I took a 2.5 week excursion-vacation with Arada Tours. All in all, I visited the Castles of Gondar, the historic Monasteries off Lake Tana in Bahir Dar, Trekked up the Semiens Mountains, explored the 11 Rock Churches of Lalibela, and I topped things off with a city tour of Addis. The Arada Tours team was so helpful and accommodating to my needs. Being this was my first time in Africa I had a LOT of questions from what to pack, medical shots, and visa applications. The team was amazing and answered all my questions without issue. I enjoyed how customizable my tour was. I traveled through most of the Northern Region which was quite the journey. I appreciated the willingness to modify the tour to the attractions I had at the top of my list to make the best of my experience. I’m a history buff so I will admit I can spend hours in museums, the team adjusted accordingly and allowed me to explore without feeling rushed. The best part if this trip was the Trek. I have never trekked before, and given I have a host of allergies, I was nervous to say the least. As breathtaking as the views were, the Arada Tours team had everything I needed to make the trek with ease keeping in mind all allergies, and asthmatic concerns I had. If I could offer any advice about visiting Ethiopia, I’d say bring Binoculars, hiking boots, and get ready for the adventure you’ll never forget. Trip Highlights: Trekking up the Semien Mountains – the Gelada Monkeys were a sight to see Hippo Sightings while boating across Lake Tana Rock Churches Lalibela – Addis City Tour – the National Museum is the current home of “LUCY”, oldest humanoid species

I took a tour with Muley to Wonchi crater as a day trip out of Addis. It was an amazing trip to an amazing location. Everything was well organised and allowed us to really focus on enjoying the experience. Muley was a great guide, with good local knowledge and as others have said, he made it seem like your were traveling with a friend rather than a tour guide. A day that will live long in the memory for me and I am grateful to Muley and his company for organizing the whole thing. If you are in Ethiopia, I would highly recommend taking one of Muley and Arada tours.

Took two tours with this company. First was a city tour to get an idea of Addis Ababa as I was doing medical volunteer work here for three weeks. Went to Entoto mountain, city museums, local coffeehouse. Guide (Muley) very knowledgeable, humorous and friendly. Second was a weekend trip to Lalibela to see churches. Mario, our guide, was like a walking encyclopedia of the history! Very engaging, can't recommend him enough. Nice hotel overlying cliff with peaceful and wonderful view. Will use Arada Tours again next time I come back!

Booked a last minute short 4 day trip to travel to Bahir Dar with a friend, and Mule made the trip just splendid! He showed us all the great attractions and all the cool hang out spots to grab great food and cultural drinks. Not to mention the majestic views on the drive there! The first night was one of the most memorable for me mainly because of the authenticity I felt while walking around with Mule and my friend looking for a spot to watch the Champions League! :D Our next visit to the Blue Nile Falls was both invigorating and insightful as we not only experienced nature but gained a great group of friends in the local children and guide. Plus we had tala "traditional brew beer" by a tree swapping stories with the most animated grandma ever! This awesome experience got me to book my next trip to Harar and eventually a ride on the new train from Dire Dawa - with an equally memorable drive and unforgettable "feast" with a hyena mama and a historic walk through the ancient city of Harar! All in all, I got to appreciate Ethiopia through the immersive experience Mule and Arada Tours gave me...plus it was so pocket-friendly! Thanks Mule!

My cousin and I spent a week with Muley traveling around to different cities. Muley was very organized and made our experience seamless. He made it feel like we were traveling with a friend, but at the same time gave us our space when we needed it. He was very flexible and willing to accommodate any spontaneous requests we had. We would highly recommend Muley and Arada Tours to anyone traveling to Ethiopia.

I had a one-day stopover in Addis Ababa during a 3.5-week journey through the Middle East and Africa. I wanted a city tour that gave me a good overview -- enough to let me know whether I should return for a longer visit. Arada offered an excellent tour with the usual stops but one that differed from the competitors. Not only were some of the stops unique, the tour was a far better value than similar ones other companies offered. The best feature was my guide (and company president) Mulu. He was knowledgable, friendly, interesting, and deeply concerned that I get an up-close perspective of his own country which he's clearly proud of. Touring with Mulu makes you feel like you have a long-time friend for a guide. Arada is a young company but it's clearly trailblazer. I recommend it without reservations -- although you'll likely NEED reservations early-on as Arada promises to become a leader in Ethiopian tourism before long.

Thank you to Arada Tours for the excellent tours of Addis Ababa. We went to: Trinity Church; the National Museum; the Institute of Ethiopian Studies museum and Addis Ababa University; Addis Ababa Museum at Meskel Square; the merkato; Cafe Tamoca; and several shows at Fendika Cultural Center. Mulugeta introduced us to new restaurants (ask him to take you to 5 Loaves!) and drove us all over the city safely. Plus, he is nice, kind, and has a great sense of humor. I look forward to going on more Arada Tours in Ethiopia!

This was the best trip I’ve been on, it wasn’t overly saturated with touristy type plans, We saw various iconic locations and learned the history, but also got to meet the locals and the real people of Africa along with the nightlife. Between Addis, Gondar and Lalibela, I had such a good time I didn’t want to sleep! Would recommend to anyone million times over if they want to experience a life changing trip and experience REAL Africa! Thanks to the Arada Tours people for such a great time!

The experience with Arada Tour was unforgettable. This whole time I was well taken care of and felt very safe. The trekking experience was amazing, we had the opportunity to sit by the fire and just listening to everyone chat about life and history, our guides were also translating for us which really made the memory magical. What I truly enjoyed was the time I spent in Lalibella, the view from the hotel and the whole town is just adorable. It's the one town I would love to go back and stay for a very long time. Can't wait to go back to visit again soon!

The trip was non stop adventure. It encompassed history, cuisine, a rich culture and so much more. Not to mention scenic views and an exciting night life. I definitely would to do it again.

Ethiopia still ranks as my favorite country to visit hands down and a lot of that has to do with Arada Tours. I'm now planning my next trip with the company because of the top notch experiences I've had in the past with them. Muley is knowledgeable, trustworthy, and an overall great guy. I felt totally comfortable and safe as a solo female traveler because he took care of everything. No other place or tour company quite compares.

We travelled to Ethiopia in dec 2016. Mule was so flexible and nice! He organised the whole trip at the very last 24h before arriving! He showed us the best parts of the northen countryside of ethiopia and the nice and non turistics bars of addis. Thanks a lot Mule!

As I reflect on my trip to Addis Ababa, Gondor and Lalibela, Ethiopia, I cannot help but to be humbled with extreme gratitude. I am grateful to Arada Tours for booking this once in a lifetime trip and accompanying me in all three cities while there. The team was really helpful and knowledgeable during the tours. I am quite sure I would not have had such an amazing experience with the assistance of the Arada team. I came to the realization that not only are the Ethiopian people are resilient but also humble and loving. Perhaps it is because they are the original man – where civilization began. It was breathtaking to walk on the same soil as the great ancient kings and queens walked on. To bear witness up close and personal was overwhelming to say the least.