Entry Level
Cultural
Transfers
14 Nights
3 - 4
Group size
Leaders
This adventure takes in all the very best that Ethiopia has to offer! From thriving Addis to the historic walled trader's city of Harar; be guided around the stunning 13th Century rock-hewn churches of Lalibela; walk in the peerless Simien Mountains alongside Gelada Baboons and Walia Ibex, maybe even spotting the endangered Ethiopian Wolf. Spend 3 days also trekking through and staying with local communities in the Meket district. All the while taking opportunities to visit local villages and people, learning about their history, culture, and trying their delicious cuisine.
Grounding ourselves on arrival with a fascinating tour around Addis Ababa, including the Ethnological and Red Terror Museums, and the panoramic views from Entoto Mountain, on this adventure we also have an opportunity to learn about obstacles faced by pregnant women in some of the more remote communities we pass through. We offer a highly recommended but optional visit to Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis, run by the worthwhile and life changing charity; HamlinFistulaEthiopia.
This cultural adventure is for those who wish to enjoy a variety of striking African landscapes plentiful with wildlife, and to glimpse into and begin to understand, the religious, political and historical factors that have helped shape modern Ethiopia. It is for travellers who will relish the chance to meet with local villagers to learn how they perform activities such as the famous coffee ceremony or to watch how they make the Ethiopian staple, injera, from the superfood grain ‘teff’, with it's weight loss and blood pressure benefits.
You will travel home with a piece of Ethiopia in your heart, having been welcomed by communities who are vibrant, warm and proud of their heritage and culture.
Flights
Transfer
Dinner
5 star hotel
On arrival from London and Kenya, meet your guide and transfer to the hotel. The balance of the day will be your leisure time to spend at your hotel; optionally, you can have a visit to Holy Trinity church and Ethnological museum.
Founded in 1886 by Emp. Menelik II, Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and the seat of the African Union (AU). Addis Ababa is the third highest capital in the world and one of the largest cities in Africa with a population well over 5 million. It is located at 2500 m above sea level at the foot step of the highest peak of Entoto Mountain chain (3200m above sea level), and enjoys an excellent climate all year round; with an average temperature of 160C. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of Jacarandas, interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as Merkato.
Ethnological Museum:-It is found in the main campus of the Addis Ababa University by the Institute of Ethiopian Studies with the aim to preserve the country's historical and cultural heritages. It has complete collections that describe almost all the tribal groups in Ethiopia. Here you will have an overview about the history, culture and traditions of the people of Ethiopia. The collections include the nomadic tribal groups that are now living just as man's forefather lived thousands of years back.
Trinity Cathedral:-a beautiful church with a baroque style of European architecture which is unique to both Ethiopia and Africa and is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Here you will find scripts of the imperial families, statues done by a Greek sculpture, Stained glass window paintings from the Old and New Testament in the Bible and coffins of Emperor Haile Silassie-I; the founder of the church, and his wife.
Overnight: One twin room & one single room at the Golden Tulip (5 Star) https://addis-ababa.goldentulip.com/en-us/
Transfer
Breakfast
5 star hotel
In the morning, you will visit mount Entoto. In the afternoon, visit Unity Park. Mount Entoto, is the highest peak in Addis with an altitude of 3200 meters, which was the site for the first palace of Emperor Menelik-II, the founder of Addis Ababa. Here there is St. Mary church, where Emperor Menelik crowned Emperor in it and you will admire the stupendous views of the city with its surrounding plains and volcanic cones together with its breathtaking air.
Unity Park is located in the premises of the Grand Palace and it is composed of various historical, natural and cultural sites. The Grand Palace, where Unity Park is located, was established in 1887 and without counting Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Dr.), the palace served as the living and working space of seven Ethiopian leaders. The palace covers an area of 40 hectares and contains myriads of historical buildings and plants that date back to the time of Emperor Menelik II.
Overnight: One twin room & one single room at the Golden Tulip (5 Star) https://addis-ababa.goldentulip.com/en-us/
Transfer
Breakfast
5 star hotel
The road to Ankober passes through impressively rugged scenery and after about 130km drive you reach Debre Berhan town where you'll have a coffee break and then drive further a few km, turn on the gravel road and drive zigzagging along several hills scattered all over the cultivated plateau. The gravel road leads to the lofty massive mountain known as Kundi (over 3500 masl) overlooking the Great Rift Valley. From this chilly height covered with eucalyptus forest you may trek down to Ankober Palace Lodge (2870 masl) where you’ll have your lunch enjoying the wonderful scenery.
