Highlights of Northern Ethiopia

We've just returned from an incredible trip to Ethiopia, covering the classic northern circuit, the Simien mountains and the rock churches of Gheralta. Friends are asking which part of the trip was the most memorable but everywhere had its own special feel and we were constantly surprised and amazed by this extraordinary country. Our main reason for the trip was to visit the churches at Lalibela, but I think the churches of Gheralta made almost more of an impression as they were so unexpected - and the views from some of them are incredible!

We had an excellent guide in Ermias and also an excellent driver, Mikael. We loved the coffee and the Ethiopian food - just ask for rice if you can't face injera - and had an especially good fasting/vegan buffet one lunchtime at the Fasil Lodge in Gonder. On the whole the hotels are all clean and comfortable and we had hot showers everywhere. Go to the local markets - they are fascinating.

We talked with Ben a lot before booking the trip, planning all the different stops and changing our itinerary from some of the set trips. We had two full-day drives, rather than internal flights, which was our choice as we wanted to see the country, but they are long, dusty days and the roads are still under construction in some places! However, the countryside is fascinating and you get a real feel for the place and the people. Everything went smoothly, which isn't always the case in Africa, so I can only commend Ben and the team in Ethiopia for making sure this was the case.

Ethiopia is a wonderful, surprising country.

John L reviewing Highlights of Northern Ethiopia on 18 March 2014

We were extremely impressed with the organisation, logistics and execution of the trip by the local team on the ground - we didn't expect a trip to Africa to run so smoothly! Plus a lovely touch by a few hotels who acknowledged it was our honeymoon....petals on beds in Addis Regency and Gondar, with a free evening meal at the latter too!

Richard W reviewing Highlights of Northern Ethiopia on 11 December 2012

Our trip was excellent. Thank you! We were particularly impressed with the way it all worked seamlessly: someone was at each arrival point to meet us (or Alex was on the end of the phone to tell us what to do) or there was a phone message at Reception for when to expect someone.

The Jerusalem Hotel in Lalibela is not the same standard as Tukul Villages but it was OK for one night & we had plenty of warning. Lalibela at Christmas is pretty manic: full to bursting!

I must say that Alex looked after us well. He came to see us in Gondar to make sure everything was in place for the Simiens Trek & that we knew what to expect. When we got back after it, there he was again! Small but highly-valued pieces of customer care, evident again when he spoke to drivers while we were travelling.

All the staff who worked with us were of high quality, especially drivers and guides. Two who stood out were Younus, our driver both times we were in Addis Ababa, who we felt went beyond the call of duty & made our time there enjoyable - our last evening when waiting for a 2 a.m. flight could have been a drag, was in fact absolutely fine because of his suggestions (the Via Via cafe for dinner & then Mama's Kitchen for some music) and company.

The Simiens Trek was outstanding. Spectacular scenery, challenging at times, full of interest. Key to making it so was Dereje Gedamu who is a wonderful guide: we felt privileged to have him. he was ably assisted by the other staff & when our first, excellent chef had to leave at short notice to visit his mother in hospital, a replacement was found immediately (at Chenek!) who fed us to the same high standard. It was all a great experience that we will be talking about for a long time.

We were all pleased to have selected the 8 day option (& were not at all jealous of the peak-baggers heading for Ras Dashen). The second half of the trek was a good contrast to the high altitude section in the National Park's heartland as we descended through more intensively cultivated and populated areas, down steeply to the river and then back up past wonderful rock formations towards Mulit and out to the road at Adi Arkaye. It was full of interest and we were pleased to be pretty much on our own, rather than with the crowds at Geech & Chenek.

By comparison, the TESFA trek was rather tame, although an interesting comparison to see a more pastoral landscape and less remote villages. We had another good guide & enjoyed the lunch & evening stops, and the "loos with a view".

