This is a truly phenomenal cycling holiday. The province of Tigray in Ethiopia is a wonderful place to cycle – safe, extremely well maintained roads, scenery the likes of... read more which I have never seen before, challenging climbs and breath taking descents, delicious food, hugely friendly people and a support team who go the extra mile at EVERY opportunity to ensure that you have an amazing trip.

From the moment I first spoke to Richard Nerurkar on the phone about organising a trip it was clear that this was a serious operation run by people who are not only passionate about cycling but also have a deep understanding of Ethiopia itself. Virtually all of the support team are not only ex-top level cyclists but also incredibly welcoming, friendly people whose sole focus is on the enjoyment of the cyclists.

I had always wanted to visit Ethiopia as the cradle of civilisation, and the fascinating history (much of which you are able to experience first hand on the rest days) would make for a really interesting trip even if there was no cycling involved. I felt 100% safe at every turn and was struck by the openness and welcoming nature of everyone we met.

The cycling will take your breath away (literally and metaphorically . . . ). I opted for a 6 day solo cycling tour with 3 rest days. From a difficulty perspective first two days were easier than the rest, with some challenging climbs but relatively short overall distances. In terms of natural beauty and the climbs and descents, Day 3 (Adigrat to Axum) is the most amazing day’s cycling I have ever experienced. Cycling at over 3,000m, descending through stunning hairpins, snaking round the Adwa mountains are all memories I hope to take with me for the rest of my days. The other days were wonderful too, but this was an undoubted highlight. There are hardly any cars on the roads (although there are more animals than in Europe!) and the difference between any kind of cycling in Europe and this was incredibly stark. It is hard to conceive of a better place to both get away from it all and experience cycling which is off the charts in terms of quality.

The rest days are really well thought through too. One was spent in Axum, an ancient capital of Ethiopia with monuments and ruins dating back to the 3rd & 4th centuries, which are incredibly interesting. The second was spent climbing to Abuna Yemata Guh, a 5th century church known as “the world’s most inaccessible church”. It is utterly breathtaking. The final day was spent in Addis Ababa with a guide (who used to be Richard’s Ethiopian language teacher) and who was a fount of knowledge on both Addis specifically and Ethiopian politics and history in general.

The support crew are outstanding. Kale, Sammy, Binyam and Mule had my best interests at heart throughout and focused on providing both an incredibly enjoyable experience as well as a genuinely local one, accompanying me to restaurants, resolving issues on the ground, introducing me to their friends and making me feel like I was one of them. The hotels have been well selected too – accommodation is relatively basic by European standards, but very comfortable, clean and all well located in the towns we visited.

As a place to visit for both incredible cycling and a fascinating cultural experience I think Ethiopia is impossible to beat. I am already thinking about my next trip there. If you are even vaguely considering a trip, I recommend you book it. You will not be disappointed.

  Am almost through the week having returned from a fantastic trip to Tigray Ethiopia last Sunday and still feeling the happy vibes.

We spent a fantastic week with... read more Sammy, Muli and 'the boys' from Ethio Cycling showing us this wonderful part of the world. Three days on the bikes with the support from the local athletes helping us up the climbs, rock climbing to churches , trekking across streams to drink honey wine and eating good food. And the coffee, on par with the very best Australian barista. All I would have done differently is stayed for another week and rode some more. Well done and we will be back.

  Sammy, Bini and Chale were truly incredible, attentive, such fun guides. Far exceeded expectations. Their #1 priority was always safety, which was great as a group of 6 women. They... read more made sure we always had what we needed, and they’re generally awesome people so the trip was super fun. Amazing three day bike ride with tons of local touches to top off an already amazing 2 week visit to Ethiopia.

  Riding a bike on the quiet, smooth roads, through the magnificent landscapes offers a unique way of seeing this fascinating country and an experience I would recommend to any cyclist... read more with a nose for adventure.

  Our time in Ethiopia just flowed.

Cycling on the fast smooth roads with breathtaking mountain views and forever varied landscapes was a perfect way to discover the staggeringly beautiful... read more northern highlands. The team were fantastic in looking after us with excellent hotels, bike support and itinerary.

Ethiopia is brimming with life. The proud and vital people, with skilful and varied cooking, serious coffee, cold fresh beer - and doughnuts with wild honey for breakfast... I will be reliving this amazing trip for some time.

  Just back from Ethiopia with Ethio- cycling. Amazingly well organised and tailor made to our request for a leisurely tour of Tigray. We were able to complete the experience... read more on excellent bikes,and great support from Sammy and Benny, who were there at alltimes.
Accommodation was mixed, beautiful lodges, international hotels and more local ones.
All the stress of travel was taken from us;snacks, meals, guides were just there!
Nothing was too much for the staff to make it a wonderful experience in an amazing country.
If you love cycling go to Tigray.

  I recently spent a week with the fantastic team Ethio Cycling touring the many awesome roads and cultural sites from Mek'ele to Axum and more in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region.... read more
From the pick up at Mek'ele airport, Richard and his main guide Sammy took care of us every step (and peddle stroke) of the way, arranging and executing a smooth and well-thought-out daily itinerary of events, great cycling, food stops and more.
Both were very knowledgeable and willing to be flexible on itinerary while Sammy's great attention to detail and regional expertise really brought to the local culture to life. The support was bril with our driver/mechanic there to deal with any issues on the road leaving us to enjoy the rides.
Highlights included the stunning mountain vistas on the road from Adegrat to Axum and the fresh, little-used tarmac from Adwa to Abiy Addi, the Abune Yemanta rock cliff church, drinking Tej honey beer in a cool church plantation, and the food at Tirhas Fish Restaurant in Abiy Addi. We had the odd stone-throwing kids on the route but they soon become easy to spot ahead of time and were mostly dissuaded with a brisk hand gesture (no, not that one!)
By the end of the week, my fitness had improved and I only wanted to keep soaking up more sun and local vibes on the many new roads that we'd not covered. Next time perhaps!