After lunch before driving back to Addis visiting one of the surrounding churches with its artifacts as well as poetry and music school may give you an insight into the life of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the countryside.
Overnight: One twin room & one single room at the Golden Tulip (5 Star) https://addis-ababa.goldentulip.com/en-us/
Flights
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
4 star hotel
After breakfast, drive to the airport and catch your flight to Bahir Dar. Later, visit Lake Tana Monastery and Blue Nile Falls.
Lake Tana is the largest lake in Ethiopia, measuring approximately 84km long and 66km wide, and is also the source of the Blue Nile. The lake contains 37 islands; however their visibility varies according to seasonal water fluctuations, which are regulated to measure inflow to the Blue Nile Falls. The islands accommodate 20 monasteries, which are used to store religious artefacts due to their remote location.
The Blue Nile Falls, also known as Tis Abay, mean 'smoking water' in Amharic. They start as a gentle river flowing 5,223km north of the Mediterranean Sea before joining the impressive falls. The waterfall itself is around 150ft high and half a mile wide, which is just spectacular to witness. Surrounded by immense natural beauty, the falls attract parrots, bee-eaters, white throated seedeaters and vervet monkeys, just to name a few
Overnight: Kuriftu Resort and Spa [https://kurifturesorts.com/laketana/]
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
Drive to Sankaber- the headquarters of Simien Mountains National Park- passing rural villages and crossing mountain passes with stunning vistas. The Simien Mountains National park occupies a surface area of 180 km sq. The park, situated between 4,430 and 1,900 meters (6,200 - 4,500 feet), boasts varied flora with three marked botanical areas. The highest parts have meadows with little vegetation, characteristic of afro alpine zones. Here we can find the endemic Lobelia rhynchopetalum, small groups of perpetual flowers, Helichrysum, and the striking Kniphofia foliosa. Late in the afternoon, walking near your lodge to spot the endemic Gelada baboon and appreciate the breathtaking scenery.
Overnight: Limalimo Lodge [https://limalimolodge.com/]
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Lodge
Today will be spent exploring and photographing the legendary Simien Mountains and its unique inhabitants. The landscape in the area is remarkably picturesque with panoramic vistas overlooking the deep gorges of the Escarpment. Our main interest will be the endemic Gelada baboon, Walya Ibex, and the great scenery. Amidst beautiful alpine meadows punctuated with Giant Lobelias and flowering “red hot pokers” (Kniphofia’s), we will find ourselves surrounded by massive troops of extremely well habituated and photogenic Gelada Baboons. Deeper in the park, we will scan the steepest cliffs and highest peaks for the endemic Walia Ibex, an impressive member of the goat family that has been seen by very few wildlife enthusiasts. The Simien Mountains will also provide us with further chances for encountering Ethiopian Wolf as well as Klipspringer, Guereza Colobus, Rock Hyrax and two endemic rat species. The mountains are also home to 16 bird species endemic to Eritrea and/or Ethiopia as well as an important population of the rare and beautiful Bearded Vulture that can frequently be seen gliding along the cliffs here.
Overnight: Limalimo Lodge [https://limalimolodge.com/]
Transfer
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
4 star hotel
Today we will drive back and have sightseeing tour of Gondar- the first capital of the Ethiopian empire, founded in 1635 by the Emperor Fasilidas. Gondar is best-known for its collection of 17th century castles and palaces. Spend the day exploring the Royal Enclosure and its buildings. The fortress, which is surrounded by a 300-foot-long wall, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The oldest and most impressive structure in the compound is the two-story palace of Emperor Fasilidas, built of solid basalt stones. Other royal buildings of interest include the library of Emperor Yohannes I, the House of Song where royal ceremonies took place, the elegant reception and banquet hall of Emperor Bakaffa, and the palace of the king's wife. Also visit the nearby bath of King Fasiledes, where modern-day Timkat ceremonies are performed. Finally, view the Church of DebreBirhan Selassie, an imposing structure with brightly colored ceilings.
Overnight: Gondar Hills Hotel [http://gondarhillsresort.com/]
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Guest house
Filakit, is the administrative centre for Meket (woreda) district and it is here that you would travel to start your trek to Mequat Mariam Community site. You may have your guide with you if travelling from Lalibela, otherwise you will meet him here at the Save the Children office. You will probably want a quick lunch in one of the local 'hotels' - enjara and wot.
