Tours in Ethiopia

Start with the coffee. In Ethiopia it is not a drink you grab on the way somewhere, it is something you sit down for. Green beans roasted in a pan, smoke drifting through the room, a small cup poured from a clay pot, then a second and a third. Say yes to all three. Somebody will explain why, and you will have lost an hour in the best way.

Most journeys begin in Addis Ababa, a high, sprawling city that sits against the hills and feels cooler and brisker than you expect. Plan on a full day here. The National Museum is where you meet Lucy and the long story behind the country. Holy Trinity Cathedral is calm and solemn, and worth slowing down for. Mercato is the opposite: loud, crowded and endlessly busy, a place to arrive with a guide and an open mind. Then head up to Entoto Hill, where the eucalyptus smells sharp and the city spreads out below you. Dress modestly for the churches, and women should bring something that covers the legs.

Beyond the capital, the country opens into very different worlds. In the north, Lalibela and its rock-hewn churches, Axum and its stelae, and Gondar with its castle compound draw pilgrims and curious travellers alike. Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls are within reach of Bahir Dar. To the south you reach the Omo Valley, and to the east the walled city of Harar, with its alleys and its coffee and its hyenas fed at night.

We do not sell tours to these places yet. If one is calling you, ask. A local guide can often shape a trip around it, and that is the point of booking with someone who actually lives here. Start in Addis, and let the rest of the map follow.