ETHIOPIA

Rivers deep to mountains high...

We do Ethiopia differently, taking you to some of the most remote destinations in this fascinating and heart-stoppingly beautiful country. It's an ancient land, torn assunder by the Great Rift Valley, with towering peaks reaching heavenward and rivers that carve their way through dramatic landscapes. This is the home of the Blue Nile, orthodox Christianity and, if legend is to be believed, the ark of the covenant.

It's also a treasure trove for culture vultures with its colourful history dating back to prehistoric times when the human species was just beginning its journey along a long and winding evolutionary path. With isolated tribes pursuing lifestyles that have not changed for untold millennia, Ethiopia is quite unlike anywhere else in Africa.

Our expeditions take you on life-changing journeys to the deep south and the vast landscapes of the Omo Valley, and to the Bale Massif at the centre of the Ethiopian Highlands, home of the critically endangered Ethiopian wolf and some of the most distinctive and isolated eco-systems in the world. From the gentle flow of the Omo River to the soaring Bale Mountains, this is Ethiopia in all its raw, untamed glory.

Best times to visit

Things to do

Search for the Ethiopian wolf

Trek across the Bale Mountains either on foot, horse or vehicle in pursuit of the fabled Ethiopian wolf. With only as many as 500 of these amazing canids left on Planet Earth, isolated in just three regions of these breathtakingly beautiful mountains, this is an absolute bucket-list activity that's not to be missed.
Hike the Ethiopian Highlands

Discover one of the most "different" areas of Africa on foot. Quite unlike anywhere else, the Bale mountains are home to a diversity of unusual creatures and unique eco-systems, from open grasslands and juniper woodlands to high plateaux and ancient rocky ridges.
Cultural immersion

Stay at Lale's Camp in the Omo Valley and experience a veritable cultural melting pot. Venture into isolated villages to learn about the Kara, Hamer and Mursi people and an ancient way of life that's far removed from tourism circuits. This unique part of Ethiopia offers incredible experiences and, as you are the only foreigners who visit this area, it's about as pioneering as it gets!
Cruise along the Omo River

Take to the water at Lale's Camp to spot unusual wildlife species and take in the vast landscapes of the Omo Valley - one of the most remote and disconnected wilderness regions in Africa. The river offers the chance to see primates like De Brazza's money and the elusive Egyptian plover and Pel's fishing owl, as well as huge crocodiles sunning themselves on the riverbanks.
Discover the Bale Mountains

Walk or drive through some of the most impressive Afro-alpine scenery on the continent in search of rare and endemic mammal species like mountain nyala, Menelik's bushbuck and bohor reedbuck, as well as birds like the blue-winged goose and Rouget's rail. Explore open grasslands and woodland forests, caves, streams and ponds of crystal-clear water.

Spend the day traversing landscapes that seem to come straight out of The Lord of the Rings, across high plateaux and plunging wooded valleys filled with monkeys and giant forest hogs.