Travel information on Security & Safety for visitors in Ethiopia

Category Archives: Tesfa Tours

Ethiopian Pilgrims celebrate Christmas in Lalibela

Gena ceremony in Lalibela

Gena ceremony in Lalibela

It was very special this year as Ethiopian Pilgrims celebrated Gena -Ethiopian Christmas-  in Lalibela, a town which was taken by the TPF several times in recent months. Lalibela is the most holy place to celebrate Gena in all of Ethiopia, the new Jerusalem, built by the Saint King Lalibela at the end of the 12th century as an alternative for Ethiopians from making the dangerous journey to Jerusalem for Christmas. Each year thousands of pilgrims walk across country to celebrate Gena in a special ceremony above the churches

https://www.africanews.com/2022/01/07/after-fights-pilgrims-return-to-ethiopian-world-heritage-site-lalibela/

Rufael & Gabriel churches in Lalibela

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Lalibela, with its labyrinth of churches hewn out of the bedrock in the 12th century, has become the flagship of Ethiopian Tourism, and is often described as the 8th wonder of the world. 

We hope that this celebration at the beginning of 2022 will be the beginning of Tourism restarting in Ethiopia. Near to Lalibela, in the mountains a little to the south are a series of community owned guest houses were tourists have been trekking in the beautiful countryside for the last 10 years or more. I will be able to find out in the coming days when we can restart this community trekking.

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Great-Ethiopian Homecoming

Mountain bike in sunset

Outdoor fun in Ethiopia

Following the call by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopian all over the world to join the Great Ethiopian Homecoming Challenge, Tesfa Tours has been working with our partner Tour Companies under the banner of Ride the Rift to develop some exciting tours and offer them at a discounted rate to diaspora.

Ride the Rift Special Diaspora Tours

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We invite you to look at our trips and come and see some of these exiting places with us. Between us we have a huge experience across this beautiful country and would love help you see more.

 

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Ride the Rift – sponsored bike ride

https://bit.ly/3dYxOJs

Tesfa Tours is one of a team of tour operators organising RIDE THE RIFT

Fancy testing your legs & lungs, and thrill your senses. Cycling up the Rift Valley from the borders of Afar to Ankober Palace Lodge. The object is to raise money for feeelance tourism workers around the country who have had no income for 7 months now.

For those who love cycling, for those interested in visiting beautiful parts of Ethiopia, and for those interested in supporting those whose livelihoods have been drastically affected by COVID-19, please take a look at this upcoming event on the weekend 20th – 22nd November. Please share far and wide with your national and international friends and colleagues. For more information email: ridetherift2020@gmail.com

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The road runs through stunning countryside. Much us asphalt but there is a 5k section of gravel.

#RideTheRift2020. #AwashToAnkober #TravelOutToHelpOut #EthiopianSponsoredBikeRide

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Ring of Fire today in Lalibela. Annular Solar Eclipse

Ring of Fire above Lalibela
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Those of us privileged enough to see it today were spectators to a planetary drama that hid the central part of the sun from view for several minutes. The whole eclipse lasted close to 2h30min.

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Melkam Hosanna / Palm Sunday

Palm Fonds are worn to commemorate Palm Sunday (Hosanna) – this one specially made for COVID19 emergency

Easter is now one week away in Ethiopia. Today is Palm Sunday or Hosanna in Ethiopia. It is usually one of the busiest days in the church calendar, but today – although some still went to church, Addis Ababa remained quiet. People did put palm fonds on their heads. Hosanna marks the start of the final week of Hudadi, commonly known as Holy Week, or the “Week of Pains” or in Ethiopia Himamat and it is the strictest part of Lent. During Himamat no absolution is given, and during this week the fast becomes yet more rigorous. For some strict worshippers, having broken the fast after mass on Thursday they will not eat any food nor drink even a drop of water until Easter morning. So they totally abstain for all of Good Friday (or Sekelet) and Saturday, breaking this

Eyesus Church very quiet on Palm Sunday

fast after the church service that goes through the night on Saturday, finishing at around 3am on Sunday morning. These three days are known as “Qanona”. The priests neither eat nor drink but remain in the churches singing and praying incessantly.
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Fruit and Veg store in Addis

This year Easter will not be a great celebration. Many will continue to fast seeking God’s intersession in these COVID19 times. However lockdown as in Europe is not possible. People live day to day from small businesses and there is no real safety net. People buy their bread at small bread shops, fruit and veg from stalls on the road side, small ‘supermarkets’ sell other food stuffs, corner shops sell pretty much all you need- pasta, rice, flour, eggs and much more.

Now handwash stations are outside shops and ropes keep people away from the counter or even outside – so that business is conducted in the street. The government has declared a state of emergency to tackle the virus and are making preparations: hospital beds, gathering PPE, asking retired medical staff to volunteer. Tesfa Tours, as with many businesses has been asked for and has provided  funds and a vehicle to help with the emergency.   We all pray that the measures are enough to stave off the worst of the virus.

