Cycling in Ethiopia's Southern Mountains

This 12-day guided MTB and e-bike tour explores Southern Ethiopia, starting in Addis Ababa and heading west into the volcanic Wenchi Crater and the green Gurage highlands, where riders visit local village homes. A fast descent from 3,350m to 2,050m drops the group into the Great Rift Valley.

The route continues through Sidama's coffee-growing enset plantations to the Bale Mountains National Park, crossing the Sanetti Plateau above 4,000m in search of the Ethiopian wolf and other wildlife, with the option to climb Tullu Dimtu (4,377m).

The tour finishes with time to relax on the lakes at Hawassa and Langano before returning to Addis Ababa. A support vehicle runs throughout, so riders can shorten or skip sections as needed.

Highlights:

• Ride the volcanic Wenchi Crater rim, with optional visit to nearby hot springs
• Explore the green Gurage highlands and visit local village homes
• Descend from the highlands into the Great Rift Valley
• Cross the Sanetti Plateau in Bale Mountains National Park (4,000m+), home to the Ethiopian wolf
• Ride through Sidama's coffee-growing enset plantations
• Relax by the lakes at Hawassa and Langano

Surface and terrain:

Mix of sealed roads, dirt roads and singletrack across highland and Rift Valley terrain. Significant daily climbing/descending, including a 2,000m+ descent from Sanetti Plateau. Difficulty varies by day (easy to difficult). Support vehicle available throughout.

Likely weather:

Altitude ranges from Rift Valley lowlands to over 4,000m on the Sanetti Plateau, so conditions will vary from cool highland mornings to warmer valley days.

Suitable for:

Riders comfortable with high-altitude cycling and mixed terrain (sealed, dirt, singletrack), with daily climbs/descents up to 1,000m+. Support vehicle adds flexibility for less experienced riders; e-bike hire available.