Ethiopian Coffee Tours | 10 Days/ 9 Nights

Senait Ethiopia Tours

TOUR CODE: SET019

TOUR TYPE: NATURE

DURATION: 10 DAYS/ 9 NIGHTS

MEANS OF TRANSPORT: DRIVE

PROGRAM

TRIP OVERVIEW

Ethiopia, the original home of the coffee plant, coffee Arabica, which still grows wild in the forest of the highlands. While nobody is sure exactly how coffee was originally discovered as a beverage, it is believed that its cultivation and use began as early as the 9th century. Some authorities claim that it was cultivated in the Yemen earlier, around AD 575. The only thing that seems certain is that it originated in Ethiopia, from where it traveled to the Yemen about 600 years ago, and from Arabia it began its journey around the world.

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    Day 1: Arrival and Addis Ababa City Tour
    Arrival at bole International airport and transfer to hotel. After some rest start to visit Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is rich in natural features, thanks to its highland location which makes it unique in Africa. But it can also proudly look back to more than 3000 years of history. The country has been for 2000 years, until 1974, an empire whose emperors have always claimed descent from the very King Solomon. In the morning visit a coffee processor and exporter.
    In a small tour around the facilities you will be informed about the speciality Ethiopia has to offer. Of course there is also a cup of one of the best coffees in the city. Taste yourself.Then you explore the sights of the capital. First, you visit the National Museum, which houses the oldest human bones known as 'Lucy'. Nearby you will see the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. It is the largest Orthodox Church building in Ethiopia and has survived many historical periods, as you can see from the impressive architecture. The Cathedral contains the thrones and the tombs of the emperor and some members of the imperial family. After lunch, drive up to the Entoto Mountains, from where you can enjoy a wonderful view over the city. You also visit the Ethnological Museum, which is housed in the former palace of the last emperor Haile Selassie, a part of today's Addis Ababa University. There you can get information about Ethiopian peoples, cultures and traditions and you can see original ancient crosses and paintings. Don’t forget to visit the former bedroom and living rooms of the emperor. Later visit the St. George Cathedral, built in 1896 by emperor Menelik II in the old Italian neighborhood Piazza.

    Day2: Addis – Weliso
    Journey towards the western coffee region of Kaffa. Visit Mt Menagesha, 3,400 m, an extinct volcano, which hosts the Menagesha State Forest, one of the oldest reforestation projects in the country. Here you take a short walk through the special flora. Later, you pass through the city of Addis Alem, where Emperor Menelik II wanted to build the new capital because of wood shortages in Addis Ababa .But as fast-growing eucalyptus was imported from Australia Addis Alem lost its importance again. Visit there the Mariyam church.
    On the heavenly Mt Wenchi, another extinct volcano further south, take a hike through the beautiful nature, see the hot springs, and visit the monastery island that lies in the crater lake by boat. Overnight in a beautiful lodge in Weliso, surrounded by breathtaking nature, populated by diverse species of birds. Relaxation is offered here by the thermal springs.

    Day 3: Weliso- Bonga
    The trip continues through changing landscapes. Jimma, largest and most important city in western Ethiopia, welcomes you with a monumental coffee pot at the roundabout. This is the Kaffa region, area of origin of the coffee, and it is still the region in which one of the best and most popular coffees is harvested. Italy has left some fascist buildings during the 5-year occupation by Mussolini. Visit to the Coffee Research Center in Jimma Melko - here's something to learn about the genetic diversity of coffee plants, farming methods and protection against pests. After lunch drive to Bonga, the former capital of the kingdom of Kaffa, one of the last Oromo kingdoms which was incorporated into the Ethiopian empire. In this region there are the last large contiguous original cloud forests of the country.

    Day 4: Bonga and surroundings
    After a short ride and a half an hour walk you reach the place where the original coffee plant, from which all other coffee plants derive, can be found. This is the real birthplace of coffee. Legend has it that a young goatherd named Kaldi watched his goats became hyperactive after they ate beans from a bush. Soon had the news spread about the godly effect of the plant, the monks could pray longer without tiring.

