Equus Ethiopia
A specialist riding company offering unique access to Ethiopia’s culture through its treks, expeditions and trail rides. 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). Contact us to discuss options. See here for information about our May treks (five and three day trips to the forest of Menagesha Suba).
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.
Trek dates as follows:
- May 13 to 19 2012
- May 27 to Jun 2 2012
- Oct 14 to Oct 20 2012
- Oct 28 to Nov 3 2012
- Nov 11 to Nov 17 2012
- Dec 9 to dec 15 2012
All treks six days in the saddle, with first day upon arrival visiting Addis Ababa. Numerous extensions possible.
Trail rides and custom treks: just 30 minutes from the capital city, we offer two day treks from our beautiful base in Solulta, over the Entoto Hills and out onto the highland plains. 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.
Equus Ethiopia offers a mixture of rides, from a two 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 first hand 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 started Equus Ethiopia together with his wife Lydia Fantaye, has lived in the country for ten years. He likes to think that he speaks fluent Amharic – the national language – and has been riding since his childhood in the south of France where he used to shepherd goats on horseback. He writes a blog about Abyssinian horses and other aethiopica on Uthiopia.com.
Whether you prefer a short trail ride to enjoy Ethiopia at a leisurely pace, the charm of an overnight in a centuries old forest, the adventure of a week long trek or an expedition to some far flung part of the country, if you want to mix horses and Ethiopia, and to experience the real country, Equus is the place for you.
© 2012 Equus Ethiopia