3 dagen, Arba Minch en Dorze

My time with Wasagne was an authentic Ethiopian experience. I was able to engage with local villagers, observe how they live, visited local markets, did a beautiful country hike to see a waterfall, walked in the forest, went on a boat ride to see crocodiles, participated in a coffee ceremony in a private home and explored the city of Arbaminch. The accommodation was top notch and as a solo traveler I felt safe. Wasagne managed all of my travel needs during my stay. I will book with him again!

The Tour Guide is excellent! His English is very good and speaks several local languages, is well known in the communities visited and most of all as a solo female traveller I felt safe. Can accommodate many types of travel including back country overnight stays. Stayed at the best resorts in ArtaMinch and was well cared for. An authentic Ethiopian experience

During our visit to Arba Minch, we had the opportunity to explore the fascinating Dorze Village, a popular tourist attraction in the region. The Dorze tribe is a small community primarily residing in a village located near the city of Arba Minch. Situated in a mountainous area, Dorze Village is approximately an hour's drive from Arba Minch. The estimated population of the Dorze tribe is around 15,000 individuals. The Dorze community has embraced community-based tourism and proudly showcase their unique culture. Visitors can witness their traditional clothing, dances, and the distinctive bamboo huts they construct, which are shaped like elephants. Additionally, they demonstrate the process of preparing cotton for trade, weaving traditional textiles, and making Kocho, a pancake-like food made from false banana. The Dorze people are well-organized and offer professional demonstrations to tourists.

With Simen Land Tours we flew from Addis Ababa to Arba Minch. Good organization of the trip. We went into the pristine forest with a local guide. I was intrigued to see it everywhere. Besides monkeys we saw beautiful trees and also rocked on branches. A highlight was certainly to visit a few of the 41 springs in the forest and drink the water directly from the spring. The water was unimaginably clear. Afterwards we took a boat tour and observed free-living crocodiles and ospreys. Especially the ospreys were very fascinating to watch. Beautiful animals. Before finishing the boat tour, we visited a small fishing village and were able to eat the fish the fishermen processed directly there. It was really delicious. The first night we stayed at Hotel Paradise. The hotel is a bit older but a very nice location with a charming ambience. The next day we went on to Dorze. Readiness of the ride we could see children who always wiggle their butts. Apparently that's part of the culture there. In Dorze we first visited the public market with all its spices and animals. A whole other world. Afterwards we visited a primeval village. Especially the dwelling, so-called elephant houses, were very fascinating. We were also traditionally dressed with shield and spear for men. It was fascinating to see that everything is made in this small village. Especially the honey there is recommended. They took some home, too. The local guide village was very nice and accommodating. Highly recommended. The second night we spent at the Hotel Haile Resort. This hotel belongs to a chain founded by marathon runner Haile Gebreselassie. It is a modern hotel which even has air conditioning and pool. Overall, it was a really nice trip in Ethiopia.

Wes organised a great trip. He was clear about what was included and what wasn't and accomodated specific requests His team were very professional and helpful. Thanks so much! I highly recommend the company.

We did a last minute plan to tour Omo Valley and as we were travelling from India , Wes agreed to make all our bookings ( our internal flights in Ethiopia / hotel bookings etc) and we paid him only after we arrived in Addis . This takes a lot of trust on his behalf and I am very happy that we found him on Tripadvisor. Thank you TripAdvisor . He is a gem of a person Apart from this , he is a very people oriented guy and this was obvious to us when we visited many local tribes sometimes after 3 hours drive and he would know the people in each of these places by name and they would be genuinely happy to see him and us . For me that’s a great plus point in him . Skill and knowledge is one thing but genuine people skills is amazing His service right from airport pick up to airport drop and sharing all meals with us with excellent conversation skills made our trip memorable . Highly recommend this company and Wes for his superb services . We are certainly coming back for a tour of the north !!

I spent three days in Arba Minch and Dorze in August 2023 with Gamo Travel Tours and I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences I've had travelling abroad. As two women travelling alone, safety was front of mind, and we felt supported, listened to, and safe and secure every step of the way. Our tour guide, Wes, checked in with us regularly before and during the trip to ensure we were kept well informed, that the tour was tailored to our needs, and that all our questions were answered. Our night in Dorze was out of this world - it is SUCH a beautiful place and we stood in awe at the view. Our hosts at the lodge could not have been more welcoming and friendly and the services were excellent and the food delicious. It really was a magical weekend, with memories that I will treasure for a lifetime.