Lying south-east of Ethiopia, Bale Mountains National Park covers 2400 square kilometers (1488 square miles) covering wide range of habitats and ranging in altitude from 1500 to 4377 meters (4920 to 14357 feet) at Tulu Dimtu, the highest point in the southern Ethiopia. The spectacular Harenna escarpment running from east to west divides the area into two major parts. To the north is a high altitude plateau area known as the Sanetti Plateau (4000m) formed of ancient volcanic rocks and dissected by many rivers and streams that have cut deep gorges into the edges. In some places this has resulted in scenic waterfalls and alpine lakes.

The vegetation here varies according to altitude. The park can be divided into three main zones. Around Dinsho, in the north, there are grass riverine plains, bordered by bands of bushes, particularly sagebrush and St. John’s Wort. Wild flowers, such as Giant Lobelia, Geraniums, ‘red-hot pokers’ and Alcheilla, form carpets of color. Higher up the mountains heather appears either as small bushes or as mature trees.

The second zone, the Sanetti Plateau, is home to typical Afro-Alpine plants, some coping with the extreme temperatures by either remaining very small or becoming large. The best example of the latter is the curious looking Giant Lobelia, whose stems stand high against the skyline. Wild flowers are many and various, the dominant plant being the Helichrysum, or ’everlasting’ flowers that can be seen in many forms. Keep an eye on the indigenous Abyssinia rose, with its lovely subtle scent.

The third habitat which is the southern part of the park is heavily forested – the moist, tropical Harenna Forest, is home to tree species such as Haenia, Celtis and Podocarpus.  
The wildlife of Bale includes many endemic species. The park was originally established to protect the two endemic mammals: the Mountain Nyala and the Semien Fox or Jackal. ale Mountains National Park is an area of high altitude plateau that is broken by numerous spectacular volcanic plugs and peaks, beautiful alpine lakes and rushing mountain streams that descend into deep rocky gorges on their way to the lowlands below. As you ascend into the mountains you will experience changes in the vegetation with altitude, from juniper forests to heather moorlands and alpine meadows, which at various times of year exhibit an abundance of colourful wildflowers.

Bale Mountains National Park is the largest area of Afro-Alpine habitat in the whole of the continent. It gives the visitor opportunities for unsurpassed mountain walking, horse trekking, scenic driving and the chances to view many of Ethiopia's endemic mammals, in particular the Mountain Nyala and Semien Fox, and birds, such as the Thick-billed Raven, Wattled Ibis, Blue-winged Goose, and Rouget's Rail.

Topography
The Bale Mountains rise from the extensive surrounding farmlands at 2,500 m above sea level to the west, north and east. The National Park area is divided into two major parts by the spectacular Harenna escarpment that runs from east to west.

North of this escarpment is a high altitude plateau area at 4,000 m altitude. The plateau is formed of ancient volcanic rocks (trachytes, basalts, agglomerates and tuffs) dissected by many Rivers and streams that have cut deep gorges into the edges over the centuries. In some places this has resulted in scenic waterfalls. From the plateau rise several mountain massifs of rounded and craggy peaks, including Tullu Deemtu the second-highest mountain in Ethiopia at 4,377 m above sea level. (Ras Dashen, near the Simien Mountains National Park in the north is the highest - 4,543 m). A major part of the central peaks area is covered by a capping of more recent lava flows, still mainly unvegetated, and forming spectacular rock ripples and pillars. Many shallow depressions on the plateau are filled with water in the wet season, forming small lakes that mirror the surrounding scenery. Larger lakes such as Garba Guracha ("black water"), Hora Bachay and Hala Weoz, contain water all year round. These many lakes provide habitat for water birds, especially migrating ducks from Europe during the northern winter.

Vegetation
The high rainfall in the Bale Mountains, together with the great variation in altitude and topography, result in rich diversity in the vegetation. Changes in the vegetation with altitude are clearly seen, this zonation being a result of increasing then decreasing rainfall as you ascend, generally decreasing temperatures, and increased exposure of rock and resulting poorer soils.

The mountains are surrounded to the northwest and northeast by fertile plains at 2,500 m that are heavily utilized for agriculture mainly wheat growing. This is succeeded by remnants of beautiful juniper and Kosso (Hagenia abyssinica) forest -a belt that reaches up to about 3,300 m altitude, which is the upper limit of the tree zone, apart from a few isolated trees in protected valleys. Above the tree line the heather moorlands begin, reaching to about 3,600 m altitudes on gently sloping ground, and as high as 3,800 m on steep rocky slopes. Above this are various forms of Afro-Alpine moorland, dominated by different plants depending on slope, drainage and rodent activity. The tops of most of the high peaks are either bare rocks, or exposed soil with very small hardy tussock herbs or grasses. To the south, the land falls away far more, through rich and varied forest below the heather, containing bamboo and giant Podocarpus trees, and finally giving way to dry short-tree wooded grasslands at 1,600 m on the southern boundary of the Park.

The northern forests are open with little under-growth, and while dominated by Juniper and Hagenia trees, also contain St John's Wort and bushes (Hypericum spp.) with large golden-yellow flowers, Schefflera abyssinica and Rappanea simensis trees amongst others. The grassy forest floor makes for easy walking and viewing of animals; the wonderful fruity smell of fallen Hagenia leaves rising from your path. This large tree of the rose family, has separate male and female trees; the female flowers contain anthelmintic, and are widely used in a decoction against the tapeworm. Another member of the rose family - Rosa abyssinica is found here, with its beautiful white flowers and delicate scent, the only indigenous African rose.

The southern forests, in contrast, are much denser with a greater variety of tree, shrub and herb species. Juniper is not found on the south side, but the other species are. The trees are covered in epiphytes and creepers, and in many cases rise to over thirty metres in height. Higher reaches of the forests, near Katcha at 2,600 m, are interspersed with bamboo groves, and many wildflowers beside the small rushing torrents. Early in the wet season, dense thickets of edible Rubus steudneri in the blackberry family are in flower and fruit. Streamside beds of the white-flowered Crinum ornatum with their heavy sweet scent also bloom at this time. Occasional grassy glades occur mainly where drainage is poor and small swamps form along River and stream courses.

Grassland has formed at the forest altitude near Dinsho and at Gaysay. This is partly due to the action of man, but mainly at Gaysay through impeded drainage and marshy conditions. These grasslands include large areas of the scrubby aromatic "sagebrush " plant (Artemesia afra) -a staple foodplant of the Mountain Nyala, and the grey-green leaved "everlasting" flower (Helichrysum splendidum), which produces papery bright yellow flowers early in the wet season at this altitude. The heather zone is often burnt in an attempt by pastoralists to obtain more grassland. As a result the size of the heather (mainly Erica arborea) varies greatly -from thirty centimetre recent regrowth to five metre tall mature trees. Mature heather trunks and stems are usually lichen and moss covered and the frequent mists also support a lush dense growth beneath them of wildflowers and grasses.

The Afro-Alpine moorlands and meadows are mainly dominated by low (50 cm) scrubby vegetation of either the "everlasting" flower genus (Helichrysum) or by Alchemilla johnstoni. Within and above the heather zone, these plants may form a continuous dense ground cover, but with increasing altitude they are reduced to tussocks with bare soil and grass clumps in between.

Lobelia rhynchopetalum is the most noticeable in the Bale Mountains. The plant consists of a rosette of large shiny leaves on top of an unbranched stem that grows to about two metres.