If you have a hired vehicle you should drive from Filakit to the church of Werkhaye Mariam, an old church dedicated to St Mary, tucked in a large Juniper wood, lying a few kilometers out of town. (You actually take a rough track from Geragera, the twin town lying below Filakit).
At Werkhaye villagers from Mequat Mariam will await you with a donkey to carry your bags. From here you trek across the plateau following well-worn paths (often bolder strewn) through the agricultural landscape of the highlands. Little boys and girls watch their sheep,cattle, horses and donkeys. Older girls can be seen fetching water from springs along the way, and the men ploughing fields with oxen, engaging in harvesting activities or other agricultural work depending on the time of year and day of the month (on saints days it is forbidden to engage in many activities).
At the newly renovated church of Hanna Mequat, with acacia trees dotted around the church compound, you will get a glimpse of the escarpment edge that will be with you for much of the trip. Beyond the church you will join it and follow it round to the tukuls (thatched cottages) at Mequat Mariam. The total walk time is about 3 hours plus stops.
The staff - all members of the local villages - will meet you and serve snacks - perhaps a 'Meket Pizza' with tea or coffee, or perhaps you will be ready for a beer. As you enjoy this you can watch the birds soaring on the thermals - ravens, the odd vulture, perhaps a lammergeyer, and innumerable others. There is a shower, with water warmed by the sun - though do go a bit easy on the water. Don't miss the sunset on the 'rock bar' with a sundowner drink.
The community will serve a good meal - simple western food - after dark in the dining tukul, and if you would like will prepare a traditional Ethiopian style coffee ceremony. The community has built especially designed tukuls bedrooms - traditional style with thatched roof, and stone walls. However the beds are comfortable mattresses, with clean bed linen and blankets.
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Guest house
A breakfast of either eggs or pancakes, with tea or coffee will get you ready for a good days walk. The walk from Mequat Mariam to Wajela winds along the escarpment for much of the way with staggering views of the river systems and farm land below. There is a good chance to see Gelada Baboon along these escarpments, and if you are lucky Rock Hyrax, even a Klipspringer.
After a few hours the Mequat community hand over to the Wajela community - a fresh donkey for the luggage. Here you can eat the simple picnic lunch, maybe with a soft drink carried by one of the community. Some of the route cuts across the plateau top and there are some short cuts if you want to reduce the walking, but if you feel fit much of the time you can follow the escarpment edge.
Towards the middle of the afternoon you will reach the church of Kura Anbessa Giyorgis, perched on the rock edge, with Olive (Olia Africanus) and other indigenous trees around. Kura means crow/raven and Anbessa Lion! If you meet one of the priests ask for an explanation of the name. It is possible to take another route and come across the carpet weavers, but there is not time to do this and the church.
After Kura Anbessa you cross the road and head north across the plateau to the Wajela site. Again a warm welcome and snacks will await you at Wajela with its cozy tukuls overlooking a wooded escarpment. If you are early there is a 2 hour round trip to a church and cave structure below. You can also rinse off in the shower. Dinner as in Mequat is served in the dining tukul, sometime after sunset.
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
4 star hotel
Aterow is close to the cross roads settlement of Gashena where the Lalibela road meets the east/west road connecting Bahir Dar and Gondar to Dessie, Weldiya and Mekele. The path drops down to a waterfall above the gorge and follows quiet farm land dotted with numerous indigenous trees, until you meet the Lalibela road.
Here the route crosses the road down and then you climb up to the village and church of Timtimat Abo. It is a steeper descent to the church of Yadukalay Giyorgis church in a woodland with many Olive trees. A Yadukulay is a small forest dwelling animal that used to be abundant in the area. We are still trying to figure out what kind of animal it is! Yadukalay is the newest site, with its two story tukul, and panoramic views. Much of the land benefits from micro irrigation and there are impressive escarpment on two sides and grand vistas on a third.
You will then meet your vehicle for the long drive (approximately 6 hours) to Lalibela, with absolutely stunning views along the way.
Overnight: Sora Lodge [http://soralodgelalibela.com/]
Transfer
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
4 star hotel
Lalibela is arguably one of the most important religious and historical sites in all of Africa and the entire Christian world. There are no less than 200 churches in the Lasta Region of Lalibela, some hidden in enormous caves, but it's exceptional to find 11 churches of such master craftsmanship in one locale. These brilliant feats of engineering and architecture are often referred to as the "Eighth wonder of the world". The churches are said to have been constructed during King Lalibela’s reign during the 12th and 13th centuries when Lalibela (then known as Roha) was the capital of the Zagwe dynasty.
