Client Tour Reviews 2013
Reviews by clients of cultural, historical, wildlife, sight-seeing and adventure tours taken in
Ethiopia and organized by Highway Tours in 2013.
Aoife Boyce writes:
Some wonderful memories, I would not hesitate to recommend it to a friend.
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I felt if you had Eskinder organizing your holiday you will have nothing
to do but enjoy the experience. He took the stress out of travelling by having everything super
organized. Read the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Aoife Boyce,
Dubai.
Places Visited Oct 11 - Oct 14, 2013:
Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Gonder, Axum, Lalibela.
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Audrey Bowker writes:
I would suggest that you do your sight seeing of Addis Ababa on you return and after you have adjusted to
Ethiopian ways. Addis is the least appealing of all the cities and places you will visit, but it does contain
places of interest.
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We loved everywhere we went adn everything we did on the Northern Cultural
route. The countryside is far less interesting (though still pleasant) as you move south of Addis, but
the people who seem very used to tourists are much more 'in your face' as they beg or sell. Read
the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Audrey Bowker,
London,
England.
Places Visited Sep 28 - Oct 15, 2013:
Addis; Bahirdar; Gonder; Simien Mountains; Axum; Tigray Churches; Lalibela; Rift Valley Lakes;
Arbaminch.
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Robert Reid writes:
...what we saw was interesting and rewarding, and the laid-back schedules reflect traveling realities but
also give time to relax and take it all in.
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Well designed and well organised. Choice of guides was outstanding, and we
never felt unsafe on the roads, although the vehicles were sometimes a bit battered! It was our mistake that we
spent one and a half days and 2 nights in Addis Ababa,
but for anyone who does not come from a polished first world country with a fascination for third world poverty
and dirt, skip it!!! Read the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Robert Reid,
Cape Town,
South Africa.
Places Visited Oct 11 - Oct 17, 2013:
Addis Ababa; Simien Mountains; Gonder; Lalibela.
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Stephen Osgerby writes:
It's Africa - there will be delays, some things won't work, you may even be ill for a couple of days. If you
can cope with these minor inconveniences then don't hesitate - Ethiopia is a great destination.
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I can't speak highly enough of Eskinder and his team - organisation was
efficient and all the guides were excellent. The only reason not to give it 5-star rating is that
Ethiopian food is an acquired taste (that I haven't acquired). Read the
independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Stephen Osgerby,
Leicestershire,
England.
Places Visited Oct 6 - Oct 19, 2013:
Addis; Bahirdar; Gonder; Simien Mountains; Axum; Lalibela; Harer.
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Gillian Gillanders writes:
The itinerary was always honored with any suggested changes being for the better.
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Eskinder's client service was absolutely excellent. He was impressively
conscientious: he kept close track of our progress, was informed by his local agents when things went wrong,
and sought detailed feedback from us at the end of the trip when we got back to Addis Ababa.
The guides - local to each location - were all excellent: knowledgeable
and informative, and they spoke good English. Eskinder had made a sensible choice of hotels within our
specified mid-price range and the constraints of what was available. Read the
independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
In planning the trip we developed our own detailed itinerary and Eskinder
made helpful suggestions on it, gave good answers to all our queries and was always very prompt to respond to
emails. The itinerary acted as the 'contract' between us and we would urge anyone else to prepare a similarly
detailed specification, including all the points agreed during the planning stage.
Gillian Gillanders,
London,
England.
Places Visited Sep 29 - Oct 13, 2013:
Addis; Tigray Churches; Axum; Lalibela; Simien Mountains; Gonder; Bahirdar.
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Fran Ellis writes:
The organisation by Highway Tours was impeccable: competent and knowledgable guides who were also
incredibly nice and made us feel very welcome.!
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Being able to take my children (6,8,10) to Ethiopia was fantastic; they
loved seeing the animals- Jago loved the tame ostrich and dik dik, Jasper loved hunting lizards and Leo
loved everything.
For me, my heart was filled with joy just to be back in Africa; never a
dull moment driving right down to the South Omo valley and seeing the amazing landscapes and people,
everyone so friendly and interested in the boys.
Any concerns we had about taking the children to Ethiopia were immediately
erased when we arrived and realised that everything was going to be made as easy as possible for us
all.
