Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It's possible to travel by public transport from Jimma down to southern Ethiopia
without transiting through Addis Ababa as a road now connects Jimma with Sodo, from
where you can continue onward to Awasa or Arba Minch. The journey must be done in
stages by first taking a bus to Chida (Birr50, 2½ to three hours) and changing there for
Sodo.
Getting Around
Bajajs
(auto-rickshaws) cost around Birr5 for hops around town, depending on distance.
No buses or minibuses go to the airport, but a taxi will charge around Birr50.
Jimma to Weliso
After Jimma, the road begins to wind back in a northeastern direction towards Addis
Ababa. Approximately 57km out of town, the road detours around Gilgel's
Gibe Dam I
.
Further south, work on the controversial Gibe III dam is well underway. For more on this
project
Click here
.
Much further west you'll see several impressive bulbous
rock pinnacles
rising from
the seemingly subdued plateau in the distance. Once you pass the major outcrop, the road
serpentines down into the gaping
Gibe River Valley
.
Around the 115km-from-Addis mark is the small town of
Weliso
, which makes a great
base for exploring the crater lake in the middle of Mt Wenchi (
Click here
)
.
Sleeping & Eating
LODGE
Negash Lodge $$
( in Weliso 0113-410002, in Addis Ababa 0115-511417;
www.negashlodge.com
;
incl
breakfast d Birr759-885, tw Birr759-1012; )
At the end of a long day's hiking
return to Weliso and luxuriate in Negash Lodge, which is not just by far the best hotel in
western Ethiopia, but one of the best value places to stay in all of Ethiopia. It's centred on
a swimming pool complex fed by a hot spring (during quiet times they might empty the
pool) and surrounded by lush gardens that are home to all manner of birds (including lots
of prehistoric-looking ravens), monkeys, tree hyraxes and dik-dik. Accommodation comes
in a range of styles, from tribally decorated rondavels to stylish rooms in the 'Addis