In the morning, there is some short trekking to the car and then the drive to Lalibella. In the afternoon, visit the first group of the churches which represent the earthly Jerusalem. This group includes BeteMedhanialem (Savior church), Bete Miriam, BeteDenagel, BeteMeskal, Debra Sina, and Bete Golgotha. . Standing 38 feet tall with seventy-two pillars, MedhaneAlem is not only the largest in Lalibela, but it is the largest monolithic rock-hewn church in the world. Bet Golgotha houses remarkable reliefs of figures, early Christian art rarely seen in other parts of Ethiopia.
Overnight: Sora Lodge [http://soralodgelalibela.com/]
Transfer
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
4 star hotel
After breakfast, visit Asheton Mariam, Trek (half way mule or horse ride) to the 13thc rock hewn monastery of Asheten Mariam (over 3000 meters high). It is about 8 kms from Lalibella. The road is very steeply looked like a twisted rope hugged on the wall but very beautiful scenery and rewarding to experience it. On top, it looks like flying over the town of Lalibella and its surroundings. The mountain views are impressive and panoramic and it’s easy to understand why the priests at this church believe they are the “closest to God.”
In the afternoon, visit the Second group of the churches representing the heavenly Jerusalem. In this group are the Bete Gabriel & Raphael, BeteMerquorios, Bete Emmanuel, and Bete Abba Libanos Finally, visit the most interesting cross-shaped church of BeteGiorgis (St. George), which is said to be the symbolisation of Noah’s ark. The cruciform-shaped BeteGiorgis is the most perfect and beautiful church here; its interior is dominated by depictions of Saint George killing the dragon.
In the afternoon, visit a local household in Lalibela to experience Ethiopia’s unique traditional cuisine and experience Ethiopian cooking traditions with full demonstration. Clients will also have the chance to try cooking Ethiopian food. Ethiopian food is a spicy mix of vegetable and lentil stews and slow-simmered meats. Straddling the Rift Valley of East Africa, Ethiopia has been called the "Land of Bread and Honey."
Overnight: Sora Lodge [http://soralodgelalibela.com/]
Flights
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Guest house
After breakfast, transfer to the airport and fly to Addis where Emma will say farewell for her return flight to Nairobi.
The rest of the family will fly on to Dire Dawa. On arrival in Dire Dawa, transfer to local restaurant for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the city of Dire Dawa and the Ethio-Djibouti Rail ways station which dates back to the beginning of the first decade of the 20th Century. Then drive 55Km to the old and walled town of Harar visiting the colorful spice market at Kefira. Kefira is a traditional open air market with lots of camels, donkeys and two wheeled horses with a vibe of medieval time trade. Its multi-ethnicity trade allows for wide range of exploration of cultural dresses and hair styles. We will also visit the interesting multicultural market of the people of Amhara, Oromo, and Adere (Harari) people in Harar.
Overnight: Rewda Guest House
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Guest house
Today we will make full day sightseeing tour of Harar - the medieval Muslim Capital of Ethiopia which is regarded by many as the fourth holy city of Islam next to Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. Harar is one of the historical and religious cities of Ethiopia. The fortified historic town of Harar is located in the eastern part of Ethiopia, 525 km from the capital of Addis Ababa, on a plateau with deep gorges surrounded by deserts and savannah. The city’s encircling wall, locally known as the Jogol was erected in the 16th century by one of the city’s best remembered local ruler, Emir NuribnMujahid, who is said to have also dug up a defensive trench around the city.
Our visit in Harar includes the walls and gates of Harar (UNESCO World heritage site), the former palace of Emperor Haile Silassie, the village of the Harari people, and the house of the famous 19th Century French poet – Arthur Rimbaud.
In the evening, we will visit the hyena men feeding wild hyenas from their mouth. One of the city's most unique attractions, Hyena Men, who make their living by collecting offal and bones which they feed to the wild hyenas that live in the surrounding hills.
Overnight: Rewda Guest House
Flights
Transfer
Breakfast
Dinner
After breakfast, drive back to Dire Dawa (45 minues) to catch your flight to Addis Ababa. Later, you will have half day city tour of Addis. The city tour includes a visit to the Merkato. In the evening, you will have a farewell dinner and you will be transferred to the airport to catch your departing flight.
