Aman Ethiopia Tours, as always, helped me have a few of the best trips of my life at a very low price. A similar trip that they recommended to me was the trip to the Suba Forest. It was $199 each for me and my wife, but the price was nothing compared to the natural scenic beauty that we got to experience. The song of birds and the fresh fragrance of the forest made the entire environment feel like heaven. We also got a guide for us, who was extremely helpful and professional, guiding us through the forest and helping us with more details about it.

Without his guide, I wouldn't have had such an amazing experience. He led me through the maze of Addis Ababa's markets, introduced me to local vendors, and helped me navigate the city with ease. From tasting delicious injera to discovering hidden gems, this tour was truly unforgettable thanks to the knowledgeable guide. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Biruk, our guide in Ethiopia, was an absolute gem. From the moment we met him, he exuded warmth and hospitality. His extensive knowledge of Ethiopia, coupled with his unwavering patience and kindness, made our journey unforgettable. Biruk went above and beyond to ensure our safety and comfort at every turn. No problem was too big for him to tackle, and his quick thinking always found a solution. Trustworthy and reliable, Biruk deserves all the praise for his exceptional service. His passion for his country shines through in every interaction, making him the ideal guide for anyone exploring Ethiopia. He truly is a master of his craft, and I couldn't recommend him highly enough. We decided to spend 6 days with Biruk on 3 different trips and all of them were amazing.

My friend and I were given a two hour tour of Merkato market by the owner Biruk. We found him very knowledgeable about the market and wider Ethiopian history, he was also very easy to talk to. His English was excellent and he also adjusted the tour as we wanted to get a coffee in a quiet location to take away some of the intensity of the people of the market. Overall, we would highly recommend the tour for anyone wishing to explore the area!

We had an amazing day with Biruk the owner of Venture Ethiopia, the pick up was perfect he arrived 10 min after and he even let me change the pick up location one day before without problems. We felt very good during all the tour , very friendly, correct and intelligent guide and very good driver. He made sure we were comfortable all time and we had great conversations while he showed us Menagesha Forest. The place is stunning we got the chance to see baboons, gelada monkeys and endemic ethiopian birds and vegetation. Would recomend 110% to visit it and to chose him as a guide.

The guide was very knowledgeable, not only about history of the sites but also the local cultures of Ethiopia. He answered our many questions, and prioritized our safety when we ventured in the merkato (not for the faint of heart!). What an ambassador to Ethiopian tourism!

Had a great day with Biruk exploring Addis Ababa. Biruk was easy to communicate with using Whatsapp and flexible on the tour start time. The tour was relaxed and explored the main sights. Biruk was great at talking through the history of Ethiopia and also took me to some very nice local coffee places and a great place for a local lunch

We were friends from the US, Biruk Chiksa guide and owner of the company with our driver Werku Argaw gave us outstanding customer service. Especially Mr.biruk Chiksa knows a lot about his country's history, culture, birds, and animals. He gave us a lot of information that is not known by most of us. We like them a lot the country. The driver was even very professional. We hope we will see you again.

Great experience with a great guide who explained everything to us and answered all our questions. We enjoyed the trip and everything we saw. Ethiopia has so much to offer! Greetings! :)

