Africa has, to some, a reputation as a dangerous place. Ethiopia gets similarly tarnished. Selective media reporting and historical legacies result in irrational decision-making when it comes to choosing where to go on holiday. These are misplaced.
Millions of people each year have safe, memorable and wonderful trips to Africa. A vanishingly small number of trips ever see any problems, and any problems that do arise can often be easily avoided.
At Trails of Ethiopia Tours, we want to ensure you have a safe trip, which means booking guides, cars, and local operators that we trust, and designing itineraries we know we can perfect.
Reputation vs. Reality
Tourists often worry about bugs, beasties and terrorism. The reality is that you’re far more likely to get injured in your car en-route to the airport in your home country than suffer serious injury from any of these problems in Ethiopia.
The blanket coverage given by the media and government travel advisories often misrepresent the reality on the ground. Whilst we always recommend getting advice, we also recommend putting this advice in perspective. By way of example, London or Paris would probably be off limits due to terrorist activity at the time of writing if they were in Africa, and weren’t so popular!
The Biggest Baddie – Roads
Spending too much time on the roads is probably the most dangerous thing you can do when travelling. Where possible, reduce the number of miles you cover by by road. If you do have to travel by road, ask your driver to go slow for you and travel during daylight, where possible.
Flights and trains, whilst perhaps more expensive, are usually many times safer than transport by road. Do ask us to ensure we book itineraries that you’re comfortable with.
Common Sense
Know your dangers, trust your instincts and use your common sense. Any good travel guide will help educate you on these – which are sensible, and which are misplaced.
A wise traveller who asks people for advice and listens to localised information will dramatically reduce the (already slim) chance of issues cropping up on their tour.
Things to actually worry about
- Sunburn
- Heat exhaustion
- Any pre-existing medical issues
Why media is so negative
Whether you will have enough battery to take enough amazing photos (trust us, there’s a LOT to capture)