Journal
Field notes from twenty-five years on the road.
Meeting the Mursi, respectfully
How to visit the Omo Valley in a way that's fair, honest and doesn't reduce anyone to a photograph.
Trekking the Simien: a first-timer's guide
Fitness expectations, altitude, kit list and where to see gelada baboons up close.
Lalibela at dawn: why the second morning matters
Why we always book two nights in Lalibela, and what happens at Bet Giyorgis before the first tour bus arrives.
Coffee ceremony, explained
It's not a drink — it's a two-hour ritual. A guide to sitting through your first Ethiopian coffee ceremony without embarrassment.
What to expect at Timkat, Ethiopian Epiphany
Three days of chanting, procession and mass baptism in Gondar — the largest religious festival on the Ethiopian calendar.
The best time of year to visit Ethiopia
Ethiopia enjoys thirteen months of sunshine — but the highlands, deserts and lowlands run on very different calendars. Here's how to choose yours.
The best time of year to visit Ethiopia
Ethiopia enjoys thirteen months of sunshine — but the highlands, deserts and lowlands run on very different calendars. Here's how to choose yours.
What to expect at Timkat, Ethiopian Epiphany
Three days of chanting, procession and mass baptism in Gondar — the largest religious festival on the Ethiopian calendar.
Coffee ceremony, explained
It's not a drink — it's a two-hour ritual. A guide to sitting through your first Ethiopian coffee ceremony without embarrassment.
Lalibela at dawn: why the second morning matters
Why we always book two nights in Lalibela, and what happens at Bet Giyorgis before the first tour bus arrives.
Trekking the Simien: a first-timer's guide
Fitness expectations, altitude, kit list and where to see gelada baboons up close.
Meeting the Mursi, respectfully
How to visit the Omo Valley in a way that's fair, honest and doesn't reduce anyone to a photograph.