Maereg is an excellent guide and tour leader! We spent 10 days in Ethiopia and always felt safe and taken care of by him. Everything was perfectly organized - transfers, hotels, car rental, entrances to tourist attractions. Ethiopia is a beautiful country and Maereg helped us to see it.

I recommend this tour to see the 11 rock hewn churches. Learn about the history of ancient Lalbella, as its construction dates back to the seventh century

The trip was amazing and we had the best time of our life in Ethiopia. It was just wonderful. Very loving people and country.

What I remember most about my guide Maereg was his diligent service, promptness, efficient time-management, and impressive knowledge of Ethiopia - the ancient and the new. During the trip, Maereg made sure that I felt at ease, safe and secure as a female traveler. And that meant a lot. For eight days Maereg got to know me and I got to experience the wonders of Ethiopia. Firstly, the capital, Addis Ababa, the highest elevation of a city in Africa, which was more like a state than a city, boasted national/ state museums, cultural centers, numerous universities/ UNESCO World Heritage Sites, churches, cathedrals, cafés (the origin of coffee began here in Ethiopia), memorials, financial, telecommunications, infrastructures, shop centers, outdoor markets, etc.,. Then there was the massive rock-hewn monolith churches of Lalibela, (woa!) which is home to the oldest Christian communities in the world (as well as for Maereg, his lovely wife, and adorable children who were kind enough to have invited us to their home to meet the family & served us a delicious authentic Ethiopian dinner complimented with Honey wine). Also, Lalibela is known as Ethiopia's "New Jerusalem" because it holds religious importance and the opportunity to pilgrimage for there Orthodox Christians. And lastly, Gondar, once the capital of the former Ethiopian Empire, showcased palaces, castles, churches, fortified walls, built by each royal successor beginning the 17th century and has been called the "Camelot of Africa," idealized as in a place of high-level culture with a purpose/ belief of what community with a shared purpose can achieve. Since returning home, the trip to Ethiopia has stayed with me like a hum, tune or song which reminded me that for eight days I was in paradise. I hope to carry this happiness in me forward until I can get back to that happy place, Ethiopia 🇪🇹 . Thanks, Maereg for all that you did to make this experience possible. Sincerely, Romanáh H-B

Our guide was very knowledgeable and did a great job sharing the history and culture of Ethiopia. He was very attentive and open to feedback. I highly recommend this company.

The trip was amazing. We had a knowledgeable tour guide who was also very patient and attentive to the needs of the group. I would love to do this again

Just back from last week's trip to stunning Lalibela. Had an amazing time, all organised by Maereg and his team at Extraordinary Ethiopia Tours. Stayed at Sora Lodge with beautiful views and lovely rooms. Maereg made the entire experience extremely smooth, organised every aspect of my trip and had a great team of extremely knowledgeable guides and drivers which made the whole experience very enjoyable and safe (particularly for a solo female traveller). Would highly recommend Extraordinary Ethiopia to anyone considering visiting Ethiopia.

The trip was very nice and well organized. I appreciated the drivers and everyone who supported me. You and your brother did an excellent job guiding us through North Ethiopia!

What can I say about the amazing Maereg that hasn’t been said, there’s a reason this kind fellow has nothing less than a five-star review! I ended up in Lalibela as a solo traveler aloof to the recent conflict that scared away all the usual tourists that would be visiting the beautiful sites and people of this high-altitude town. From the group taxi to the hotel I encountered aggressive tour guides trying to get a high price for their services. GEESH! Let a guy get to his room and settle in first. Feeling the hustle, as any seasoned traveler does, I walked into town to find my own way. Lucky for me, I came across the best tuk-tuk driver in Lalibela, Baye. Baye spoke English well enough, has a passion for driving and a great sense for freewheeling adventure. He bought me through he bustling Saturday market and would help me score goods at a fair price. When I mentioned that I was interested in not-so-touristy and out-of-the-ordinary adventure, he said he knew just the guy, his good friend and brother-in-arms, Maereg. I liked Maereg instantly. He’s out of the box genuine, honest, sharp, and witty. He blew me away with his knowledge of the history of the churches, people, plants and animals of the region. When a plan fell through for one adventure, it was swiftly replaced with another outstanding plan to be executed flawlessly. Maereg is a strong hiker who is diligent about your safety all the while enjoying the great and vast beauty of Ethiopia himself, seemingly just as much as I. On our all-day trips, he would supply a delicious lunch or know just where to go to get the best coffee and food. I arrived to Lalibela a lone traveler and left feeling like I gained a family and a brother. We stay in touch to this day, a world apart. So, if you're looking for the best, no-pressure, fair and knowledgeable guide in Ethiopia, look no further, Maereg’s the man! May peace be upon you my brother, until next time:)

Maereg is the best! He kept me safe in Lalibela during a politically sensitive time. He has an encyclopedic understanding of the history of the monolithic cave churches and is a logistical genius during difficult circumstances. Accommodation and meals were fabuolus, and the hotel even celebrated my birthday with a postcard of St. George and by decorating my breakfast table with flower pedals. Also ask him about his brother's luxury-at budget prices-tours of the Omo valley!