    The slave-trade route to the east spread the popularity of the coffee from the Kaffa region to Harar, from there to Arabia and further into the world. In the region besides coffee plantations half-wild coffee plants can be found which are harvested and sold by local people. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the beautiful natural surroundings of Bonga and return to hotel.

    Day 5: Bonga Mizan Teferi
    Drive to Mizan Teferi. On the way have a short hike in the beautiful surroundings of Bonga and visit the Wushwush tea plantation.

    Day 6: Mizan Teferi/Bebeka coffee plantation
    Drive Mizan Teferi- Bebeka coffee plantation. After a short drive you reach the biggest and oldest plantation of Ethiopia. Have a guided tour through the coffee plantation and facilities and stay overnight in the coffee plantation’s beautiful guesthouse. Back to mizan.

    Day 7: Mizan Teferi -Jimma
    Morning coffee tour around Bonga on the way to Jimma. Afternoon Outside the city is the former palace of the Kaffa king Abba Jiffar II who died 1933. Here you can see some items such as the royal throne.

    Day 8: Jimma-Awassa
    Today a long trip to visit the other best coffee plantation area of the Yirgachefee in the next day. So pass though Sodo and drive at Awassa.

    Day 9: Awassa - Yirga Cheffe- Yirga Alem
    Morning drive to Yirgachefe, where one of the most popular coffees in the world is harvested. On the journey south along the main road leading up to Kenya, you will always see coffee plantations. One of the centers for the cultivation and processing of good coffee is Yirga Cheffe. In the area, several coffee cooperatives with lovely plantations can be seen. Not far away, the ancient grave stelae of Tutu Fela can be seen near the small town of Dilla, testimonies of regional death cult of past millennia. In the late afternoon you reach the beautiful Aregash Lodge. Far from the village it lies undisturbed in the green countryside, surrounded by coffee plants, forests and wilderness. An ideal place to relax and to let fade away your day.

    Day10: Yirga Alem- Addis Ababa
    In the morning visits the bustling fish market. Then start the return trip to the capital Addis Ababa. For lunch you have a short break in the small town of Debre Zeit. The city is situated around several small crater lakes and a popular day trip destination for city dwellers from Addis Ababa.
    In the late afternoon you reach Addis Ababa. Of course, you have the possibility of going to a few markets to buy souvenirs, to take a rest or to have more visits in Addis. In the evening invitation to a farewell dinner with presentation of traditional dances and music and it will be end of the trip.

  • DAY 1: Arrival and Addis Ababa City Tour

    Arrival at bole International airport and transfer to hotel. After some rest start to visit Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is rich in natural features, thanks to its highland location which makes it unique in Africa. But it can also proudly look back to more than 3000 years of history. The country has been for 2000 years, until 1974, an empire whose emperors have always claimed descent from the very King Solomon. In the morning visit a coffee processor and exporter. 

     

    In a small tour around the facilities you will be informed about the speciality Ethiopia has to offer. Of course there is also a cup of one of the best coffees in the city. Taste yourself.Then you explore the sights of the capital. First, you visit the National Museum, which houses the oldest human bones known as 'Lucy'. Nearby you will see the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. It is the largest Orthodox Church building in Ethiopia and has survived many historical periods, as you can see from the impressive architecture. The Cathedral contains the thrones and the tombs of the emperor and some members of the imperial family. After lunch, drive up to the Entoto Mountains, from where you can enjoy a wonderful view over the city. You also visit the Ethnological Museum, which is housed in the former palace of the last emperor Haile Selassie, a part of today's Addis Ababa University. There you can get information about Ethiopian peoples, cultures and traditions and you can see original ancient crosses and paintings. Don’t forget to visit the former bedroom and living rooms of the emperor. Later visit the St. George Cathedral, built in 1896 by emperor Menelik II in the old Italian neighborhood Piazza.

  • DAY 2: Weliso

    Journey towards the western coffee region of Kaffa. Visit Mt Menagesha, 3,400 m, an extinct volcano, which hosts the Menagesha State Forest, one of the oldest reforestation projects in the country. Here you take a short walk through the special flora. Later, you pass through the city of Addis Alem, where Emperor Menelik II wanted to build the new capital because of wood shortages in Addis Ababa .But as fast-growing eucalyptus was imported from Australia Addis Alem lost its importance again. Visit there the Mariyam church.