Merkato:-It is the largest open-air market in Africa. Here you will be presented with confusing, but fascinating, glimpse of the vast range of goods and artefacts available from all parts of the country and you will enjoy the Ethiopian trade exchange tradition in the open air, you can purchase anything you desire here.
You will then have a fabulous farewell dinner (Emma included) at second generation Italian Restaurant and Addis 'institution' Castelli's.
It is time to return home, but we are sure a small part of Ethiopia will remain with you forever.
Carbon Compensation is not the perfect solution, and it is important to first reduce our carbon emissions as much as we can, yet trees remain an excellent natural technology to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to slow global warming.
For every client and guide who attends a YellowWood Adventure, we donate £30 to our partner charity WeForest to plant 15 trees to (over) compensate for the carbon footprint of the tour.
We also invite our clients to match this with an optional additional £30 for another 15 trees to be planted to help compensate for the carbon footprint of their international flights.
WeForest run many tree planting and tree maintenance projects such as this seedling nursery in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil and many other projects in other countries including Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania & India.
Click Here to find out more about their amazing projects around the world.
We fully believe in, and practice Responsible Tourism, using hotels run by locals. We put time and effort into building our relationship with them to ensure you have a a great trip.
We choose hotels based on cleanliness, comfort, safety, proximity to our route (to avoid unnecessary extra travel), and a warm client welcome, as well as reliability in their service to us. Some hotels will be basic, and in modern buildings and or in towns. Wherever we can, we will choose smaller more characterful, individual hotels, but in areas where tourism is still developing, this may not be available.
An aspect of our adventures is to escape the ‘trappings’ of modern Western lifestyles and to experience new things which are exciting and memorable, and reflects the countries we are visiting.
This is adventure travel and on occasion the advertised services at a hotel (eg wifi, or hot showers!) may not be functional on our arrival. This tends to occur in the smaller, more remote hotels. Very rarely a hotel lets us down and we are required to find alternative suitable accommodation that might not be our first choice.
We enjoy a full range of accommodation on this 2 week adventure. Please note that hotels generally do not have heat or air conditioning. As nights can be chilly, please bring appropriate sleepwear if needed.
Unless you have booked a single room (where they are available) and paid the single room supplement for those nights, you will be sharing a twin room with another client (of the same gender).
Supporting you throughout your holiday will be an experienced, approachable, knowledgeable and fluently English speaking professional guide from our local partner agency. They offer us qualified, experienced and excellently reviewed guides.
This ensures you have the right information and support on your trip, with your Ethiopian guide offering insight into local life, history and customs, as well as routes during walk etc. Should you have any concerns during your adventure, you will be able to contact our local partner agency direct, or come through to the UK YellowWood office.
Our thinking behind this itinerary is to offer you the opportunity to explore the cultural jewels of Ethiopia but whilst limiting the hiking element of the adventure. You are visiting a couple of mountainous areas in Central Ethiopia and so some of the gently paced, guided walking, will be on uneven terrain, and at altitude. There will be options to do shorter walks, or opt out of hiking if you wish, but all walks will be at a steady pace with frequent stops. You will not be required to carry anything except for your water and you will want your camera / binoculars! Guides will accompany the group.
To get the most of out of this adventure, you therefore need to be confident walking on rough paths, and be in good physical condition to take on short climbs at a very steady pace.
As with all active holidays, the fitter you are the more you can relax and enjoy the stunning route, and the better you can cope with challenges such as the outside elements, and unfamiliar terrain. Clients are therefore advised to get in as much regular walking before the trip as convenient.
NB: If you have bought new hiking boots for this adventure, this is the right time to wear them in, not on the trip itself.
Your YellowWood adventure starts at the airport in Addis Ababa. We understand that arriving into an unfamiliar airport can be very daunting, so we aim to give you as much information here as possible to help you prepare.
Flights are not included in the cost of your holiday, and whilst we are happy to help advise you, responsibility for booking the correct flights rests with you. We recommend that you use a comparison tool when searching for flights, such as skyscanner. Or www.momondo.co.uk. We will send you a Flight Information Sheet with further pointers on which flights to book for your adventure.
You will be needing to purchase national flights operated by Ethiopian Airlines for this adventure - see the section on Domestic Flights below.
