People often ask what it is actually like to travel Ethiopia with a small group. Here is an honest account of a typical day on the northern circuit, on the day we drive from Bahir Dar to Gondar.
6:30, sunrise on Lake Tana
Breakfast is early, with scrambled eggs, fresh bread, fruit and, of course, coffee. A few of the group have already been down to the lake shore to watch the fishermen paddle out in their papyrus tankwa boats.
8:00, on the road
Our vehicle is a comfortable minibus with big windows and a driver who has done this road hundreds of times. Bags go on the roof; nobody carries more than a day pack. The guide talks us through what we will see today, and then lets the landscape do the talking: farmland, eucalyptus groves, villages, and children waving from every field.
10:30, an unplanned stop
It is market day in a small town on the way, so we stop. The group spreads out among the spice sellers, the basket weavers and the donkeys. This is the advantage of a small group: we fit into places a coach never could.
13:00, lunch
Lunch is a long one, at a family-run restaurant our guide has known for years: a big shared platter of injera with shiro, tibs and vegetables, and fresh juice. Someone has an allergy, so the kitchen has been told in advance.
15:00, Gondar
After checking in, we walk to the royal enclosure of Fasil Ghebbi with a local Gondar guide, who brings the castles to life with stories of emperors, intrigue and lions.
18:00, free time
The evening is yours. Some rest; some head to a café; four of us join the guide for live music at an azmari house, where the singer makes up a verse about each of us. Dinner is together for those who want it, and alone for those who don’t.
Small groups give you the company and the insider access, without the coach. You are travelling with a handful of people, not following a flag.
Is small-group travel for you?
- It suits: solo travellers who want company, couples who want to share costs and stories, and anyone visiting Ethiopia for the first time.
- It may not suit: travellers who want total control of their schedule. For them, a private tour is better, and we can arrange one.
Comments
No comments yet. Questions about this trip are welcome too.