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Wild wheelchairs into the Simiens / the ascent of Ras Dashen

Emebet greets disabled man in local village

Emebet greets disabled man in local village – the villagers followed her on her hand cycle chanting her name.

After 9 nights camping we ended our trip at the lovely Limalimo lodge on the green western edge of the Simien Park. The expedition’s key objective was getting Alex and Emebet to the

Alex & Emebet contemplate the peak of Ras Dashen

Alex & Emebet contemplate the peak of Ras Dashen

top of Ethiopia’s highest mountain -Ras Dashen (or Ras Dejen as it is locally known)- at 4,533 meters. Alex Lewis, a quadruple amputee who lost his limbs and a part of his face to a bacterial infection 6 years ago, can power it with his prosthetic arms.  Emebet Ale Dires, a young woman from Bahir Dar who had her legs amputated as a 3 year old following a road accident, powers the hand-cycle with her own arms.

Ras Dashen was no easy feat: the peak lies way to the east of the stunning Simien Mountain

National Park. This was a journey where we pitted the engineering wizardry of Southampton university who came up with a hand-cycle / buggy that was able to traverse the rough roads in the Simiens to be ridden by Alex and Emebet in turns.  This hand-cycle was tested to it’s limits and beyond, through muddy water pools about 30cm deep, being carried across mountain rivers knee deep in swirling water, through sticky mud that clung to its tires, driving on uneven rocky roads, up and down steep hills.  But in the end the icy cold and the altitude impaired the power from the batteries, so as we went on it became increasingly hard to get it up the steep hills.

On the push up the highest mountains the hand-cycle had to be towed by the Landrover. But that said it made it with Emebet or Alex to a point below Ras Dashen where a river had cut through the road.   It was at this point that we faced a decision. We could turn this into a mission to fix the road and remove all obstacles with Alex and Emebet as on lookers or we could find another way to the summit that required putting the hand-cycle in the truck for long stretches. All of us agreed and especially Alex and Emebet, that this was the best way forward.

Alex riding Artemis along one of the good roads in the Besho Valley

So with a few more great rides of the hand-cycle on the asphalt road that followed the stunning Besho Valley, but longer stretches with the hand-cycle in the truck we got the team to the afro-alpine meadow beside the rough road below the peak of Ras Dashen. But there is a 3km stretch of steep rock strewn uneven ground, with no way to get a wheeled machine over it. Yet Alex with no legs and arms, and Emebet without legs, had to cross this. Then they had to ascend the steeper slopes to the final craggy peak which itself needed scaling. Although the peak is not a technical climb – I myself need my hands and feet to scale the craggy top.

Having spent six days getting to this point beneath the peak we had become fused into a team. As well as Alex and Emebet, we had an engineering team from

Handcycle attracts crowd in Besho Valley. Each encounter was a chnce to show people that disability is not inability

Southampton University – Dave & Tom. Athletic and outdoors orientated with their engineering background they could find solutions to the many technical issues that came up. We had Dr. Geoff who had saved Alex’s life 6 years before, who thought through many of the challenges we faced with a clarity and logic, and kept us all under his watchful medical gaze. Alex’s helper: Leandra who cared for everyone and kept us all laughing. The ever smiling Behailu who was on hand to translate for and help Emebet. David – our leader who along with

Emebet followed by kids chanting her name

Alex dreamt up this madcap adventure, and who funded much of the hand-cycle  development, as well as the expedition itself. He was always on hand to make calm decisions and ensure we stayed safe.  Simon – photographer and film director, a gentle calm influence, with an eye for a beautiful picture (although his ‘2 second’ stop was always 15 minutes). Ivan, an affable creative spirit with a desire to connect to the culture and the people, and me – Mark, I run a Tesfa Tours, and have scrambled up most of the corners in the Simiens inside and outside the park, my job was to put the logistics in place.

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Simien National park was stunning as the expedition passed, with Red hot poker flowers out

We also had a fantastic Ethiopian team caring for us: our guide Joshua always managing the team and keeping everyone focused and negotiating down the ridiculous demands put before us. The park expert Lakew (who was really another guide and helped with everything no matter how tough). Our cook Abijo who has been with me on many expeditions along with his support team and our 2 scouts who braved freezing weather to watch over us and ensure our safety. Our two Tesfa Tours drivers Ydne & Abel who in addition to driving with care and skill played their part in the team keeping us going. And finally Babbi, our Isuzu truck driver who was able to get the truck across the most improbable terrain, always with a smile and always helpful.

It was this Anglo/Ethiopian team that pulled together to get Emebet and Alex across the steep rough ground and then up the cliff to the very peak.

