Addis Ababa, the Rift Valley lakes, the Bale Mountains and Ethiopian culture. An all-inclusive trip, flight and visa included, with the group from 30 January to 8 February 2027 or privately on the dates of your choice. To discover the country without running.
Illustrative photos. Pictures from the Explore route will follow the first departure.
The cradle of humankind, where Lucy was found, and a culture that has stayed truly its own.
From the Rift Valley lakes to the Bale Mountains, whose national park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2023.
The country where coffee was born. In the Harenna forest, it still grows wild.
Markets, villages, food and traditions: the country from the inside, with someone who speaks the language.
An animal found nowhere else: the Ethiopian wolf lives only in the country's highlands. It is Africa's most endangered canid, and the Sanetti Plateau in Bale is one of the best places to see it.
Did you know? Ethiopia is one of the few African countries never colonised, with its own calendar (7-8 years behind, 13 months), its own alphabet and a mosaic of more than 80 ethnic groups, with Orthodox Christian and Muslim traditions that have lived side by side for centuries.
Ethiopian roots, French and Amharic as native languages, fluent English. I show you the country as I know it: its markets, its food, its roads and the people who live there, with no middleman or translation. Based in Geneva, I organise every trip from A to Z from Switzerland, while keeping a real foothold on the ground in Ethiopia. With a Master's in Finance from HEC Lausanne, I bring real rigour to organising your trip. Field experience with groups of more than ten people, including as a travel guide.
I travel with you for the whole trip, from the first day to the last.
An experienced local driver-guide travels with you, and I stay reachable on WhatsApp throughout the trip.
Indicative program, adapted to your wishes and local conditions. The Sanetti Plateau reaches around 4,000 m: bring warm clothes.
ABYSSO EXPLORE IS FOR YOU IF…
Far from mass tourism: no convoys of jeeps, no crowds around the animals. A vehicle just for your group, wildlife you won't see anywhere else, like the Ethiopian wolf, and a country few travellers truly know.
Hotel in Bole, the city's best-connected district, a few minutes from the airport. 4 nights, at the start and end of the trip.
Lodge or hotel by the lakes, between Langano and Hawassa. 2 nights.
Lodge or hotel near the national park. Nights are cool at altitude. 3 nights.
Double room. If you travel solo on the group departure, you share with a traveller of the same sex. Single room available for a supplement, subject to availability.
Breakfast at the hotel, visits or driving with stops, lunch along the way, free time at the end of the day. Two days are longer on the road, up to about 8 hours including stops: the drive to Bale and the return to Addis Ababa. The vehicle, a 4×4 or a minibus depending on group size, is comfortable and the driver knows every stage.
Schedules can shift, a drive can take longer than planned, some stages may be adjusted on the spot. We anticipate these surprises and handle them, so you can simply enjoy the trip.
Our itinerary stays within Addis Ababa, the Rift Valley and the Bale Mountains, and avoids regions that the authorities advise against. We follow official Swiss FDFA travel advice before each departure, check road conditions with our contacts on the ground and adapt the program if needed.
Addis Ababa sits at 2,350 m, nights in Bale are spent at around 3,000 m, and the Sanetti Plateau, around 4,000 m, is explored mostly by car. The walks are easy and at your own pace. Drink plenty, and report any discomfort.
Best time to go: October to March, during the dry season.
Price per person in a double room, based on 2 travellers for the private trip. Prices are based on a flight from Geneva and adjusted for any other departure city. The flight price depends on availability at the time of booking: the final amount is confirmed with you before any payment. Single room on request, for a supplement.
You fill in the form below.
We talk it through and I answer your questions.
You receive the program, the invoice and the trip terms.
Your spot is confirmed once the deposit is received. Your flight is booked as soon as the departure is confirmed (4 travellers for the group).
Online meeting ~10 days before departure: program, practical tips and what to pack.
No. The walks are easy and at your own pace, and the high Sanetti Plateau is explored mostly by car. You just need to be comfortable with a few days on the road.
Yes. On the group departure, you share a room with a traveller of the same sex, or take a single room for a supplement. A private trip is possible too, with a custom quote: the price per person is higher, as the vehicle and guide aren't shared.
Yes, on a private trip: we adapt the pace and the stops. For the group departure, message us before booking.
Yes, from the city of your choice: Geneva, Zurich, Paris, London, Frankfurt or elsewhere. The displayed price is based on a departure from Geneva, and we adjust it to your departure city.
We let you know no later than 45 days before departure. You can then switch to a private trip, at the private rate, or get a full refund.
Yes. Abysso Run takes place from 21 to 30 January 2027, and the Explore group departure starts on 30 January, so you can go straight from one to the other. Discover Abysso Run.
It's the dry season. In Addis Ababa, sunny days around 20-23 °C. Warmer in the Rift Valley, and cold at night in Bale, sometimes below 0 °C on the plateau. Bring layers and a warm jacket.
By bank transfer: a deposit when booking, then the balance 30 days before departure. Everything is confirmed with you on WhatsApp before any payment.