Follow the footsteps of kings

BEGA TOUR OPERATION is proud to to promote and support sustainable resource management through community-participative Eco-Tourism at Ankober.

The area of Ankober is found some 160 km north of Addis and divides the Nile and Awash River Basins. To the east of the town of Debre Birhan, 40 km gravel road takes you to Ankober. It has all agro-ecological zones attributing to biodiversity and a spectacular landscape with interlocked plateau, mountains, gorges and perennial rivers. It is also the centre of early settlement, cultivation and civilization. Ankober served as the capital city of Ethiopian Empire, and it was seat for ethiopian kings since Amede Tsion from the 13th century to Emperor Menelik II of the 19th century, which has left many man-made archeological sites.

The area has natural, cultural and historical values beside its closeness to the capital city Addis Ababa. Places of interest includes remains of early civilization and settlement, old churches, monasteries, traditional farming practices, cultural ceremonies, local's unique dressing, hair styles and traditional alcoholic beverage brewing practices. Ankober is an ideal destination for weekend getaways and for those who would like to recap their trip in Ethiopia at the end.

Haven't yet decided which destination to take your next Eco Holiday in? Then Bega will be pleased to take you closer to the unique natural, social, cultural and traditional values of one of the few community participative tourism site of Ankober - Tarmaber area.

Ankober-Tarmaber trekking project is one of our projects. Trekking trip in the Ankober-Tarmaber area is our new offer and unique in the country. These trekking routes pass through the center of the two basins, Nile and Awash basin. Bega Tour Operation has made a detail inspection and study of the sites to develop the new tourism product in collaboration with the community, concerned institutions and Addis Ababa University.

Range of trekking trip, options up to four days, can be arranged in marked camping grounds and Ankober Palace Lodge; with all the necessary trekking facilities arranged by the community service providers.

BEGA TOUR OPERATION - has a mission to promote and support sustainable resource management through community participative eco-tourism.

"They hadn't much faith in travel, nor a great belief in a change of scene as a panacea for spiritual ills; they were simply glad to be going."

Ethiopia has suitable temperature for any living things; quality forest coffee and natural honey are among those in real wilderness. Hence honey harvesting and forest coffee picking is possible in the wild jungle and in collaboration with the Coffee farmers in the coffee growing areas of forest and as a great experience.

Bega Tour offers you the unique opportunity of walking through forest coffee; where you will learn about cultivation, harvesting and processing of the world's finest coffee. More experience on how coffee cherries are picked by hand and participating on the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony with the locals. Both natural honey and coffee collected will be taken back home by the tourist.

BEGA TOUR OPERATION have 15 years of experience with trekking in the Semien Mountains under our belts. Our locally based Tour Manager lives in the area, and after years of experience traveling, and having maintained an exceptionally high standard of quality, knowledge and expertise in the region, Bega Tour is proud to be able to give our custiomers the best possible products in the area.

The Semien Mountains National Park consists of 220 square kilometers of highland, cliffs and gorges. This makes first hand knowledge of all the paths, trails and climbing routes a hard earned currency, both for the traveller and for Bega Tour.

BEGA TOUR OPERATION has twelve pre-planned trekking initiaries in The Semien National Park, but they can all be tailored on customers requests. Bega Tour is the only tour operator with initiary with up to thirty days of trekking in the Semien Mountains National Park.