Central
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia’s capital: museums, markets and the birthplace of many a coffee ceremony.
Central Ethiopia
Gurage Zone
Round thatched houses in groves of enset, the false banana, three hours south of Addis Ababa.
Overview
About Gurage Zone
A Gurage house is a single round room under a tall cone of thatch, held up by one great central pole and ringed by enset, whose pounded stem becomes kocho bread. Many of Addis Ababa’s traders come from these hills.
At Meskel in late September they return home in their thousands, to feasts of kitfo that can last two weeks.
- Region
- Central
- Best time
- October to May
Highlights
What makes it worth the journey
Highlights
- Round thatched houses
- Enset groves and kocho
- Kitfo where it comes from
- Meskel in the villages
Things to do
- Spend a morning with a Gurage family
- Visit the Wolkite market
- Stop at the Tiya stelae on the way
Plan your visit
Before you go
Best time to visit
October to May, or late September for Gurage Meskel
Getting there
By road through Butajira to Wolkite.
Getting around
By vehicle, with short walks on farm paths.
Good to know
- Shoes that can handle mud.
- The zone is under official travel warnings; tours are paused.
Gallery
A look at Gurage Zone
Photos: Unsplash
Keep exploring
More places to see
Central
Central
Rift Valley Lakes
Crater lakes and lakeside lodges, a short drive south of Addis Ababa.
Central
Bishoftu
Volcanic crater lakes an hour from Addis Ababa, and the Irreecha gathering at Lake Hora.
Let us plan your Gurage Zone trip
Tell us when you want to travel and what you love. A local specialist will reply with a suggested plan and a clear price.