Independent budget Ethiopia? (1 Viewer)

This post is perhaps premature, but here goes anyway. I've had a look through some of the fantastic trip reports on here and Cloudbirders and it appears that those who attempt Ethiopia independently do so by hiring a driver.

Has anyone experience of attempting this via public transport?

Contemplating a 15(ish) night trip taking in Simien Mountains National Park (via flight to Gondar and bus to Debark), then Guassa, possibly Awash, Bale and maybe Yabello (if we don't go to Awash) using buses where possible. Staying in the NP's looks very cheap as does travelling by bus, but concerned about feasibility and paying $150-200 per day for driver etc isn't an option at present. This won't be a dedicated birding trip (keen to see Wolf & Gelada as main targets) but any suggestions for which areas are worth covering & which could be excluded would be helpful.

edit: by budget, we are looking at roughly £400 for flights, then £500 for food/accommodation/NP fees, then maybe £300 for transport.

Any commentary welcome!

Have you checked this trip report by Jens Thalund?
http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=2273

I hadn't, thanks Andrew. Sounds doable!

A minor bump for this thread as we have booked flights and are in the planning stages.
We will be in the country for just 15 days, and given the scale and distance between sites we have decided its probably best to visit 3-4 areas rather than whizz around trying to do lots of different places. We have lined up a few days in the capital (which will likely be required for getting to and from different parts of the country), along with 4 full days in Bale mtns/Harenna forest and 3 full days in the Simien mtns.
I'd be interested in suggestions for 3 full days elsewhere, currently thinking of lower altitude, particularly Awash/Aledeghi Wildlife Reserve or perhaps Rift Valley lakes.
Thanks in advance!