Category: Ethiopia

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If we had three more weeks to spend in Africa

We would spend some of it in Kruger.

In Kruger, early June had warm and days, cold nights, and zero mosquitoes (possibly due to a drier than average wet season this year). There were clear skies except one day, overcast for a few hours and slight drizzle for a few minutes one morning. The wet time is October or November through March. High season starts in mid June when school gets out. May is certainly great month to be there.

Kruger:

Backpacking trip in Kruger (3 night 4 days) — Kruger provides meals and water; need tent and sleeping bag

Wilderness trails Kruger (3 night 4 days) — day hikes from wilderness camps

Mountain biking in Kruger

Sirheni Bush camp

Bateleur Bush camp

Punda Maria

Olifants

*** Shimuwini Bush camp is great: Does not sell wood. Water, charcoal. Ice? 13 is renovated. 14

Shipandani Overnight Hide

Talamati Bush camp

Biyamiti Bush camp

Lower Sabie

Talamati is best.

Shindzela – might be a nice semi-luxury option for the beginning or end

Johannesburg: Premier OR Tambo Hotel was safe, nice, very close to the airport, and had a great dinner buffet.

Drakensberg: Ardmore Guest Farm, really nice, great hospitality, pretty good food.

Garden Route: Multiday hike Storm River Mouth or elsewhere• Participants from 12 years and older. High fitness level, people older than 65 years needs to supply proof of fitness.

• Please be advised, that there are only 4 huts, sleeping 2 people each, for the 8 hikers (maximum), participating on this trail. This may mean that people will have to share the accommodation with participants (male/female) that aren’t part of their group booking. Please take this into consideration when making your booking as no alternative arrangements can be made in this regard with the limited accommodation available.

• Guests with special dietary requirements must please realize that although the trail can cater for some (e.g. vegetarians) it is very difficult to suit every individual’s special needs. Prior arrangements in this regard are essential. We will help if it is in any way possible, contact SpecialisedReservations@sanparks.org for more information.

• For the backpack trails, guests to supply their own personal equipment for example sleeping bag, tent, back pack, eating utensils, food, drinks etc.

• Herewith the Medical Questionnaire Certificate for trail participants.

5. Lebombo and Malopeni Eco Trail (Kruger National Park)

• No children under 12 years.

• Maximum of 4 persons per vehicle.

• Participants provide their own food and drinks.

6. All participants have to complete an indemnity form before embarking on a trail.

7. Otter trails

• An age restriction of 12 to 65 years applies, due to the level of physical demands of the Otter Trail.

• All hikers from the ages of 65 and above will be requested to provide proof of their fitness level to undertake the challenging terrain of the Otter Trail.

• Guests to provide their own food and drinks for 5 days and 4 nights.

• Please be advised that there are only 2 huts, sleeping 6 people each for the 12 hikers (maximum) participating on this trail. Should your booking be for less than 6 people or a group of 7 to 11 people, you may have to share accommodation with participants (male/female) that are not part of your booking. Please take this into consideration when making your booking as no alternative arrangements can be made in this regard with the limited accommodation available.

8. Rhebok Hiking Trail

• Hikers to provide their own food, drinks, cooking facilities, utensils and sleeping bags.

• Only cold water shower.

• No children under 12 years.

If we had three more weeks to spend in Ethiopia:

Fly into Addis, stay at GT guesthouse; Rift Valley birdwatching with Ayuba; Bale Mountain hiking; Lalibela community trekking, in some order that would make for good acclimatization. And perhaps Harar and Aksum.

If we had three weeks in Zimbabwe:

Harare: Mount Pleasant B&B; Multiday canoe safari on Zambezi; Hiking in eastern highlands; Hwange National park; Matobo National Park.

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Last night in Addis, then to Cape Town

A fun (and pretty good!) Korean dinner with Matt and Laura Davis, Michelle Bowman, Hermando and Stephanie.

Then a too early departure (8:15 am flight meant 4:40 alarm) but otherwise travel was again incredibly easy. Ethiopian Airlines is just really great. And we zipped through immigration, got an Uber right away, and were at the Airbnb right away. Less than an hour from touchdown I think.

Woolworth for groceries with one wine shop on the way. It was only a few blocks away, and it was during the day still, but the woman pouring wine told us we shouldn’t be walking around there. We did indeed get a slightly unsafe sensation when walking back to the Airbnb. To get into our apartment, there were two separate manned desks as well as the usual keys etc.

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Lalibela

The rock-hewn churches, then a two day one night trek with TESFA, an organization that helped develop a series of 11 mountain lodges and associated treks that provide employment for locals, and will eventually revert to local ownership.

I slept about 12 hours, it was the best sleep in a long time.

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Gondar, Simien Trek, and Limalimo Lodge

We walked around Gondar after arriving, but somehow were unable to find any interesting part of town. The hotel room was hot and had mosquitoes but no screens or fan and we were glad to get out and change our plans for after the trek to a different hotel, and one day less.

We met Shif in Debark and started the four day three night trek. Pretty good! Ours was a private trek but we met a lot of interesting fellow travelers, including Will and Michelle, who are planning to leave their jobs (she manages operations at Feed the Children in Addis, Will at HBSC in Bermuda) and travel for six months. This was followed by two nights at Limalimo lodge, a very nice place where we mostly relaxed, and also ran into Will and Michelle again!

Then, a visit to the castles at the Royal enclosure in Gondar, and buffet dinner at Four Sisters; great. The buffet had quite a selection but no doro wat, and we asked about it and they brought some straight from the kitchen to our table! We took a look at the Inn at Four Sisters too, we would have preferred to stay there.

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Addis Ababa

We love the GT guesthouse! Super helpful. Abraham, our driver for the day, was also great. Tailor, SIM cards, the market for cold weather clothing for the upcoming treks, a visit to the ethnographic museum at the university, the palace, and dinner with traditional dancing.

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Colombo to Dubai to Addis

We finally got a seat in the train!! Woohoo!

In Colombo it was hot and sticky. We went to left luggage and were given one about big enough for a day pack. We got a bigger one but had to unpack our bags to get them to fit.

We walked to the Ministry of Crab but in the last hundred feet or so either the two of us or google became confused. Because we had a reservation a tuk-tuk driver helpfully offered to take us there. He didn’t know where it was though so stopped for directions and ultimately drove us right back to the spot where we lost the trail. My bisque was great and so was the seafood but the chili crab sauce was sweet and not that great.

A cute couple at the hard-to-find Airport 4 Seasons Transit Hotel (still unfinished!) sent us to dinner and got us to the airport at 4am.

Our introduction to Dubai was not auspicious but in a very smart move Seong bought passes to a lounge with open bar, buffet, WiFi etc. in Terminal 3, where we were able to buy binoculars, iPhone covers, a peaty whisky, clothing and get US dollars from an ATM. Sweet.

Our flight was delayed by more than two hours, making for a very long day. And we arrived at the domestic terminal so our driver wasn’t there. Fortunately one of the taxi drivers called the GT guesthouse for us and all was well in short order.