Alex & wheelchair carried to the base of the craggy peak of Ras Dashen

The night before after our recce, Dave and Tom rigged up a sedan chair with Alex’s wheelchair using steel poles and gorilla tape. Sunday dawned freezing cold with frost on our tents and an icy wind blowing. We assigned teams of 4 to carry ‘Sedan chair’ back first with Alex perched precariously sitting into the back gripping the handles with his prosthetic arms to avoid being jolted out.

Emebet crossed the rocky terrain on her hands

Meanwhile Emebet just powered across the rough terrain with her arms. When the going got too steep with protruding rocks Alex preferred to clamber over the rocky path using his stumps and prosthetics. All of this was done at close to 4,500 m. We had to have a cut off time of 11:30 – if we didn’t reach the base of the cliff by then we would have no choice to turn back. We wouldn’t have the time to climb, come down and get Alex and Emebet back to camp before dark. With the huge effort and enthusiasm from our whole team we got there by 10:30 after 3 hours of hard work. While us Brits carrying the chair would go 10-15 meters before putting the chair down for a rest, our Ethiopian team members would do more than 20 meters. Ethiopia definitely came out of this with the glory.

Alex hauled up the last 30 meters of Ras Dashen

Once at the rock-face the climbing skills of the team became apparent. Tom, an outdoors enthusiast from Wales had done refresher courses for this trip, while both Geoff and Dave were experienced climbers. David & Alex had also taken some training to get Alex up safely. He was harnessed with two separate ropes going up to the top. But as these things go, it wasn’t so simple on the mountain itself, the two ropes that had been set to haul Alex up had too much friction over the overhangs. In the end yoga mats came to the rescue between the ropes and the overhang and Alex was hauled up meter by meter. It was not however a straight cliff so Alex had to fend of the rock with his stumps and prosthetics.

Emebet turned down the ideas of being hauled up. So she clambered up the same way we all did. She was harnessed and roped up for safety, with a hard hat on. But she didn’t need any of that. She stormed up the cliff, faster than the belay team could draw in the rope.

The team gathered at the peak – Ras Dashen 4,533m

A moment of triumph -Alex, Emebet and David embrace at the peak

Once at the top she went straight over to Alex and gave him an emotional hug. It was a great moment. These two who had started out just over a week before as strangers, had now developed a deep bond, born out of a mutual respect and admiration. Each admiring the others bravery, strength and determination. They had conquered the challenges and summited this tall impressive mountain together.

What we all hope and believe is that Amex and Emebet’s conquest will stand as proof that disability is not inability and that even when life throws a heartbreaking role of the dice that means you live with out the full mobility of most people you can go forward and conquer what lies before you.

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Wild Wheelchair Expedition – Simien Mountains 2019

Wild Wheelchair UK team arrives

So begins a wild adventure: 2 severely disabled athletes seeking to reach the highest point in Ethiopia – Ras Dashen who top is 4,533 meters.

It started in Ethiopia today with the arrival in Addis of quadruple amputee Alex Lewis and his team. They flew on to Bahir Dar to meet Emebet who lost both her legs in a road accident as a little girl. David Collinson – the expedition leader,  put this mad scheme together and had Southampton University design special hand cycle that could get these athletes along the rough road that winds its way up and down

Crate emerges from Cargo terminal

steep mountain sides to a plateau just below the gnarled peak of Ras Dashen.

Problem number 1 (1 of no doubt many) This piece of kit was stuck in customs who refused to release it for several days.

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Crated handcycle won’t fit

Finally tonight on the eve of the Meskal holiday – with most Addis Ababans

The handcycle with the crate taken down

celebrating around the fire and enjoying

music and drinks – we managed to get the kit out of customs – but then it wouldn’t fit in the truck.  having quickly taken the crate apart it was loaded in a truck that will set off early tomorrow morning  on the 12 hour road journey to Bahir Dar.

 

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State of Emergency lifted – come an experience Ethiopia’s unrivalled hospitality

Coffee ceremony in village guesthouse

Last week the Government of Ethiopia lifted the State of Emergency that has been in place since last October. Since the State of Emergency was set in place, there have been no further disturbances and the country has been peaceful and safe to travel in.

The lifting of this SoE on top of the lifting of restrictions on the travel advice by many countries for visitors to Ethiopia, is all evidence that no one should have any concerns about security when planning a visit to Ethiopia. In fact Ethiopia is a remarkable country and we feel sure you will find the people welcoming and extremely hospitable. As one of our recent groups said

We did two weeks with Tesfa Tours covering Bahir Dar, Lalibela, the Simiens, Gondar, Axum, and Tigray (July 2017). We are 100% satisfied and can say that many of our ‘high’ expectations were exceeded!

