble background , he had a wonderful knowledge of local wildlife, with a quiet and very pleasant manner. We had 3 sightings of the endangered Ethiopian Wolf. It’s a rare endemic numbering just 500, and restricted to the two mountain areas. With help from Jamal we spotted 8 endemic birds and I will long remember the song of the Ethiopian Catbird, surely the finest songster in the whole of Africa.For any naturalist planning to visit Ethiopia, we can unhesitatingly recommend Jamel Kassim of ‘Bale Mountains Authentic Tours’ to arrange the visit and be your guide,

Do you love wildlife, enchanting mountain meadows, lush cloud forests, incredible mountain vistas...? If you do, Jamal Kassim is the guide for you!My wife and sister-in-law and I spent a week trekking in the Bale Mountains with our EXCELLENT, friendly and knowledgable guide Jamal Kassim. Jamal took great care of us and coordinated an affordable, fun, and memorable adventure experience. Jamal knows the mountains very well and is a trained ornithologist and biologist with vast knowledge of the area’s flora and fauna. We spotted over 60 species of birds, including several endemic species such as the Blue Winged Goose (our fav.) and a dozen mammals, including almost 20 Ethiopian Wolves and dozens of majestic Mountain Nyala and elusive Menelik’s Bushbuck.Jamal is supported by an amazing team, all members of which are friendly and warm and will make your Bale Mountains experience an unforgettable one. They prepare great food - 3 excellent meals per day - and will do their best to ensure you are comfortable and satisfied both on the trail and in camp. Jamal capably speaks English and French.