Discovering Hidden Gems Deep South - Ethiopia

I have read and heard stories about how lush the Southern part of Ethiopia is. However, I was not ready for the experience of a lifetime as I embarked on an overland southern tour of the regions that we cannot read about online. I had previously traveled to the south, visiting Hawassa, Ambo, Sodo, Wonchi, and Afar. However, this journey was an adventure to the borders of Somalia, Kenya, and Sudan in southern Ethiopia. This tour was not just a one-time exploration of Southern Ethiopia, but occurred over multiple trips, as traveling overland in the untouched Southern Regions bordering different countries is not for the faint-hearted. I had included this as part of my business plan for Deldeyoch to find projects that would allow me to travel, work, explore, break bread, research, and seek potential markets. To explore and discover the hidden gems of Southern Ethiopia, I used 4WDs, public transportation, trekked, walked, hitched rides on motorcycles and trucks, and was part of a wildlife association and preservation effort.

Manifesting my vision of traveling solo to remote parts of Ethiopia was part of my business plan research for Deldeyoch. I felt like an explorer, free and in awe of Ethiopia's potential. To head to Southern Ethiopia, there are various routes: via Nazereth (SE), Mojo (S), Jinka (S), Welliso (SW), or Ambo (SW).

Venturing deeper south from all these locations from Addis is where it all starts! It is home to endemic forests, epic nature, thousands of bird species, acacia Rift Valley trees, and vast plantations of coffee, grains, crops, tea, sugar cane, chat, and a variety of fruits such as mango, banana, pineapple, and papaya, as well as vegetables, seeds, beans, and so much more that 80% of Ethiopia's farmers produce for 120 million people. This overwhelms one's grasp of Ethiopia’s potential. Crossing rivers and streams from the highlands and seeing the topography change every hour made me think how perfect the cinematography would be for the African Discovery Channel, or even my own show that I have been asked to do several times. However, my purpose has always been personal research to know and serve. There are pioneers, creators, researchers, data hubs, and those who use your research and findings to improve, destroy, or steal for their lives, and improve their lives, share with others, or use it against you, but life is really all interconnected.

My purpose has been the joy of feeling alive, on the ground, doing the work, exploring, discovering, and being part of nature, connecting, and making sure the youth in Ethiopia can understand the profound land we Africans have inherited. I started Deldeyoch in 2010 as a bridge from our ancestor's past to the 21st century in bringing Ethiopia from Aid to Trade. I chose to create and pitch projects that I thought would provide insights, awareness, and visibility to startups, MSMEs, and the youth to get information, capacity, digital marketing, legal know-how, innovation, access to technology, inner awakening, and bring about an inclusive economy. I was excited to go to places like Sof Omar, Jijiga, Bale, Hamer, Omorate, Mizan Teferi, Gambella, and Teppi. I pitched projects for international organizations, private sectors, as well as associations, and private sector leadership training. It was a win-win situation for me—traveling to explore, volunteering with the youth, as well as understanding how to regionally assist the youth to have capacity and access.

I usually plan excursions for a few weeks, to see how I could explore what the South had to offer for potential entrepreneurs, even during the rainy season. I was up for a little adventure on the famous muddy road leading to Bonga and Mizan Teferi. My surprise was my extended travel to Tepi, Gambella, and the Wush Wush tea plantation, which surprised the locals as much as it surprised me.

It was a pleasant surprise to discover how diverse the landscape, people, and traditions were as one heads further south. From the Kafficho to the Bencha, Oromifa, Sidamo, and other ethnic groups from all over Southern Ethiopia, they all treated me with warmth, curiosity, hospitality, and immense helpfulness. From a midnight chat with a coffee estate farmer/owner from New York; to an ambitious female daycare owner in Bonga; a high school teacher in Kibish; the agricultural expert from Jimma; an ex-bodyguard (Kebur Zebegna) of the Emperor who we hired to rent his 4WD to visit the coffee estate in Gambella and who offered his hotel room in Tepi when the entire town didn’t have a room to rent; the amazing managers of Tepi Coffee Plantation who hiked with me around the plantation where I discovered a crater lake surrounded by lush vegetation, with trees surrounding the lake and no access for cars.

As I hiked, trekked and discovered Wush Wush tea plantation that opened its doors to me, as I argued based on my backpacking skills as an Ethiopian woman going on an adventure to see her country. I am deeply grateful for the security head of the tea plantation from Tigray who, fearing for my safety, gave me a ride on his motorcycle back to town as it was past 5 PM. As all my life travels within & outside, I trust Gods timing, as life is an adventure, feeling alive, and loving my inner instinct to guide me in life. Innocence, naivety, and flowing with life, as I learnt to be sharp, alert, and aware of life has helped me navigate the south. So in Kaffa, meeting the Bonga residents who gave me a ride in their truck in the middle of nowhere; and all the chefs and restaurants en route that complied with my vegan diet, as well as random strangers who shared their experiences, laughter, stories, and challenges with a complete stranger. I am very blessed in all my journey, reinforcing my sentiment that Ethiopia is more than Addis or just the touristic destinations, and I pray I am privileged to pay it forward, as I share this with my readers. 

Hopefully, one of you who has read this will be enticed to venture into the path less taken. So, as a curious and conscious traveler, listen to what your intuition tells you. Set yourself free from bias and prejudice. Be open to the adventure and simplicity of those you cross paths with. Allow your imagination to flourish. Be kind and not necessarily nice. Challenge your notions of the status quo, and above all, relax and enjoy the moment as it is. You will be surprised by who and what you discover.

By Dutchess @Deldeyoch