For the latest travel advice from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. As the situation in our destination countries can change, please do ensure you check regularly before your adventure. We also receive notifications direct from the FCDO so we are always aware of the ‘status’ in our destination countries.
Bole International Airport (Addis Ababa) has reassuringly tight security measures and for this reason they do not allow any non-passengers into the airport.
We will of course arrange your hotel transfer.
Before you take your transfer however, you have a couple of jobs to do!
Toilets can be found in the arrivals lounge.
Domestic flights are not included in the cost of the holiday as we are wanting to avoid any additional charges on top of the flight costs. All domestic flights are operated by Ethiopian Airlines (EA). Please note that Ethiopian Airlines offer a 50% discount on national flights if you have travelled with them for your international flight. We will provide you with further information on your Flight Information Sheet. The approximate total cost of flights for this adventure (without the 50% discount from EA) will be 28,000 ETB ($660 / £490)
This trip involves Internal flights as follows (not included):
Domestic flight baggage allowance is as follows:
For Domestic arrivals, again, we are not permitted inside the terminal so our rep will be outside in the car park.
Holiday insurance is essential for all Yellow Wood Adventures. Unfortunately anyone without insurance is not able to take part in the holiday, so please make sure you arrange cover. We recommend sorting your insurance when you book so that if you have problems during the run up to your holiday, and need to cancel, you are covered, particularly in the light of effects that the pandemic has had on travel.
Prior to the holiday, we will ask you to send us details of your insurer, policy number, 24 hr emergency assistance contact details and the name, address, and telephone numbers of your NOK or persons to be notified in the event of an emergency.
Your insurance needs to cover you for moderate walking with the following fairly standard inclusions:
We would also recommend that you have cover for the following optional items:
YellowWood partners with battleface as a travel insurance provider.
Click through for a quote. https://app.battleface.com?partner=405
battleface insurance is provided in the UK by battleface Insurance Services Limited, a UK insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details provided on this webpage are for information only. Terms, conditions, exclusions, and limitations apply. Always read the description of cover contained within your policy to ensure it is suitable for your needs.
For information on Ethiopia, such as climate, weather, language, social norms, food & drink etc, please have a read of our Country specific information.
Ken MacCaffrey
History & Landscapes of Northern Ethiopia (prev. Ethiopia Cultural Adventure), 2019
All adventures can be tailored as private bespoke trips.
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You will receive a reminder email for your final payment 56 days before the departure date.
Feel free to contact us with any questions about your adventure or booking, we're here to help!
To help you choose the right adventure for you, we have given each itinerary a grading that relates to the level of Walking / Trekking you will experience during the trip. This grading can be found on the Yellow map on the adventure page of the website.
All of our trips involve a level of general activity so are designed for people who are in good health, enjoy the outdoors, and have a taste for adventure and some level of fitness. As will be clear from our destinations, the climate (and altitude) may be different to that which you are used to, so please take this into consideration when choosing the most suitable holiday.
Please read our Adventure Itinerary & Essential Information for more information and don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to chat through whether you have found a suitable adventure for you.
You need to be in good physical health to enjoy your active holiday, but you don’t need to be an experienced hiker. These itineraries offer a mix of sightseeing and easier walking for around 2-4hrs a day, with the emphasis on sights and cultural experiences.
Walks will be well marked or on defined pathways, and often around sites of interest. The expected amount of descent/ascent will depend on the landscapes of the destination, but will not exceed 400m/day, and will often be much less. Walks are at low altitude (below 3000m).
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack with water and essentials. Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have a pair of comfortable and worn in walking shoes/boots.
You need to have a good level of fitness and be a regular walker for these adventures, with ideally some trekking experience. You can expect to be walking for 3-6 hours per day, not including rest stops, normally on good trail paths but with some uneven surfaces at times.
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack. You may be walking in more challenging temperatures. You will generally be walking at low altitude (below 3000m) but may walk at altitudes up to 4000m. The amount of ascent could be up to 800m in a day but will frequently be less. You may walk on consecutive days.
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable clothing for this adventure.
You need to have a good level of fitness with previous experience of trekking. Extra training before your trip will ensure that you get the most out of your adventure. Areas will be remote and terrain uneven.
Expect to walk for 5 – 8 hours a day, not including breaks, with some very steep ascents and descents. You will be walking at altitude (over 3000m but not higher than 5000m).
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable equipment/clothing for this adventure (see the packing list for your adventure).
Please check individual itineraries for details of what you will need to be carrying with you.
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