Gurage Homestay trails

Gurage countryside and villages, with rivers, forests and monasteries

Gurage countryside

On Gurage Homestay trails, we can design the trekking to suit your fitness levels. You will walk through the beautiful Gurage villages, with the ‘Jefoure Roads’, which are multifunctional green strips that serve as pathways in the middle of the villages. These have been designed and managed by local people for centuries. The Gurage settlement pattern is centred on these ‘roads’, which is an important common space which gives the villages a unique tranquil feel. Residents, local groups look to manage these cultural roads sustainably. Set along side these roads are the stunning houses of the Gurage people. They keep one house for visitors – immaculately clean – with a traditional fire pit and utensils- for hosting guests. Most houses also have a well constructed pit-latrine toilets. In Ethiopia there are few cultures with such well designed and clean living spaces.  Try local specialities such as such as kitfo (steak tartar Gurage style) gomen kitfo (spiced chopped kale/greens) and local araki.

Day 1/ Drive from Addis to Gurage, through the main Gurage city of Welkite where you will pick up your guide. Stopping for lunch perhaps around the university. Its around a 3hours – 3h 30m drive depending on traffic leaving Addis.

Drop outside the town of Agena, from where tts a lovely walk of around two hours up through beautiful and green scenery following ‘Jefoure Roads’ to Yeshehara village.  Here the villagers will welcome you into their home for some snacks. Later in the afternoon possibly walk to a view point on the edge of the forest to see the sunset over the valleys to the west, or make a longer trek to explore the forest on this escarpment. In the evening you will have dinner in the house and see how the people live, maybe enjoy the special Gurage local dance.

Suspension bridge

Day 2/ After breakfast  you can explore the forest a bit before taking the easy 2hr walk to the small town Hawaryat. Here you can have some local lunch and coffee and if the day is right see the small Market at Hawaryat. After lunch walk down from the town and across a bailey bridge and steeply up the other side passing a famous monastery called Mihur Eyesus, before continuing to the church of  Yegesh Amanuael church. From here the trail drops down through lovely forest to the Wabe River. You will cross the river using a suspension bridge made of metal cables, and climb up on the other side emerging at Mekorkor village. Its really beautiful countryside, with lovely views up and down the forested gorge. You can walk up. by the Giyorgis church to Atat to get some special views down into the gorges.

Gorges beyond Chebo Mariam

Day 3/ After breakfast, set of from Merkorkor to Chebo Mariam. There are different trails depending on how long you want to walk for.  The longer trail takes you north from Merkorkor and around to Kidist Arsema monastery, where you will see a woodland of lovey endemic evergreen conifers (podocarpus falcatus) and a wonderful view. From here the trail takes you up the escapement towards Atat Selassie. As you trek eastwards you can get marvellous views over the forested gorges to the south.  You will then head down to the village of Chebo Mariam where you will again be welcomed into a village house for snacks on arrival (or lunch if you planned to be there in time). Its lovely to take a short walk to the end of the village to see the sunset over the gorge.

Day 4/ After breakfast you can see the waterfall before heading out towards Merzor village. Again walking through beautiful countryside and forested slopes. In Mezwor you can enjoy a  local lunch and the car can pick you from here. Or you can walk a bit further down to the bridge over the river and meet the car a kilometre up from there.

We will pick you up from the appointed place and drive back across country to Tulu Bolo and t hen on the main road back to Addis Ababa. In Addis we will drop you to your hotel or other location.