Martin writes:
Firstly, your book on Ethiopia was invaluable while planning our trip (which was awesome by the way!) – thanks very much.
I would like to make a recommendation for the local guide who accompanied us around The Northern Circuit plus Harar and the Agency who made the tour materialise.
We were much impressed by our local guide, Mr Ashenafi Kassa of Overland Ethiopia who led us round his amazing country with great humour, passion and limitless energy. I strongly recommend him and would choose to work only with him for any future trips. Ashu used his expertise to help us achieve what we wanted to achieve while in Ethiopia – and at a very punishing pace as time was limited for us. Not once did his professionalism falter.
Ashu’s contact details are:
tel: 00251 920 296535
The travel agency, Overland Ethiopia, executed all the practical arrangements for our trip – and with complete success. Haileab is proactive, thoughtful and an expert on everything Ethiopia. On more than one occasion I have been grateful for his thinking outside the box and applying his knowledge to the improvement of the tour. Emails are answered promptly and queries responded to. I would also only choose to work with Haileab and Overland Ethiopia for future trips to Ethiopia.
You can contact Haileab at:
Bradt Ethiopia Travel News 
Bradt calls Ethiopia as “the most idiosyncratic country on the continent”. I would add, “and maybe the whole world.” If you know you are going to Africa but you’ll only have time for one country, Ethiopia is the country I recommend that you see, and my friend HaileAB’s Overland Ethiopia in Addis Ababa is the tour company I recommend that you choose.
Last April (2016), my wife and I took a walkabout in the Ethiopian highlands, ably looked after my our trusted tour guide, Mr. HaileAB of Overland Ethiopia. This adventure, a combination of work and pleasure, was definitely one of my life’s peak experiences. HaileAB organized a skilled crew of drivers and guides all over the northern half of this amazing country, working with multiple iterations of the itinerary long before we got there, and adapting it in real time on the ground. Considering the logistical challenge of this feat, I think we got great value for our money. From Addis, we traced a great loop: Bahir Dar/Lake Tana/the Blue Nile – Gonder – Axum – incredible Lalibela – return to Addis.
Honorable mention: Tefera and Masala in Bahir Dar; Rufael and Fish in Axum, Thaddeus and Mariam aka Mario plus Gate in Lalibela.
Mostly we went by air on Ethiopian Air’s excellent and highly cost-effective service for whihc you get a substantial discount if you use the same airline to get to Ethiopia). But we also trekked several hundred km by road, by foot, even boat. Hiking to the source of the Blue Nile across volcanic soil was an absolutely primeval experience. So was “meeting Lucy” in the National Museum in Addis. HaileAB found us the best rooms in every city we saw. His face was the first one we saw arriving in-country, and the last leaving for our flight home. For the entire two weeks in between, I felt we were in good completely secure hands. On top of all that, he is a great guy to drink with, share a meal with, drive around with, and just generally hang out with.
So, go see this unique land, and use this great tour company. You will remember it for the rest of your life.
Robert in Tennessee
PS. Do take the trouble to learn some Amharic before you go. Even a little goes a very long way. Your effort will be rewarded with opened hearts and bright smiles from some of the handsomest people on the planet.
PPS. Also the modern Ethio-jazz can be habit forming. You’ve been warned.
YAPS. Don’t forget to get an “African massage”. Well, actually, you won’t have to remember this item, if you travel any distance by road, you’ll be sure to get a good one.