We loved all the places we visited but for me the South Omo valley was
particularly amazing, a real privilege to see a part of the world that feels so unchanged by
time. Read the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Take a coat for the Simien Mountains; don't bother taking Traveller's
cheques as they are not accepted anywhere; most hotels will do your laundry for you; antibacterial hand gel is
really useful; many hotels have mosquito nets; bottled water is cheap and easy to get- we didn't need water
purifiers; there are ATM's only in Addis.
Frances Ellis
London,
England.
Places Visited Jul 27 - Aug 14, 2013:
Addis; Bahirdar; Gonder; Simien Mts; Lalibela; Awash Park: Netch Sar Park : Omo valley; and Rift Valley.
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David Wetham writes:
Very good, and i was very happy with the guide (Mr Ayele)and the driver... very professional and
knoledgeable (speaking of Mr Ayele) on the areas we went. You could tell he was well respected by the locals as
well.
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The most memorable or exciting part was while in Turmi, we were able to
watch the Hamer festivity where the boy marks his passage from boy to adult by jumping the bulls. Not fixed, or
touristy. For me, easily the highlight of the trip!
I do feel the locals that live across the river from the Karo people
(south of Turmi), are exploiting the tribe. Didn't get the impression they cared much about them. But we had to
pay them in order to see them. Read the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
David Wetham,
Vancouver,
Canada.
Places Visited Mar 29 - Apr 9, 2013:
Addis Ababa, Lower Omo Valley tribes, Rift Valley Lakes.
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Frederic Roussy writes:
I even now plan another trip hopefully in 2014 with goldies oldies friends of mine & again with Mr
Eskinder company.
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I had the chance to travel 19 days with this company (which was
recommanded by an Italian friend of mine who also travelled 2 weeks (party of 3).
Travelling in Ethiopia (out of Addis Abeba) is a great experience
especially when the ground handler in charge of your trip is a professionnal such as Mr Eskinder. My wife &
I were pampered.
You should keep in mind this is Ethiopia, an East Africa country &
still a Nation building up & you should not expect an American or European standart of service but
still I was surprised of the level & quality : Transportation was perfect( good driver & car ),
transit, planes, hotels, pick up ,nothing negative to mention.
Food is an issue: mainly you have a lot of Italian food (good quality)
& the Ethiopian traditionnal food. No bad surprises (no tourista) just stick to basic local dish : Sheero
& Wat & ingera vegetarian dish.
Excellent avocado juice & basic african fruits. Try to avoid fresh
vegetables,insteed eat cooked vegetables. There are a lot to discover within this old Christian
country.
Ethiopian Airline the leading company in Africa have the latest planes
while flying into the country or domestic , Roads are new except in few area under construction, it is an easy
journey. Guides have degrees & are at disposal for any questions, they know their
subjects.
Ethiopians are friendly people & always keen to learn from you. I
lived in this country when young & was back there after 30 years & Mr Eskinder team made there
best so I could keep the best memories.
Frederic Roussy,
Toulon, France.
Places Visited Mar 30, to Apr 19, 2013:
Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Gonder, Simien Mountains, Lalibela, Rift Valley Lakes
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David Barrie writes:
I had a great time in Ethiopia!! Told my wife she should have come, she would have enjoyed the tour.
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Good morning Eskinder:
Thank you again, for making my visit to Ethiopia so enjoyable.
Listed below is my evaluation:
Hotels-
Lalibila= Outstanding- great food- fantastic location
Florida= Excellent- easy transport to Castles, etc
Summerland= Very Good, impressive City of Bahirdar
Global=Average, good restaurant, very friendly and helpful staff
Brana=Good, hot water only available in shower not in sink
Local guides –
Lalibela= Outstanding, very good knowledge, great presentation skills, information without over loading
the visitor, with too many details
Axum- Excellent= Lots of knowledge, passionate, perhaps. Less details, which can be confusing to the
visitor
Gonder-Outstanding, excellent presentation skills allowing the visitor to appreciate the history of the
castles
Bahirdar- Knowledgeable, friendly, .. the sites (Lake Tana, Blue Nile, and waterfalls), perhaps over shadow the
guides..
My list of the top sites-
#1= Blue Nile/waterfall
#2= Lalibela/churches
#3= Gondar/Palaces
#4= Axum/Steles
#5= Addis/Lucy Museum and Merkato
Things to consider-
I had some confusion identifying the tour (owner/main guide) and the actual tour guide and the local/site tour
guide
Currency transfer- not available, at airport -if Ethiopian Airlines
international flights not operating- need to do bank exchange prior to departure at airport
I sincerely appreciate your time and efforts in showing me Addis and the
many fantastic sites/museums. I want to compliment you on your co-ordination of my tour. I always felt
comfortable that I would get to the next destination and be met by one of your personnel. Flights on Ethiopian
Airlines were very good, no problems and enjoyable.
