Discover the origin.
Addis Ababa, the Rift Valley lakes, the Bale Mountains and Ethiopian culture. An all-inclusive trip, flight and visa included, with the group in March 2027 (dates to be confirmed) 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'm the face of Abysso, but I don't work alone: in Ethiopia, I rely on trusted local collaborators whom I know personally. That's also why I chose this country. Together, we look after you from preparation all the way to your return.
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.
Best Western Plus Addis Ababa, in Bole, 2 km from the airport. 4 nights, at the start and end of the trip.
Golden Gate Hotel in Hawassa, a lakeside town. 2 nights.
2 nights in a hotel in Robe, at the foot of the park, then 1 night at Bale Mountain Lodge, deep in the Harenna forest. Nights are cool at altitude.
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.
For the 4 nights in Addis Ababa, at the start and end of the trip, you stay at the Best Western Plus Addis Ababa, in Bole Medhanealem: the capital's liveliest area, with restaurants and cafés a short walk away.
Hotel planned for the 2027 departures. If unavailable, an equivalent hotel in Bole.
Photos: Best Western Plus Addis Ababa
For the 2 nights in the Rift Valley, you stay at the Golden Gate Hotel in Hawassa: a modern, comfortable hotel, the starting point for trips to the lake and Wondo Genet.
Hotel planned for the 2027 departures. If unavailable, an equivalent hotel in Hawassa.
Photos: Golden Gate Hotel Hawassa
For the last night in Bale, you sleep at Bale Mountain Lodge, deep in the Harenna forest: a secluded stone and timber lodge surrounded by peaks and primary forest. The wildest moment of the trip.
Lodge planned for the 2027 departures, subject to availability.
Photos: Bale Mountain Lodge
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 10 hours including stops: the drive to Bale and the return from the Harenna forest 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 2,500 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.
Founding edition: CHF 3,290 for the first 4 bookings
Deposit when booking, then the balance 30 days before departure
Deposit when booking, then the balance 30 days before departure
Price per person in a double room. Group departure: fixed price, flight from Geneva included; from another city, the price is adjusted. Private trip: price based on 2 travellers, confirmed with you before any payment according to your dates and available flights. 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. Abysso Run is planned for March 2027 (dates to be confirmed), and the Explore group departure follows right after, so you can go straight from one to the other. Discover Abysso Run.
It's the end of the dry season. In Addis Ababa, sunny days, mild to warm. Hotter in the Rift Valley, and cold at night in Bale. A few showers are possible late in the month: bring layers, a warm jacket and a light waterproof 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.
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.