Pleased as we were that we had opted to drive from Bahir Dar to Lalibela, we had mixed feelings about driving the rough Gashena-Lalibela road three times - the starting and finishing points for the TESFA trek were just beyond Gashena. In 3 years when the road is complete this point may become academic, but meanwhile - if anyone else wants to do the same thing - it would be better for them to drive from Bahir Dar to Gashena, meet the TESFA crew there, do the trek & then continue to Lalibela. I am sure that TESFA could look after any extra baggage that people did not want on the trek.

One other point about the TESFA trek: we were not aware that there are several grades offered. I think we did the easiest and might well have preferred something more challenging so perhaps you could clarify the options available.

Only one other critical comment: we were underwhelmed by the Mayleko Lodge near Gondar airport. It was indeed welcome to have somewhere peaceful to return to after the trek, the rooms are nice & a couple of us enjoyed a "refreshing" swim, but on the other hand the restaurant was pretty mediocre and slow: we might have preferred to be out in the town.

Apart from that it was all good! A glimpse of Addis and another of Gondar; trekking with some R&R in Bahir Dar with its different scenery and history, ending with the religious fervour at Lalibela. A great holiday.

Gordon P reviewing Simien Mountains Trek & Northern Highlights on 09 February 2016

We had an excellent, stretching , fascinating mix of history (sites) , tough trekking , and wonderful views .. From the many treks that I have done to places including Nepal , Italy , Croatia , Crete , Myanmar , Japan I would judge that it would be very difficult to beat the 7 days that we had in the Simien Mountains .. Tigrai was spectacular for those willing to climb to all the churches. ( there’s a challenge for you to suggest the next adventure !).

Our guide Abebe was really excellent ( fit, engaging, knowledgeable and with a good sense of fun/humour ) and I would not hesitate in recommending him, the quality of the tents was excellent except that there were only 3 two man tents which were much roomier than the singles. We saw very few other people which was perhaps just as well in view of the loo situation at the camp sites. The food was reasonable .. in fact too much pasta and not enough rice. We certainly needed the heavier sleeping bags as it was very cold the first two nights out.

On the negative side .. the long drop loos at Geech were frankly a disgrace .. you could not stand in there for all the crap around and the smell ( even in the freezing evening ) .. surely they should be cleaned every morning / evening. The result is people are crapping in other places round the site .. not nice ! There was no water for washing at Geech ! At the Chennek camp the long drops were only marginally better but there were two dribbly very cold showers at least ! If the tourist board want to encourage tourism clean loos is the absolute must.

The trekking times were generally accurate which was a change as in most other treks that I have been on they are 25% overestimated. Our final 11 hour day was tough but perfectly achievable for fit walkers. I am glad we did not break it into two tranches … we had time to stop for a swim/wash in the river/pools and it was fantastic to spend two days at Geralti Lodge before our return. Addis is a bit of a disappointment but it was certainly worth spending a couple of hours walking the Mercato ( although you have to be very careful not to lose the guide !). I thought Axum was disappointing by comparison with Gonder and Lalibela and not really worth going to.

That’s about it .. I would certainly recommend Tourdust !! Thank you , James

James L reviewing Classic Northern Circuit & Simien Mountains Trek on 10 February 2015

We had the most fantastic time and loved the country and its people. The tour worked really well and including the internal flights meant that we could maximise our 2 weeks (if we had of had more time sure the drives would be lovely!) - the pace of it was busy but just right. You really put together a trip which showed us the beauty and culture of the North. I loved all the walking and timket was amazing. The advice just take yourselves and leave everything else at home for timket was perfect as we were free to just enjoy the experience - I have never experienced anything like it. The thing that surprised me about the trip was the variety and how each day was so different. The people were so warm and friendly and children were absolutely enchanting - the contrast of the privilege of children I know here and those living in poverty in Ethiopia is very humbling.

Having a driver guide worked extremely well - lema was excellent, he really added to our holiday through enabling us to have interaction with local people - he clearly had a way which gained acceptance and thus acceptance of us - for example with a family making injera and farmers threshing. He is a real ambassador for his country and was such a caring guide but also great fun. We always felt safe and he was an excellent driver - even when conditions were not easy.

