Mountain Biking
Bicycling has not been seen as more than a convenient mode of transportation in the less hilly cities and towns outside Addis Abeba, that is, until recently. Even then, most recreational biking has been reserved for road cycling. However, a few adventure tourism-minded resorts have begun to provide mountain biking as an activity for those […]
Around Addis Abeba
The mountains around Addis Abeba do make for some great mountain biking terrain. The most accessible are the Entoto Mountains at over 3,000m, many of which are within Entoto Natural Park. This park on the northern edge of Addis Abeba provides foot paths and back roads that are frequently used by long-distance runners for training. They […]
Mountain biking in Debre Zeit
Mountain biking in Debre Zeit can be as simple as exploring the seven crater lakes and many farms around the city or as challenging as ascending the more than 3,000m Mount Yerer. (See the previous section). At least two resorts, Kuriftu and Babogaya, offer mountain bikes to their guests. There are foreign commercial farms as […]
East Langano Nature Reserve
The two neighboring eco lodges on the far side of Lake Langano loan modern mountain bikes for use on an extensive network of trails that wind through savanna, young forest, open fields, and even beautiful old growth forest with streams meandering through it. Starting in the savanna along the lake in the morning before the […]
Simien Mountains National Park
Mountain biking in the Simiens offers a great balance between walking and driving. When walking, it can take quite a few days to get from one end of the park to the other, and then there is the journey back! When driving, it is all to easy to rush through, missing some of the hidden […]
Road Cycling
There are few adventure tourism activities that provide as much up-close and personal experience over as wide an area as long-distance road cycling. When traveling by air, only big towns are witnessed; by car everything is a blur; but by bicycle, all the sights, sounds, and smells can be experienced, and there are many more […]
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing in Ethiopia has a very long tradition, at least dating back to the foundation of the first churches and monasteries in the country, many of which are located up sheer cliffs. These sanctuaries could have also been used as holy sites for the Jewish or pagan religions that predated Christianity’s arrival, stretching back […]
Motor Biking
Motor biking combines intimacy with the landscape with the speed and excitement of motor transport. There is nothing like feeling the wind, the two-wheel maneuverability, and the acceleration of a motorbike. The sights, sounds, and smells are much more accessible than when traveling by car, and there is the advantage of better gas mileage. Motor […]
Boating
No matter what one’s personal threshold for adventure is, boating on one of Ethiopia’s many lakes is a rewarding experience. Escaping the bustling city or village life out on a lake in the morning when the water is calm and serene is refreshing, to say the least, and surveilling the complex birdlife is an experience […]
Boating at Lake T’ana
Lake T’ana to the northwest of the Rift Valley can take a few days to completely explore, at up to 3,500km2 in area. Even though Lake T’ana has abundant wildlife, most visitors come for its historical sites. It leads as the most interesting lake, by far, when it comes to such sites. Lake T’ana is […]
Boating at Lake Ziway
Boating on Lake Ziway is adventurous for more than one reason. First, any boat ride on the lake usually involves making the long journey from the town of Ziway all the way across to the twin cinder cone peaks of Tulu Gudo Island near the opposite shore of one of the largest lakes in Ethiopia, […]
Boating at Lake Langano
This lake provides many boating opportunities. It is also known for having the best beach in the landlocked country of Ethiopia and for having the most waterfront resorts of any lake in the country. These resorts offer a wide variety of watercraft for venturing out on the blue, or, in this case, the brown, as […]
Boating at Lake Hawassa
Since Hawassa is one of the most popular resort cities in Ethiopia and a fast-growing regional capital to boot, a boat trip on the 129km2 Lake Awassa is going to be a more casual experience. While Lake Langano provides respite from the road, the calmer waters of Awassa offer a sanctuary in the city. Despite […]
Boating at Lake Chamo and Lake Abaya
These twin lakes are separated by a narrow and mountainous strip of land called the Bridge of God. The 1,160km2 Lake Abaya has been colored red with eroded soil, while Lake Chamo is a regular bluish green. Both lakes are good for seeing what may be the longest and even largest overall crocodiles in the […]
River Rafting
Rafting on some of Ethiopia’s rivers is a world-class experience that can rival the experience on any other river, whether in Africa or any other continent. The people, wildlife, canyons, rapids, creek waterfalls, hot springs, and remoteness of it all are all simply unparalleled, especially on the Omo River, but also on the Abay (Blue […]
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