Questions
Isn't Ethiopia a desert? Will there be enough water?
What medicine should I bring with me?
What equipment and clothes will I need?
Is it OK to be a tourist in such a poor country?
How good a rider and how fit should I be?
What type of accomodation do you provide?
What kind of horses will I ride?
Are there restrictions on the amount of cash brought into Ethiopia?
Answers
ISN’T ETHIOPIA A DESERT? WILL THERE BE ENOUGH WATER?Ethiopia, contrary to western mythology, is a very fertile and often well watered country with vast amounts of arable land. The crescents of lowland deserts which encircle the highlands are in no way representative of the cool and well watered plateaus over which our treks take place.
WHAT MEDICINE SHOULD I BRING WITH ME?Your normal medical kit will do fine. At the altitudes we are, tropical diseases such as malaria are just about unheard of. Sunscreen is a must at the sun is a real scorcher and simple precautions like not drinking tap water; washing hands and fruit should suffice to keep you out of harm’s way. Yellow fever inoculation is mandatory to visit Ethiopia. You should consult your physician about other vaccinations and precautions to be taken.
WHAT EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHES WILL I NEED?Apart from your personal toiletries you’ll need chaps or leather riding boots (plastic wont do), a hard hat if you use one (we don’t provide them), a good rain coat and comfortable riding clothes. Sunburn can be a serious issue and a hat with a good brim is a must. It can be quite hot during the day and cold at night so you’ll have to come with clothes suited to both ends of the temperature spectrum. Orthodox churches and mosques can be very loud late at night and early in the morning: earplugs may come in handy. For treks, you’ll also need to bring your own sleeping bag.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?We’ll be riding in the highlands and there can be a great fluctuation between noon and night with 30 Celsius in the afternoon and 5 degrees or lower at night. During the dry season, there can be short bursts of rain but otherwise, we can expect more or less cloudless days with pure blue skies.
IS ETHIOPIA SAFE?Ethiopia is very safe especially the heartlands of the country where our treks take place. The capital is also safe with violent crime just about unheard of. Petty crime such as bag snatching and pick pocketing occurs but is not as frequent as in Paris or London. For an up to date opinion on this you might want to consult with your country’s embassy in Ethiopia.
IS IT OK TO BE A TOURIST IN SUCH A POOR COUNTRY?Absolutely. A healthy tourist industry is something that Ethiopia needs and the hard currency, job opportunities and positive feedback are very welcome. Ethiopians are always happy to see tourists and are very proud that people want to come from far away to visit their country.
HOW GOOD A RIDER AND HOW FIT SHOULD I BE?For a trail ride, being a complete beginner is fine. For treks you should be comfortable on a horse and be able to control him walking, trotting and galloping. You should also be reasonably fit as we are expected to stay in the saddle for up to six hours a day and shouldn’t weigh more than 90 kilos.
WHAT’S THE FOOD LIKE?The local food is ingera, a sourdough type flat bread accompanied by different – relatively-hot sauces. While we will of course sample this, our meals will also be made up of typically western food and on treks we will have a cook.
WHAT TYPE OF ACCOMODATION DO YOU PROVIDE?On our treks tents, and where available hotels and lodges, and good quality international level hotels while in Addis Ababa. While we currently provide typical camping dome tents, food is served in traditional Abyssinian white cloth walk in canvas tents.
WHAT KIND OF HORSES WILL I RIDE?We have a mixture of horses, what are commonly known as Abyssinian ponies and of different temperaments with a permanent stable of well cared for, well trained and well fed horses, and will find the horse suited to your desires and needs. They are sturdy and not very tall (14.3 to 15 hands) and we do not accept riders who are more than 90 kilos for this reason.
DO I NEED INSURANCE?You’ll need a full travel insurance package which covers you for horse riding as well as including a repatriation clause and you’ll need to send us a copy of it before the beginning of the trek.
DO I NEED A VISA?Yes, and a simple three month tourist visa can be obtained upon arrival at Addis Ababa airport for around $25 but do check with your embassy that this will be available to you.
ARE THERE RESTRICTONS ON THE AMOUNT OF CASH BROUGHT INTO ETHIOPIA?There are no restrictions on the amount of currency you bring into the country. Traveler’s cheques in dollars or euros and hard currency either in dollars or euros will be fine, although you’ll find dollars to be more readily accepted.
HOW MUCH PETTY CASH WILL I NEED?All costs are covered from transport from the airport to your hotel and from the hotel to the stables. During treks there are no extra costs apart from tips and beverages. So you’ll need to budget for that, and for personal and gift shopping.
CAN I USE A CREDIT CARD?While credit cards are now accepted in some of the big hotels, souvenir shops and the like, their use is still not widespread. However, you can use your card to take out money from your account in the international hotels if the need arises as they now have cash machines.
© 2009
Yves Stranger