As we had local guides everywhere, I think having a driver and a guide plus local guides would have been a bit too much. The local guides were all very good or excellent. They clearly had good relationships with lema and again I think this meant we in turn had a good experience.

The accommodation was generally very good/ excellent. We actually preferred the guest house we stayed in on the final night in addis to the regency hotel ( cannot remember the name but Stephen took us there - it had more character) I particularly liked fasil lodge as had great atmosphere, and gheralta was fantastic. I also liked lalibela lodge. I thought Kuriftu lodge was good but slightly impersonal.

My only criticism about whole trip really is about simien lodge - As you know the cost of food and drink at the lodge is inflated - I completely understand that the location would attract a premium but compared to everywhere else it is so over-inflated. I have seen their response on trip advisor to anyone who raises this - basically you a penny pinching tourist who expects a "cheap" trip and do not want to contribute to the country ( I do not think we fall into this category!) the main thing I objected to was only having the "choice" of a $18 buffet of food that was not of great quality as well very inflated prices for drinks

However, You did warn us and i know I wanted to stay in the park so this is not a complaint about tour dust or itinerary at all - I realise that they have a monopoly so unlikely to change but wonder if agents have any more sway in feedback than individuals. It is a shame as the lodge is in great location and the rooms, solar heating etc are all good.

I would contrast the simien lodge with the gheralta lodge which likewise has a captive audience but provides food of much higher quality and drinks at reasonable hotel prices - I know Kate would have preferred local food but I was very happy to have good Italian food in such a lovely place. It was the perfect place to spend our last couple of days.

Thanks for organising such a great holiday - I would highly recommend tour dust to anyone travelling to the countries you cover and I am promoting ethiopia as holiday destination at every opportunity!

ruth m reviewing Classic Northern Historical Circuit on 05 February 2015

We had a wonderful 2 week trip to Ethiopia - we found the country very different from other places that we've been, and also found Ethiopia very different from what we'd imagined it would be. The wildlife and birds we saw were incredible, the mountains and views nothing short of spectacular. We found different parts of the country varied hugely - both in landscape, climate and wildlife - which made the trip hugely varied. The travel arrangements (internal flights included) all worked perfectly - and our guides, drivers and cooks were all professional, friendly and keen to help make our trip as enjoyable as possible. As a vegetarian, I really enjoyed the variety of food (the local beers and wines were great too!), and we found all the hotels we stayed in very comfortable. In particular, the Kuriftu spa was a lovely treat after having spent 5 days in the Simiens trekking. We probably tried to fit too much into our 2 week trip, and were feeling a bit tired by the time we came home, but we would certainly have no hesitations in recommending both Ethiopia and Tourdust to anyone!

Natalie N reviewing Simien Mountains Trek & Northern Highlights on 27 November 2014

As Steve has already said it was an excellent trip both northern and southern parts. We had wanted to gain some insight into the people and the cultures, appreciate the landscape and the wildlife and get out of the mainstream so that (as far as is possible for a white tourist!) have some authentic experiences. We feel that the design and planning of the trip enabled this to happen. This was due in no small measure to our wonderful guide for the Southern part of the trip Ermias Tamiru together with our lovely and extremely efficient driver John (Yohannes)…..more about them later.
It is taking us some time to readjust to being back in the UK even after only 4 weeks away. It was a very powerful experience for us experiencing the generosity of the Ethiopian people and the beauty of the very varied landscape whilst observing up close the very high levels of poverty and deprivation of the people. We were glad that we visited small towns and villages and met local people. It is very helpful and appropriate to have local guides in each place because you get and insider’s view of the lifestyle and important local issues. Also it is a more respectful approach. People in Ethiopia are intensely proud of the country and of their own ethnic culture so they are the ones who should be talking about it!

