A note from the British founder of Equus Ethiopia

When I first arrived in Ethiopia, it was in 2000 (Gregorian calendar that is… Ethiopians use the Julian calendar so that on the 12th of September 2009, Addis Ababa will be celebrating the beginning of 2002…). I’d been sent to write up a guide of the capital. It was the rainy season: everything was a mixture of green grasses and brown red muds. Not what I had expected. A couple of weeks after my arrival I was taken on a camping expedition to the monastery of Debre Libanos, which in the middle of the rain season was not a good idea. But it didn’t matter: I was enchanted by the sight of a seemingly never ending green plateau which did, suddenly, come to an end, offering the perspective of a kilometer deep gorge. Mist wafted up from the bottom of the gorge and waterfalls cascaded into its depth throwing up billowing steam. Sitting nonchalantly on the edge of the precipice, a bleeding heart baboon seemed to be gazing out into the distance and there were Abyssinian ponies grazing up to the cliff edge. That writing assignment was to last for two months but, nine years later, I’m still here.

Equus Ethiopia

A specialist riding company offering unique access to Ethiopia’s culture through its riding holidays. Riding through the high plateaus of Abyssinia, from the edge of the Blue Nile to the Rift Valley escarpment, accompanied by bilingual guides and local horsemen. Private & set date departures – Certain rides suitable for families – Many extension options available to combine with a riding vacation – Since 2000 (Ethiopian Julian Calendar), British founded and run. Contact us to discuss options.

Highland and Montane forest Trek: taking us from our base in Solulta near Addis Ababa this ride encompasses the Montane Forest of Menagesha-Suba, the high plateau of Shoa and the Muger River Gorge. We get to see the typical Abyssinian lifestyle and camp every night together with farming communities and witness their lives first hand. Lots of cantering and diverse landscapes.

All treks six days in the saddle, with first day upon arrival visiting Addis Ababa. Numerous extensions possible.

Camp Coffee

Trail rides or custom treks: just 30 minutes from the capital city, we offer two day treks to the Montane forest of Menagesha-Suba, trail rides to a colorful local horse market with a packed lunch or a visit to a century old orthodox church. We are happy to organize family outings and custom rides and events. For more information please contact us.

Unknown to the world, the high plateaus of Ethiopia rate as some of the best riding ground in the world; the Ethiopians who inhabit these plateaus are a people of the horse to this day: you’ll get to see the country and experience it like no one else, and Ethiopians themselves will receive you like their own when they see you riding - like them.

Forget the images of a parched and dried up land: this is the quintessential Ethiopia of babbling brooks, yellow flowers and smiling pastors. Our mounts, the famed Abyssinian horse – renowned to this day for their polo playing abilities, will whisk you over the plains, from Orthodox monastery to old forest, from rock hewn church to high mountain pass.

The Rainy Season

Equus Ethiopia offers a mixture of rides, from a three hour weekend trail ride to visit a local horse market (we’re just a 30mn car drive from Addis Ababa) to a two day trip to a rare Montane forest founded by a medieval emperor, to one or two week exploratory treks over the high plateaus in which we’ll witness firsthand the life of the peoples of Ethiopia. We can also organize camping and a local stay in a peasant compound near our stables.

Yves Stranger, a British national who runs Equus Ethiopia together with his wife Lydia Fantaye, has lived in the country for eight years. He likes to think that he speaks fluent Amharic – the national language – writes regularly about the country on his website Uthiopia.com and has been riding since his childhood in the south of France where he used to shepherd goats on horseback.

Whether you prefer a short trail ride to enjoy Ethiopia at a leisurely pace, the charm of an overnight in a centuries old forest, or the adventure of a week long trek, if you want to mix horses and Ethiopia, and to experience the real country, Equus is the place for you.