The Ari tribe is an indigenous agricultural and skilled craft-producing group in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley region, known for their fertile land, extensive livestock herds, and unique cultural practices like body painting and scarification. They are the largest tribe in the area, with a...
We continued our drive from Konso to Jinka, which is an approximately 245 km scenic, tarred route, passing through the Rift Valley and crossing the Weyto River. The road goes through Konso, Tsamai, Banna, and Ari areas and is a gateway to the Omo Valley. We made our coffee break in Woito...
First, we stopped in town to pay our entrance fee to the village (1,700 ETB) and hire a local guide (1,000 ETB). Then, we slowly drove to the village, where we usually paid 20 to 100 ETB for a photo of adults, and the children received a lollipop. The Konso are a Cushitic-speaking ethnic...
The Gughe Mountains are a mountain range located near the city of Arba Minch and Abaya Lake. Mount Gughe, a prominent peak, is approximately 4,200 meters high. They are part of the Gamo Highlands, known for their spectacular scenery and terraced views of the Rift Valley. It is home to the...
In the late afternoon, we climbed a scenic dirt road to the Dorze village in the Gamo highlands, a mountainous region about an hour’s drive from Arba Minch. They are a relatively small community, with estimates of around 15,000-30,000 people who are closely related to the Gamo tribe...
After long preparations and in challenging times, we finally arrived in Addis Ababa, situated in the Ethiopian highlands at 2,300 meters, making it one of the world’s highest capitals. The city was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu Betul, named “New...
Finally, we arrived in Dodoma, located in the semi-arid, central plateau of Tanzania, characterised by hot, dry conditions and a single rainy season, making it prone to drought. Its topography features elevations of 1,200-1,500 meters, including parts of the Great Rift Valley, with sandy...
On our way to Dodoma, we made a short stop at Igeleke to see ancient rock paintings. We hired a tuk-tuk to get to the site (5,000 TZS) and picked up a man with keys (🎟️10,000 TZS; 📞+255766662777, 📞+255763540698)) on our way there. The ochre drawings depict human figures, an elephant, a...
Hike to Choma Waterfalls, located in the Uluguru Mountains, near Mikumi National Park above the town of Morogoro, is one of the most popular hikes in the mountain range. It was a refreshing escape from dusty town into lush greenery, to cascading waters and serene pools. The waterfall is...
The Uluguru Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountain range in eastern Tanzania, renowned for their high biodiversity and ancient forests. They are a vital watershed for the Ruvu River, which supplies Dar es Salaam. The highest point of the main range is 2,630 meters. Forests are...