We knew we would get on with Ermias and John as soon as we met them. They were both warm and welcoming and very flexible and keen to help us do and see the things we were interested in. Ermias speaks excellent English which means we had an easy flowing dialogue and could discuss everything as we travelled. He is knowledgeable about history and culture and keen to exchange ideas so it helped us to gain perhaps a more realistic insight into Ethiopian life. The balance of basic accommodation/camping and smarter lodges was fine. You were right about Aregash - what a great place to stay. The owners have a very personal approach which is very welcoming. Quite a contrast with Bishangari Lodge which we felt was one of the places in Ethiopia where Ethiopians do not feel welcome. The natural beauty there is intense and we loved it from that perspective but 2 nights was enough. We had an interesting time in Gidole. We lucky that the local Derashe dancers and singers were practising that day for Nations Day in Adama and we were taken along to see them. Great! Tikimtu was very hospitable and we were interested in the area. We camped in a place with no facilities at all which was fine for one night but probably not something which could be done regularly. We struggled to see Gidole as a tourist destination although it was fine for us as we were keen to have local experiences. By contrast Lephis seemed to have a lot more going for it. The walk through the forest up to waterfalls by mule was great. The birdlife is abundant. There is definitely potential there. We had a good time.
The organisation was superb – we had been provided with a detailed itinerary and it worked like clockwork! We were met in everywhere we should have been, the hotels, lodges/local accommodation were expecting us and meals and transport were available as indicated. Ermias made sure that everything was in place in the south and we felt very confident with John’s driving.

Stephen K reviewing Tribes of the Omo Valley on 25 November 2014

All in all our trip to Ethiopia was truly amazing. A dizzyingly precipitous bombardment of beauty in the form of flora, fauna, people & scenery!

I have collated the feedback from the 7 in our group:

- Despite the information we were given about the sleeping mats provided before we left I would recommend that everyone brings their own sleeping mat. The mats provided are tired - thin, cotton covered, very squashed foam - in conjunction with rocky camps does not make for a comfortable night along the way. I know it depends on the season but most of the camps hit well below zero at night, a survival blanket on the ground sheet of the tent was invaluable (very cheap, light easy addition to a kit list bringing increased comfort).

- Toilets were a bit of an issue - no one had an issue with smelly long drops but a lot of the time they were soiled so we couldn't use them without stepping in someone else's mess. At the camps (which are only used for tourists on the hiking trail) it may be helpful for a member of the group to check the toilets & splash a bucket of water around to make them useable. Unfortunately it seems common place for people to avoid the long-drop & conduct their business in the vicinity of, leaving mess & toilet paper everywhere which is detrimental to the ecology & beauty of the sites (maybe people should be asked to keep their loo roll in disposable sacks to be added to daily waste - in our camp rubbish was taken away in the mornings or just burnt/buried as has been the case on other walks I have been on)

- Food overall was excellent. We had an excellent cook with a very good reputation, he was used to catering for Western palette's & offered daily variety. The local wine was a really nice touch after a tough day.

- Transport links worked fine (though the road from Adi Aderkay to Debark was absolutely terrifying as described in the Bradt guide book!!)

- Our guide, Hope, was very knowledgeable & we felt safe on the routes he took us, on occasion some of the group felt that he rushed ahead (there was quite a gap of fitness levels so we were quite spread out when we were walking) It would have been nice for him to offer a bit more support to the ones who were struggling & aimed to keep the group a bit more together but on the whole he was great.

- The main point to raise is that we all felt that this trek is not one for novice's or 'anyone with a reasonable fitness level' - on occasions it was gruelling. All of us, fit to less fit, had to dig deep into reserves to keep going. The Ras day was hard but again we felt unprepared for the final part to the summit - it is more than a scramble, it is a climb - the scouts went above & beyond the call of duty at this point & helped those who were struggling.

I would rate the trip 4/5 which I think would be the average of the group.

I would like to recommend a newly built lodge on the outskirts of Gondar near the airport named Mayleko lodge. It was a wonderful place for R&R after our trip & the owner, Ethiopia, really pulled out all the stops to make our stay as comfortable & relaxing as possible.

I think that is about everything, like i said we had a fantastic time overall & we all have lots of happy memories.

