Sample journey · ቡና
Where Coffee Began
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Highest point
- 2,355 m
- Season
- October to January (harvest)
- Group
- Private · 2 to 6 guests
- Price
- On request, per person
01 · The journey
Wild coffee in the Kaffa forest, then the washing stations of Sidama and Gedeo at harvest. A trip for people who care what is in the cup.
This is a starting shape, not a fixed tour: every trip is private and we change the order, the pace and the stays to suit you. Two flights, one long drive.
02 · Day by day
10 days, 3 flights
- Day 12,355 m
Addis Ababa
Arrive. In the evening, a coffee ceremony at home with a family we know: all three cups.
- Day 21,710 m
Fly to Jimma, drive to Bonga
A short flight west, then about three hours by road into the Kaffa highlands.
- Day 31,710 m
The Kaffa forest
Walk with a local forest guide among wild Arabica growing under the old forest canopy, and hear how families harvest it.
- Day 41,780 m
Bonga to Jimma
Back to Jimma by road. The Abba Jifar palace and the coffee traders of the town.
- Day 51,640 m
Fly to Addis, drive the A7 to Batu
Fly back to Addis at midday, then south on the expressway and the A7 to Lake Ziway at Batu.
- Day 61,708 m
Batu to Hawassa
Down the A7 through the Rift. The Hawassa fish market at dawn, and the lake shore in the evening.
- Day 71,900–2,100 m
Sidama washing stations
Out to a washing station in the Sidama highlands during the harvest: cherry delivery, pulping, fermentation tanks and raised drying beds.
- Day 81,900 m
Gedeo and Yirgacheffe
South on the main road to Yirgacheffe. A cooperative visit and a walk through enset and coffee gardens.
- Day 91,708 m
Back to Hawassa
A slow day: cupping with a local exporter, Wondo Genet's hot springs, or simply the lake.
- Day 102,355 m
Fly to Addis, depart
Morning flight from Hawassa to Addis for international connections.
03 · The route
On the map
Dotted lines are flights; solid lines are drives. Every stop is outside the zones where the UK Foreign Office advises against travel, and the site's build refuses any journey that isn't.
04 · Dates
Choose your own dates, or plan around a feast
Best season: October to January (harvest). These are the next feasts and fasts in the Ethiopian calendar.
| Feast | Gregorian | Ethiopian | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genna (Christmas) ገና | 7 January 2027 | Tahsas 29, 2019 | Ethiopian Christmas, 7 January. An all-night liturgy, then the fast is broken. |
| Timkat (Epiphany) ጥምቀት | 19 January 2027 | Tir 11, 2019 | Tir 11. The tabots are carried to water on the eve (Ketera); blessings and processions the next morning. |
| Abiy Tsom (Lent) ዐቢይ ጾም | 8 March 2027 – 1 May 2027 | Yekatit 29, 2019 | The 55-day Lenten fast before Fasika. Most Orthodox Ethiopians eat vegan food until afternoon; menus follow. |
| Eid al-Fitr ዒድ አል ፈጥር | 9 March 2027 (approx.) | Yekatit 30, 2019 | The end of Ramadan, a major day in Harar and Dire Dawa. Tabular date shown: the real day follows the moon. |
| Fasika (Easter) ፋሲካ | 2 May 2027 | Miyazya 24, 2019 | Orthodox Easter ends the 55-day Lenten fast. Expect closures on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. |
| Enkutatash (New Year) እንቁጣጣሽ | 12 September 2027 | Meskerem 1, 2020 | New Year, Meskerem 1. Families gather, girls sing door to door with adey daisies. |
| Meskel መስቀል | 28 September 2027 | Meskerem 17, 2020 | The Finding of the True Cross, Meskerem 17. The demera bonfire is lit in Meskel Square, Addis, on the eve. |
Before you write
Before you book
Can we change the route?
Yes. Add nights, drop a stop, or join two journeys. We only add places that are outside the advised-against zones on the day we quote.
What happens if the advice changes before we go?
We re-check the FCDO and US advice before we confirm and again before you travel. If a place on your route moves into an advised-against zone, we change the route or postpone, and our booking terms say how deposits are handled. Ask for them before you book.
Where do we stay?
In the best rooms each place offers, which outside Addis is often simple. Our stays page explains the standard honestly.
Next journey
The Deep South