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Shepherd boys along the trail in the highlands

We had heard that Ethiopia’s hospitality is unrivaled and now that we have experienced it for ourselves we completely agree. The people are genuine, caring, thankful, and full of joy. We all agree that Ethiopia is one of the most fantastic countries in the world and that there is no group better than Tesfa to show it to you!”

Nate, Dan, Matt, and Cal (USA)

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The last week of Lent in Ethiopia is the most rigorous fasting of all

Priest holding traditional taper

Priest holding traditional taper

Yesterday (9th April) was Palm Sunday or Hosanna – the Sunday before Easter.  It is a very special day in the Orthodox church commemorating Jesus’s march into Jerusalem on a donkey with Palm fonds laid before him. It is marked with palms (worn by many worshippers on hands or head), processions and special services in the church.

Ethiopia is now in the last week of Great Lenten fast or Hudadi, this last week of Hudadi is commonly known as Holy Week, or the “Week of Pains” or the Himamat and is the strictest part of Lent. During Himamat no absolution is given, and during this week the fast becomes yet more rigorous. For some strict worshippers, having broken the fast after mass on Thursday they will not eat any food nor drink even a drop of water until Easter morning. So they totally abstain for all of Good Friday (or Sekelet) and Saturday, breaking this fast after the church service that goes through the night on Saturday, finishing at around 3am on Sunday morning. These three days are known as “Qanona”. The priests neither eat nor drink but remain in the churches singing and praying incessantly.

No other major religion has such penitential fasting. For the strict observers of the fast, the 55 days of Lent are very tough on the body. Fasting in Ethiopia not only means a vegan diet but also means many hours of no food or drink. Each fasting day the observer will not eat of drink anything from the time they wake up until after the mass in the middle of the day is finished in church for many that means 3-4pm. Two simple meals may then follow, a late ‘lunch’ or more properly ‘break-fast’, and a light supper in the evening. What is staggering is that there is no drinking – not water, not coffee, nothing – during those fasting hours.
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On Easter Sunday chicken, cheep, goats and cattle are dispatched for the pot as the fasting comes to an end in no uncertain terms. Sunday sees piles of sheep skins on street corners, to be picked up by small dealers in trucks. For the days leading up to Easter flocks of sheep and goats as well as herds of oxen were driven by herders into the city, chickens were driven in trucks and pick ups. They are sold at impromptu markets all over the city to be slaughtered in back yards. Prices of livestock more than double for Easter. Sheep come to Addis with drovers bringing them across countryside from several hundred miles away, across Shoa and even as far as Wollo.

After Easter there is no fasting not even on Wednesdays and Fridays until after Pentecost on 4 June (Parakilitos). In the countryside the end of the fasting is celebrated in different ways. In Tigray priests are feted with parties held by different households from their parish. In Wollo I have seen the girls making swings from rope to hand off trees and play on them singing songs, while the boys have javelin contests. Its also a second wedding season as people like to get married before the rainy season and after the fasting. These are enjoyable times in the countryside, and if you have the chance to spend a week or so up in the countryside on a Tesfa Trek in Wollo, Tigray or the Simiens you will be a very welcome guest and participant at the celebrations.

 

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Lalibela & Meket now safe for travel – so says British FCO

Happy tourists on Mnt Abuna Yoseph

Happy tourists on Mnt Abuna Yoseph

The British FCO has now removed the travel advise against non essential travel to Eastern Amhara, (including Lalibela and the Meket & Lasta Community Treks). [See here] This means UK insurance companies policies will be valid for visits to these areas.

 

This change in advise has also been taken by many other western governments, all of whom have realised travel in Northern Ethiopia is safe for tourists (and has been for some time now!)

What about Gondar, Bahir Dar and the Simiens?

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Giyorgis festival in Meket, villagers ready to welcome tourists

Giyorgis festival in Meket, villagers ready to welcome tourists

Well the British still advise against non-essential travel to these areas.  We sincerely hope this will be lifted in the coming weeks too. Other western countries no longer give advise against travel even in the western parts of Amhara and Tourists are traveling though these places in quite large numbers with no problem. I myself will be traveling to the Simiens, Gondar and Bahir Dar next week and will report on my trip with photos.
If you are visiting to places where the FCO advises

Lalibela - a subterranean labyrinth of passageways

Lalibela – a subterranean labyrinth of passageways

against non-essential travel, then do check with your insurance company to see if your insurance will still be valid. Some companies will provide cover for medi-vac, and other services (but not political evacuation) for areas to which the FCO advises against. Examples are TAG and BUPA Global.

So how about you plan your trip for Christmas and New Year now before all the good slots get taken! We can arrange wonderful treks on the Meket plateau or climbing mount Abuna Yoseph (4,300 m peak and home to a pack of Wolves), and give you time to make a visit to Lalibela with its labyrinth of subterranean rock hewn churches.

 

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