Claire C reviewing Simien Mountain & Ras Dashen Trek on 10 November 2014

We have had an amazing time in Ethiopia, time went too fast even though we were 7 years behind and 6 hours adrift some where.
I believe in true feed back to assist in further development .
Airport pick up didn't matter as was soon resolved, however obtaining a visa was painful. We waited in the queue for one hour forty five minutes, it seemed disorganised and open to those knowing how to to queue jump. Perhaps on a day flight this may not have been too bad, but we just needed to get our heads down.

Hotel in Addis Ababa was well located and more than comfortable , nice to have a kettle in our room (the only hotel to have one ) with a early morning transfer to Gondar they obliged with boiled eggs for breakfast to take away.

Our guide for Addis was great Yonas, so much so we invited him out for tea with us, bonus, Alex the man also came, we had a great night in Habesha 2000 , their shoulder dancing knocks spots off my aerobic
Classes. Food a little expensive compared to elsewhere.

Flight and transfer to Gondar good, accommodation well situated, afternoon round castle etc was interesting but guide needed to understand ' less is often more ' scripting is never interesting. 70 % is what we see , let us look rather than force their history upon us.

The trekking - WOW David was fantastic, he knew when to offer information and when to just let us look, so knowledgeable, the views were breath taking the cliffs were pulse raising, the baboons were mind blowing, even the three hours of constant hail and rain couldn't dampen our love for our experience. Our scout was a diamond in his jelly shoes, at a grand age of 70 he guarded our possessions as if they were his own. Alam our cook prepared some amazing food throughout, and although he looked worried at me not being able to digest bread , I was fed more than adequately and never went hungry.

Flying up to lalibela was smooth, my mind constantly drifting back to the mountains wishing I could still be there , I loved the isolation of our trip , so pleased we didn't have to share it with others. The churches were extraordinary, at times I felt rushed by our guide, I love to photograph, but he seemed bent on filling me full of history.

Philip I reviewing Simien Mountains Trek & Northern Highlights on 30 October 2014

Just to confirm that we returned from Ethiopia today, as planned, and that all went well - extremely well indeed with our trip. In due course we will share with you fuller reflections... Meanwhile, many thanks to you and staff at TourDust for helping to arrange a very memorable trip.

James C reviewing Classic Northern Historical Circuit on 03 June 2014

Our trip to Ethiopia was incredible. I’m so glad I made the last minute decision to go with John, it was unforgettable. Alex in Addis looked after us brilliantly as did Getinet and his crew in the Simien mountains. They were both so passionate about their country and eager to share it’s treasures with us. And what a country! The bustle of the city and then the serene atmosphere of the mountains, great contrast. The landscape in the Simien Mountains was awe inspiring, colossal mountains and drops and great wildlife. Beautiful people.

john t reviewing Simien Mountain & Lowlands Trek on 06 May 2014

This itinerary gave a fantastic overview of the Simien Mountains – both the scenery and the people. The initial 4 days allowed a real exploration of the high plateau and the latter 4 days gave a great, close up experience of village life as the trek wound its way back to the lowlands.

The whole experience was excellent.
Our guide, Melaku Berihun, was well organised and very informative. His English was excellent and he was an interesting companion for our 8 days. His understanding and compassion for many of the people we encountered, and his gentle advice on how to deal with situations where people ask for things, was much appreciated.

Our cook produced the best food we had eaten in the month we had been in Ethiopia. His evening meals were to be looked forward to and were varied and nutritious as well as tasting great. He had a good-humoured team of young cook assistants whose humour we enjoyed. Our scout was also a delight.

The standard of the tents and sleeping mats was perfectly adequate although the tents are beginning to get rather ‘tired’. As experienced campers, with our own sleeping bags and additional mats we were perfectly happy.

The pick up from the airport and transportation to the start of the trek was faultless, as was the return trip.

All in all, the service we received was first class.

Your Tourdust Initial Trip Dossier was very comprehensive and we feel it covered all the pre-trip issues well.

Graham C reviewing Simien Mountain & Lowlands Trek on 19 March 2014