I had a great time in Ethiopia!! Told my wife she should have come, she
would have enjoyed the tour. Thank you again, for making my visit to Ethiopia so enjoyable.
David David Barrie,
Washington DC, USA.
Places Visited Jan 28, to Feb 07, 2013:
Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Gonder, Axum, Lalibela
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Paul Infield writes:
It was an extraordinary experience: stimulating, enthralling, and, in parts, troubling. The images it left
us with will remain with us for many years to come.
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Dear Eskinder,
How very good to hear from you.
We got back home safely, though it was a long flight and the journey
through Addis Ababa airport was long, tedious and frustrating.
I have written a review of the trip on the Responsible Travel web-site and
also on Trip Advisor -- both very positive. You certainly deserve to do so. Catharine and I had a fantastic
time in Ethiopia and we can't thank you enough for all you did for us. We will rememeber it for a very
long time.
It's difficult to pick out a highlight from such a trip. The stone
churches at Lalibela and the stellae at Axum were extraordinary, but the most memorable bits for me were seeing
and meeting the Konso, Hamar and Mursi tribes in the south. Read the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Paul Infield,
London,
England.
Places Visited Feb 7 - 23, 2013:
Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Gonder, Axum, Lalibela, Lower Omo Valley tribes, Rift Valley Lakes.
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Vincent Buxton writes:
Unforgettable. No TV documentary, reading or other external source of information can replace personal
experience and contact. We wanted to see the real Ethiopia and thanks to Eskinder and his team at Highway
Tours, feel that our lives have been enhanced.
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Impossible to pinpoint any one individual part; the whole experience was
memorable. History, culture, scenery, meeting the people - deliberately or accidentally - were highlights and
if one person has to be named then it must be Eskinder, the master mind behind the whole operation.
Go with an open mind; don't expect French cuisine, German motorways, North
American customer service or British Health and Safety standards. Ethiopia is rich in rewards but a
desperately poor country at the same time.
It is in need of external investment to improve things for its peoples and
tourism is one way to help this. Strongly recommend the Bradt Travel Guide to Ethiopia - the best guide book we
have ever used. Read the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Vincent Buxton,
Brussels,
Belgium.
Places Visited Jan 11 - 28, 2013:
Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Gonder, Axum, Lalibela, Lower Omo Valley tribes, Rift Valley Lakes.
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Micheal Dower writes:
Just relax and enjoy, everything is well taken care of by Highway Tours.
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100 per cent.Very well organised by Eskinder in Highway Tours, who went
above and beyond to ensure that everything ran smoothly - not an easy task as there was eight of us, but
Eskinder and staff managed with great ease. A pleasure to travel with this company. We'll be back.
Read the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Micheal Dower,
Dublin,
Ireland.
Places Visited Jan 14 - 25, 2013:
Addis Ababa, Gonder, Mequat, Atrow, Wajela trekking sites, Lalibela, Debrezeit crater
lakes.
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Wei Liu writes:
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All very exciting: churches on Lake Tana & in Lalibela, the castle of
Gondar, stelae in Axum + visiting the Karo, Dorze, Mursi tribes and witnessing the bull-jumping ceremony of the
Hamer people.
Read the independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Wei Liu,
London,
England.
Places Visited Dec 31- Jan 15, 2013:
Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Gonder, Axum, Simien Mountains, Lower Omo Valley tribes, Rift Valley Lakes.
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Bettina Walsh writes:
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The Ethiopians themselves are the most memorable part of our holiday. They
are genuinely kind people, passionate, proud
of their heritage and country and fun-loving!
Eskinder, who owns and manages the travel company is an inspiration and
his level of personal service is unbeatable.
We had fantastic local guides, but special mention goes to a young
gentleman called Rafael who was our guide from Axum to Gheralta region -- his enthusiasm was infectious, his
knowledge was impressive, his English was v good.
Credit also goes to Sama from Gonder who showed us the non-touristy
attractions of Gondar and gave us memorable moments in the Simien Mountains. Read the
independentreview at ResponsibleTravel.com
Bettina and John Walsh,
London,
England.
Places Visited Nov 25 - Dec 8, 2012:
Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Gonder, Axum, Simien Mountains, Lalibela, Debrezeit.
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