Northern Africa and the Middle East - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 122

Each community has built a village camp,
sleeping up to six in traditional thatched huts
called tukuls , which are clean and simply
furnished with comfortable mattresses and
heavy blankets. Local food or simple Western
dishes is served in the dining tukul or outside in
the sunshine. Much of the income from TESFA's
trips goes directly to the villagers, who then
decide collectively how to spend it, which in
many cases means supplementing their incomes
as subsistence farmers. At Mequat Mariam,
the villagers have set up a “grain bank” to buy
cheaper grain after the harvest, to safeguard
against price rises later in the season. Others
have put the money into savings, which could be
their only hope if the rain fails. TESFA's treks
make that much difference.

152 TrEk In THE ETHIopIAn
HIgHlAndS

After a day of trekking across stony fields
worked with ox-drawn ploughs, you get
the feeling that the scenery in this part of
northern Ethiopia hasn't changed for centuries.
Mountains trail off into the horizon and below
there's a patchwork of fields dotted with
thatched dwellings. A small troop of baboons
feed among the cliffs while birds of prey soar
in the thermals. Watching the pale sunset with
your English-speaking local guides feels like a
privileged way to experience the hospitality and
beauty of the ancient Ethiopian Highlands.
The emphasis on trips organized by TESFA
(Tourism in Ethiopia for Sustainable Future
Alternatives) - an NGO in Addis Ababa - is on
seeing village life and experiencing the ancient
culture of the Amhara people. TESFA first ran
trips to the remote parish of Mequat Mariam,
though it has since developed itineraries to
other villages as well as
treks to the Abuna Yoseph
mountain.
TESFA arranges a
walking route between
the villages according
to your schedule and
fitness (some routes are
suitable for children),
which is very much a
no-frills experience: you
may be invited to drink
beer with village elders,
or invited into a home
for a coffee ceremony.
Children abandon the
family animals and rush
to talk to you, wildly
excited and very polite.
You can also arrange to
visit a school (donations of
topics or other supplies are
welcome).

Need to know For directions, prices, itineraries
and reservations see W www.community-tourism-
ethiopia.com; T [phone]. For details
of local tour operators and travel agents in Ethiopia
see W www.tourismethiopia.org.

Women carry water
containers on their
heads on their way
back from Lake
Tana to their village