Ethiopia Tours & Holidays
Small Group Tours & Tailor-Made Holidays
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Overview
Ethiopia is an undiscovered gem for the willing traveller, it has the cultural diversity, archaeological pedigree and natural beauty to match anywhere in the world. Our range of Ethiopia tours and holidays take in the rugged peaks of the Simien Mountains, Lalibela’s extraordinary rock-hewn churches, ancient castles at Gondar and the bustling capital of Addis Ababa. This is a country of unique depth and grandeur.
Occupying a plateau, some 2,500 metres above sea level, Ethiopia’ ...
Ethiopia is an undiscovered gem for the willing traveller, it has the cultural diversity, archaeological pedigree and natural beauty to match anywhere in the world. Our range of Ethiopia tours and holidays take in the rugged peaks of the Simien Mountains, Lalibela’s extraordinary rock-hewn churches, ancient castles at Gondar and the bustling capital of Addis Ababa. This is a country of unique depth and grandeur.
Occupying a plateau, some 2,500 metres above sea level, Ethiopia’s vast landscapes stretch out before you, across stunning vistas that shelter ancient frescoes and wild baboons. It is even rumoured to be the legendary home of the Queen of Sheba and the lost Ark of the Covenant. It was once a vast empire stretching into what is now Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti, ruled by emperors claiming direct descent from King Solomon. And don’t forget the otherworldly beauty of the Danakil Depression which, created at the point where three tectonic plates collide, is Africa’s lowest point and one of the world’s hottest environments, making it a treasure trove for scientific research.
Our Ethiopia holidays spend time in the lush Omo Valley, an incredibly diverse region home to many different ethnic groups, each with their own traditions and customs; from the Mursi, renowned for their lip-plates, the Konso famous for their terraced farming, to the Hamer famous for their bull-jumping coming of age ceremony.
So why not travel to Ethiopia, a country that boasts Africa’s largest continuous mountain range and largest cave, it has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other African country (including Egypt) and is where the coffee bean originated. There really is nowhere else to compare, and anyone who comes looking for a new travel adventure, will not leave any of our Ethiopia tours or tailor-made holidays feeling disappointed.
Meet the Experts
Start your journey
Group tours
Travel to Ethiopia with like-minded people on one of our small group tours (usually max size 12), featuring knowledgeable local guides and an expert tour leader.
TAILOR-MADE HOLIDAYS
Whether you want to travel on one of our award-winning itineraries or build your own journey from scratch, our expert consultants will help create the perfect tour for your tastes and budget. Below are a few suggestions of the kind of trips we can offer, all of which can be tailored to you.
SUGGESTED ITINERARIES
HIGHLIGHTS OF ETHIOPIA
BEST EXPERIENCES
Explore majestic rock-hewn churches
The isolated town of Lalibela, high up in the Lasta Mountains, is famous for its incredible rock-hewn churches. This group of monuments consists of six churches to the north and five churches to the south, and are linked by a series of rock-hewn tunnels.
Celebrate Meskel or Timkat festival
Witness the festival of Meskel, celebrated in memory of the Finding of the True Cross or Timkat, Ethiopia's most important Coptic festival celebrating the baptism of Christ where thousands of colourfully robed monks carry replicas of the 'Ark of the Covenant'.
Trek in the Simien Mountains
The Simien Mountains National Park is a World Heritage Site and the dramatic landscape makes for some of the most fantastic scenery on the African continent. This area of the mountains is home to the endemic Walia ibex, the klipspringer and gelada monkey.
Explore the huge ancient monoliths
The extraordinary stelae fields were built as tombstone-cum-monuments to local rulers, the largest being over 33 m high if erect and weighing over 500 tons. There's not a full explanation as to how these massive blocks were carved, transported and erected.
Learn about 17th century castles
Gonder is famous for the excellent preservation of its 17th century castles. Visit the Fasill Ghebbi, a walled compound that dominates the city centre, its high enclosure walls containing six castles and a myriad of tunnels and raised walkways.
Cooking experience with local family
Discover the traditional methods of producing Ethiopia’s unique culinary delights. A local family will welcome you into their home and show you how to cook typical Ethiopian food. They will also show you an Ethiopian coffee ceremony before your feast.
Search for gelada monkeys and ibex
Tracing the edge of the escarpment the views are simply breathtaking, but with any luck you'll be able to spot the Gelada monkeys, known as the 'bleeding-heart baboon' and the Walia Ibex with it's huge curved horns, both of which are endemic to the region.
Explore the Mercato
Visit the Mercato, the largest open-air market of its kind in Africa, including the must-see Spice Market, the handmade baskets market and second hand items market. Your guide will help you navigate this fascinating hub of cultures and communities.
Admire the angels’ faces
Visit the Debre Birhan Selassie Church with its wonderful interior paintings. Admire the ethereal angels’ faces on the ceiling that have become a common motif in Ethiopian design.
TOP PLACES TO VISIT
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia's capital is located more or less in the dead centre of the country and is the world's third highest capital at 2,400 m. Its name means 'New Flower' and it is a relatively modern city, founded ...
Axum
This fascinating town was the centre of the Axumite Empire, one of the most important and technologically advanced civilisations of its time and a major force in world trade between the 1st and 7th centuries ...
