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Ethiopia is a country with unmatched natural beauty, unique wildlife, rich cultural experiences, and a host of Unesco World Heritage sites. Yet many American travelers overlook it.
The country has an incredible cultural heritage, including the medieval rock-cut churches of Lalibela and Gheralta; palaces and temples dating back 3,000 years; the magnificent castles of Gondar from the 17th century; and some of the oldest human fossils unearthed anywhere on the planet. From a nature and wildlife perspective, the Simien and Bale Mountains, as well as the Danakil Depression, offer incredible experiences.
A unique way to discover Ethiopia’s natural beauty is by participating in walking tours. Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel list for 2021 features Tesfa Tours as the best community trekking. The company offers perspective-changing tours of Ethiopia. Tesfa employs local guides in cities such as Bahir Dar, Gondar, Axum and Lalibela and strives to use locally owned hostels and hotels.
Lalibela, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is a small town located in the Lasta Mountains, adjacent to eleven ancient churches that were built in the 12th century. These churches were carved out of gigantic chunks of volcanic rock under the direction of King Lalibela.
In the basalt mountains around Lalibela, travelers will be able to witness how communities still farm with ox-drawn plows and hand tools. The hike will take travelers to Mequat Mariam, a remote parish where it is possible to visit a “rock bar”, a soft, sheltered ledge that is warmed by the afternoon sun and invites guests to sit with a drink to watch. the golden glow at the end of the day turns red when the sun sets over Mount Guna. Lunch will be provided by the local community and travelers will be invited to try enjara (a sour pancake made from local grains, particularly teff) and vegetarian stews.
There are more hiking opportunities in the Tigray with its red sandstone mountains and the Wof Washa forest on the Rift Valley escarpment. In the Wof Washa forest area, an NGO called Sunarma has supported forest cooperatives to develop guest houses to accommodate tourists. Travelers will stay in guesthouses and interact with local communities, as well as witness a variety of incredible wildlife, including gelada monkeys, hyrax, jackals, and a wonderful selection of birds.
The Simien Mountains National Park is a must see for anyone looking to see the Simien Jackal. Also called Ethiopian wolves, these animals are the descendants of the European wolf that was stranded in the mountainous areas of Ethiopia when the last ice age ended. Although Tesfa Tours organizes hikes in the Simien Mountains, the hikes are definitely not for the faint-hearted: it is rugged, away from developed cities and the people, while friendly and welcoming, are not so used to being service providers. Tesfa guides are all local, extremely willing and conscientious, but not as experienced as elsewhere and with more broken English.
For travelers wanting a more relaxed park experience, Simien Lodge is a great option. Sitting atop 10,800 feet high, Simien Lodge is the highest elevation lodge in Africa. Opened in 2006, this is the only permanent accommodation available within the park. With its hot running water and generous portions of food, Simien Lodge offers a very attractive alternative to camping.
In addition to the Simien jackal, the national park is also home to gelada. These spectacular monkeys live in family groups consisting of a dominant male and up to eight females with their young. They gather in larger bands and during the dry season these bands can have up to 800 animals. At dusk each night, most of the geladas have retreated to the cliff, where they remain all night protected from predators.
American travelers can visit Ethiopia, as the country reopened its borders on September 23, but a quarantine will be required. All passengers, whether foreign or national, must present proof of a negative PCR test before boarding their flight to Ethiopia and at customs upon arrival. The test must be done with available results no more than 120 hours before the flight departure. Even with the submission of the negative PCR test, all arriving passengers must also be quarantined at their place of residence or hotel for seven days after arrival.