My girlfriend was coming to Ethiopia for the first time for one week so I needed to plan things almost every day in order to get the most out of her trip. I did my research and found this day trip route taking guests to a Melka Kunturé, Adadi Mariam, and Tiya. After comparing a few agencies, I chose Venture Ethiopia's package. Safe to say I made a great choice. First, Biruk, the guide and owner of Venture Ethiopia, planned the trip and informed me of the agenda beforehand so I know what to expect. He is very accommodating and flexible and will adapt the trip to the client's preference. He has extensive experience in the tourism industry in Ethiopia and is a wealth of knowledge. He is passionate about his profession. While I can speak Amarigna, my girlfriend cannot so it was helpful that he could speak both English and French. The trip starts promptly (he is very punctual) in the morning and breakfast and coffee is had on a stop before we leave Addis. Biruk is knowledgeable about the roads/routes and he is up to date on all possible situations/circumstances in the areas you are visiting. To get the local perspective, a local guide is used in all the spots and they are experienced (not random people trying to make a quick buck). At Melka Kunturé (1st stop), you get to see the archeological sites where prehistoric man butchered its kill; you will be guided through the small museum showing the excavation being conducted in that location as well as the artifacts unearthed. The next destination is Adadi Mariam, a church/monastery believed to have been built by King Lalibela. Here's too, the local guide provides a thorough tour of the entire structure and its history and context in Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. We had lunch at a nice restaurant before heading to our final destination. Tiya is pre and post Christianity burial site; the structures marking the graves of local leaders and warriors are stone steles with engravings on them. It is fascinating how this historical site ties in with the previous (Adadi Mariam) and the area is beautiful with rolling mountain ranges and cool, constant breeze. The trip started in the morning around 7:45 a.m. and we were back home easily before 7:00 p.m. I cannot recommend this trip enough. If you have only one day and want a trip that encapsulates many splendors of Ethiopia, you should take this opportunity. Biruk/Venture Ethiopia have the experience to make this a smooth and pleasant trip and they are very trustworthy and reliable. I wholeheartedly recommend this agency.

Having grown up in Ethiopia and once visited Menagesha (albeit, over 25 years ago) I initially thought of organizing this hike for my girlfriend and I by myself (and just hiring transportation to & from there). In hindsight I am happy I did not. Booking through Venture Ethiopia/Biruk was an excellent decision. Starting in the morning, we headed out from my home in Addis and picked up lunch along the way. The road to menagasha is very difficult but Biruk had the appropriate vehicle and was very careful to minimize the bumping and jostling. Once there, we got a local guide (as required) and, after hearing the various hike options, chose the 4 hour hike. I can't describe how amazing Menagesha Park is; you do not need to be a nature lover to appreciate it, it is truly spectacular. It is shocking how this park is not on every hiker's or tourist's go-to bucket list. The experience would not have been the same without the assistance of Biruk of Venture Ethiopia. His passion for nature and his dedication to crafting the perfect outing cannot be matched. He hears what you want and will plan the trip to enhance the experience. For example, he knew we wanted to be out in the woods as long as possible so he took his time and set a pace that would maximize our time in the forest. The location he picked to stop and eat lunch was high on a hill overlooking the landscape. Visitors to Addis - expats, diaspora, tourist - if you have a day where you want to be active, this is THE trip to book and THE guide you want to have.

It was a great experience and a personalized way to see a part of Ethiopia! The trip was well organized and Biruk was on time, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. If going to the monastery, it may be wise to bring a skirt for women as the rules for entry are conservative. It was a wonderful way to learn about Ethiopia and see incredible sights.

I can thoroughly endorse the comments below about our two week trip with Biruk. He was everything that one would expect from an excellent guide but also so much more. The day after he discovered our bird interest he turned up in the morning with two bird books and then became an ace spotter. We saw over 60 different species. His knowledge of the different areas and his incredible network of friends everywhere we went also gave us an additional insight into the country. We seemed to spend a lot of time laughing. Ethiopia is an incredibly beautiful country with a fascinating history and so much to see and do. However things do not always go completly smoothly and when that happens its pays dividends to have someone with Baruk's experience and knowledge to reply on.

I was a member of AbyssinianQueen’s party and heartily agree with her comments. Biruk was an excellent guide and we always felt we were in very safe hands. His knowledge of all things Ethiopian is superb and there was a great deal of good humour on our trip.

Four of us met Biruk at Addis airport, climbed into his Landcruiser (which we named The Queen of Sheba) and started on an extraordinary two week trip in the north of Ethiopia, visiting Addis, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Simien Mountains, Axum, Yeha, Mekele and Lalibela. Some visitors choose to fly between the sites but we drove over 2000 kilometres and felt that this added an extra dimension to our understanding and appreciation of the spectacular countryside. Biruk is a great guide and driver (a necessary skill on the chaotic and bumpy roads), knowledgeable, fun and very accommodating for when we wanted to stop to photograph a fantastic view or look at the wonderful birds. He is a good networker, is very friendly with many of the guides and hotel owners which is a real asset if things go wrong. He speaks excellent English and French and knows a lot about Ethiopian history, politics and wildlife.