I did a solo trip to Lalibela and Addis Ababa over 3 days. After I got in touch with Maereg, everything was quickly arranged and the choice of hotels were both great and convenient. I felt safe the whole time and had no issues. Thank you for the brief introduction to your country. Keep up the good work.

Amazing tour, I was skeptical of visiting Lalibela but it was very safe. Maereg tailored the tour so I could visit the most important churches and even attend to the service all in 1 day because I was short in time but there's many other buildings to visit. I flew from Addis on Saturday morning and I was back on Sunday afternoon. Maereg is a knowledgeable guide, he reached out the moment I reserved and was always available, he even booked me an amazing hotel with a discount. He will definitely make sure you get the most out of your trip. I'd strongly recommend to try the tour with Maereg, I had a great experience visiting the churches and even eating at local restaurants

High point was our visit to Adadi Maryam - beautiful history . But disappointed that we missed Tiya. The Addis day tour was done really well and adequate time for shopping and ending with a lovely dinner with Ethiopian songs and dances . Highly recommend

The churches are amazing. And we’re so brought to life by Maereg. Maereg is knowledgeable, respectful and attentive. Being from Lalibela, he knew the place v well. He went out of his way to accommodate requests, and to ensure we were safe wherever we went. We hiked up in Asheton and visited the monastery. The views and sense of space are incredible. I had a bit of time at Addis before my flight. Maereg also happened to be in Addis and kindly showed me a part of Addis. Lalibela is simply stunning. Thank you Maereg for bringing it to life.

I booked a 5days-4nights Lalibela & Gondar tour with Extraordinary Ethiopia Tours at the end of July 2023. Maereg, the owner, put together my itinerary very well, including all lodging & logistics, which included the domestic flights. The highlight for me was definitely Lalibela, in the northern mountains of Ethiopia, known for its beautiful rock-hewn churches. I could see why Lalibela is often referred to as the "Second Jerusalem". The rock churches here were all carved in rock, dating to around 900yrs old. Being devout Christians, everything in these churches has meaning, from how & where they're built to the materials used. Maereg took me to see all the churches in Lalibela in the 2 groups over 2 days, explaining in detail the significance of each church. He knows the history very well and is very passionate about Lalibela, hence, he is full of interesting information. Walking around Lalibela, esp. entering the rock churches, you can feel the deep spirituality. On a Friday morning, a day of fasting, Maereg took me back to Bete Maryam (House of Mary), where I witnessed all the devout Christians for a short early morning service with all the priests there giving blessings. It was quite a sight & experience! Afterwards, we drove about 1hr north of Lalibela to visit Yemrehana Krestos Church, located at 2700m ASL, which was a pilgrimage site, 100yrs older than the Lalibela churches, & known for the thousands of skeletons of people who made the pilgrimage, then died here almost 1000yrs ago. Throughout the tour & each of the church visits, Maereg was really good about explaining a lot about the history & significance, which I really appreciated. After Lalibela, I flew northwest to visit the royal palace ruins of Gondar & then Simien Mountains NP, which is a 3hr drive north from Gondar. What makes the Simien Mountains special is not only the beautiful mountain landscape but also the wildlife that can only be found here, such as gelada baboons, which I saw during my short hike. Unfortunately, because it is the rainy season now, I didn't see much of the views as it was very foggy, esp. at this higher altitude. During the dry season towards the end of the year is the best time to be here. Nevertheless, my hike was enjoyable, the weather was nice & cool, & I saw the gelada baboons! On the way back, we also stopped by a 3-tier waterfall named Asera waterfalls. My local guides here, who Maereg arranged, were excellent as well and took good care of me, esp. as a solo female traveler. I’m really glad I was able to experience Lalibela, Gondar, & Simien Mountains NP. I could've stayed here a few more days, esp. in Lalibela, just relaxing or taking short hikes, breathing in the fresh mountain air. This 5-day itinerary was perfect for seeing everything at a good pace, allowing me to enjoy the experience & learn a lot about each of the places, thanks to the excellent guides.