    On the heavenly Mt Wenchi, another extinct volcano further south, take a hike through the beautiful nature, see the hot springs, and visit the monastery island that lies in the crater lake by boat. Overnight in a beautiful lodge in Weliso, surrounded by breathtaking nature, populated by diverse species of birds. Relaxation is offered here by the thermal springs.

  • DAY 3: Weliso- Bonga

    The trip continues through changing landscapes. Jimma, largest and most important city in western Ethiopia, welcomes you with a monumental coffee pot at the roundabout. This is the Kaffa region, area of origin of the coffee, and it is still the region in which one of the best and most popular coffees is harvested. Italy has left some fascist buildings during the 5-year occupation by Mussolini. Visit to the Coffee Research Center in Jimma Melko - here's something to learn about the genetic diversity of coffee plants, farming methods and protection against pests. After lunch drive to Bonga, the former capital of the kingdom of Kaffa, one of the last Oromo kingdoms which was incorporated into the Ethiopian empire. In this region there are the last large contiguous original cloud forests of the country.

  • DAY 4: Bonga and surroundings

    After a short ride and a half an hour walk you reach the place where the original coffee plant, from which all other coffee plants derive, can be found. This is the real birthplace of coffee. Legend has it that a young goatherd named Kaldi watched his goats became hyperactive after they ate beans from a bush. Soon had the news spread about the godly effect of the plant, the monks could pray longer without tiring. 

     

    The slave-trade route to the east spread the popularity of the coffee from the Kaffa region to Harar, from there to Arabia and further into the world. In the region besides coffee plantations half-wild coffee plants can be found which are harvested and sold by local people. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the beautiful natural surroundings of Bonga and return to hotel.

     

  • DAY 5: Bonga Mizan Teferi

    Drive to Mizan Teferi. On the way have a short hike in the beautiful surroundings of Bonga and visit the Wushwush tea plantation.

  • DAY 6: Mizan Teferi/Bebeka coffee plantation

    Drive Mizan Teferi- Bebeka coffee plantation. After a short drive you reach the biggest and oldest plantation of Ethiopia. Have a guided tour through the coffee plantation and facilities and stay overnight in the coffee plantation’s beautiful guesthouse.  Back to mizan.

  • DAY 7: Mizan Teferi -Jimma

    Morning coffee tour around Bonga on the way to Jimma. Afternoon Outside the city is the former palace of the  Kaffa king Abba Jiffar II who died 1933. Here you can see some items such as the royal throne overnight Jimma.

  • DAY 8: Jimma-Awassa

    Today a long trip to visit the other best coffee plantation area of the Yirgachefee in the next day. So pass though Sodo and drive at Awassa.

  • DAY 9: Awassa - Yirga Cheffe- Yirga Alem

    Morning drive to Yirgachefe, where one of the most popular coffees in the world is harvested. On the journey south along the main road leading up to Kenya, you will always see coffee plantations. One of the centers for the cultivation and processing of good coffee is Yirga Cheffe. In the area, several coffee cooperatives with lovely plantations can be seen. Not far away, the ancient grave stelae of Tutu Fela can be seen near the small town of Dilla, testimonies of regional death cult of past millennia. In the  late afternoon you reach the beautiful Aregash Lodge. Far from the village it lies undisturbed in the green countryside, surrounded by coffee plants, forests and wilderness. An ideal place to relax and to let fade away your day.

  • DAY 10 : Yirga Alem- Addis Ababa

    In the morning visits the bustling fish market. Then start the return trip to the capital Addis Ababa. For lunch you have a short break in the small town of Debre Zeit. The city is situated around several small crater lakes and a popular day trip destination for city dwellers from Addis Ababa.

    In the late afternoon you reach Addis Ababa. Of course, you have the possibility of going to a few markets to buy souvenirs, to take a rest or to have more visits in Addis.

    In the evening invitation to a farewell dinner with presentation of traditional dances and music and it will be end of the trip.

simply send us an email and we’ll plan it for you !

CONTACT WITH US

+251 116 294039

info@senaitethiopia.com