Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The two- to three-hour waterfall trail (per group Birr250, horse per person Birr100) climbs to the lovely, 45m-tall
Lephis Waterfall, passing several smaller falls as it loops back on the other side of the Lephis River. Treks on the
Dungago Trail (per group Birr400, horse per person Birr200) can last a full day and it's the trail of choice for
bird-
watchers
.
A
campsite
(2 people Birr200, each additional person Birr50)
6km up the Dungago Trail allows early morning
and late afternoon wildlife watching. The price includes use of its camping gear.
The 'welcome
tukul
' is 17.5km east of Arsi Negele (Birr7, 45 minutes) and buses run about hourly.
Shashemene
POP 118,900 / ELEV 1700M
Shashemene is a grubby crossroads town and most travellers prefer nearby Awasa.
Shashemene does have one trick up its sleeve, however: it's the Rastafari capital of Africa
and if this interests you, you're going to love it.
When Ras Tafari was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie in 1930, he gained subjects far
beyond his own kingdom. In Jamaica, Marcus Garvey's 'return to Africa' movement saw
the emperor's coronation as fulfilment of the ancient biblical prophesy that 'Kings will
come out of Africa'. Identifying themselves passionately with Ethiopia's monarch, as well
as with Ethiopia's status as an independent nation, Garvey's followers created a new reli-
gion. In it, the emperor was accorded divinity (the Messiah of African Redemption) and
the new faith given his pre-coronation name. What did the Emperor think of all this? Well,
it was said that he was rather embarrassed. That is until 1963, when he overcame his bash-
fulness and granted the Rastafarians land in Shashemene.
Although nothing came of it in the end, much to the thanks of the entire population of
Jamaica, Shashemene was briefly in the news when Bob Marley's wife announced that
she was going to have his remains moved here.
Sights
NEIGHBOURHOOD
Rastafarian Community
Shashemene's Rastafarian community, known locally as Jamaica, straddles the main road
just north of town. It's readily distinguished by its tri-coloured buildings, dread-locked in-
habitants and rounded vowels of Caribbean English. A shared
bajaj
from the bus station
costs Birr2, or if you're arriving from the north, just hop off when you pass it.