Gonder
Up until the beginning of the 17th century Ethiopia had what was is locally referred to as a 'mobile capital'. But in 1632 Fasilidas took the throne and proclaimed Gonder as his capital, where it remained ...
Lalibela
The isolated town of Lalibela, situated high up in the Lasta Mountains, is famous throughout the world for its incredible rock-hewn churches. At 2,630 m and perched among wild mountains, the setting is ...
Simien Mountains
Climbing to an altitude of 4,620m, stretching 100 miles east to west, the Simien Mountains are one of the largest ranges in Africa. With their vaulting granite columns, towering escarpments and plummeting ...
OUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO STAY
Gheralta Lodge, Gheralta
An oasis of comfort and originality in the heart of the unspoilt Tigray region, Gheralta Lodge adds something unique and special to any visit to Ethiopia. This Italian owner-managed lodge blends…
Kuriftu Lodge & Spa, Bahir Dar
The Kuriftu Lodge & Spa offers a tranquil oasis on the banks of Lake Tana and is far and away the best option in Bahar Dar. The twenty-eight spacious en suite guestrooms are constructed of local…
Limalimo Lodge, Simien Mountains
The wonderful Limalimo Lodge is a luxurious yet sustainable and eco-friendly lodge located just on the edge of the Simien Mountain National Park. The lodge has been built across 10 acres of land using…
Maribela Hotel, Lalibela
Maribela is Amharic for Lalibela and this hotel offers a great location on the escarpment with fabulous views. Guest rooms are simple yet comfortable with en suite facilities. The staff are very…
Simien Lodge, Simien Mountains
Situated at 3260 metres and one of the highest lodges in Africa, Simien Lodge offers some of the best mountain scenery in the world. Set up by Nick Crane to combine his passion for mountains and…
TESFA Village Homestays, Meket
Set up by former WF guide Mark Chapman, Tesfa village homestays are a wonderful way of getting off the tourist circuit and experiencing the hospitality of rural communities. Although simple, the…Discover more
WHEN TO GO
The weather in Ethiopia, at least in terms of the heat, is fairly consistent all year round. The only real change is in rainfall and as all our trips go between the end of the long rains (September) and the beginning of the short ones (April) this should not be a problem. During the day the temperature hovers around the mid 20’s, falling to an overnight low of 6-8 degrees (and perhaps even colder in the mountains).
USEFUL INFORMATION
Health and Vaccinations
There are no mandatory immunisations for travellers to Ethiopia though you should be up-to-date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. There is a risk of yellow fever transmission and Malaria is present in some parts of Ethiopia, so we recommend you seek advice from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct immunisations and preventative treatments.
Currency
In Ethiopia the official unit of currency is the Birr.
To check out the latest exchange rate for the places that you are visiting you can go to www.oanda.com.
Cultural Sensitivity
On our tours you will frequently interact with local people, each with their own distinct customs and traditions. We therefore ask you to be considerate and to treat them with respect. Your tour-leaders and guides will always be able to advise you accordingly.
In the churches and cathedrals women should cover their heads with a scarf or hat, while men should take their hats off.
Language & Religion
Ethiopia has 83 different languages with up to 200 different dialects spoken. The largest ethnic and linguistic groups are the Oromos, Amharas and Tigrayans. Amharic is the official national language of Ethiopia. English, Arabic, Italian and French are widely spoken by many Ethiopians.
The main religions in Ethiopia are Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Paganism. Ethiopia is a predominantly Christian country, and the majority of Christians are Orthodox Tewahedo Christians. There are a minority of Christians who are Roman Catholic or Protestant.
Time
The Julian calendar is used in Ethiopia and their current year is 7 years behind us. Christmas is celebrated on 7th January and New Year on 11th September. Some Ethiopians set their clocks from dawn to dusk and there is a six-hour difference between Ethiopian time and Western time i.e. 6 o’clock can mean 12 o’clock.
Ethiopia is 3 hours ahead of GMT.
A useful website to check the time zone differences is www.worldtimezone.com.
Food and drink
Ethiopian food is an exotically spicy mix of vegetables, slow-simmered meat and grain stews.
Dining in Ethiopia is characterised by sharing food from a common plate, signifying the bonds of loyalty, family, and friendship. The traditional Ethiopian meal is served on a large platter that is draped with the crepe-like injera bread, with the selection of foods decoratively arranged around the centre dish. To eat, you simply tear off a piece of injera, use it to scoop up some of the various dishes and pop it into your mouth. Extra injera is usually served on the side. A word of warning for those left-handed people amongst us, injera should only be eaten with the right hand!
The Ethiopian Highlands are predominantly Orthodox Christian with ‘fasting’ each Wednesday, Friday and during Lent when only vegetarian dishes are available. The main hotels do not worry about this and therefore it should not be something that affects you.
As far as alcohol is concerned everything is available but the quality is sometimes questionable. For a decent shot of Scotch at sundown it’s probably best to buy it duty free. Beer is very good and wine – of a reasonable quality – is available but will need to be carried in the vehicle – just let the guide know. If you fancy a G&T, tonic is not always so easy to get so again let the guide know to get a small supply in, reasonable local gin is widely available, and a bottle can be bought in most towns.
Vegetarians or those with special dietary needs can also be catered for though the type of food can be limited.