Ethiopia Group Journey
ETHIOPIA
LAND OF ORIGINS
Many believe the story of humanity began here.
Why Ethiopia
I Keep Going Back
There is something about Ethiopia that stays with you. I’ve been back many times now, and every time I return, I find another reason to fall in love with it all over again. It’s the ancient history. The people. The traditions. The landscapes that seem almost impossible. It’s the birthplace of coffee, where the smell of roasting beans and incense seems to follow you from place to place.
But what keeps pulling me back isn’t something I can easily put into a list. It’s the feeling of being there. The incredible diversity of its people and cultures. The warmth of the people you meet. The ancient traditions that are still very much alive. And the feeling that around almost every corner, Ethiopia is about to reveal another side of itself.
So this time, I want to take you with me!
The Journey
Two Parts. One Extraordinary Journey.
I’ve designed this journey in two parts so you can experience two completely different sides of Ethiopia.
We’ll begin in the ancient highlands of the North, then travel deep into the remote Omo Valley in the South — an area that has become especially meaningful to me over the years.
You can join me for either part, or experience both.
Small Groups
This journey is limited to a maximum of 8 travelers. I want to keep the group small because I want this to feel personal. Small enough that we can move easily, connect with the people we meet, and share the unexpected moments that make a journey unforgettable.
Part One — The North
January 5–12, 2027
Beginning in Lalibela
The Jerusalem of Africa
We begin in Addis Ababa before traveling north to Lalibela — and the timing could hardly be more special. Lalibela is home to remarkable churches carved directly into the living rock centuries ago, including the famous Church of St. George, carved downward into the earth rather than built upward.
There is even a story that angels helped carve the churches at night while the workers rested. Standing among these incredible structures, it’s easy to see how a story like that came to be.
Lalibela is often called the Jerusalem of Africa, and during Ethiopian Christmas, you begin to understand why.
Lets Celebrate
Christmas in Lalibela
Christmas in Lalibela
We’ll be there at one of the most special times of the year, when thousands of pilgrims make their way to Lalibela to celebrate. Many have traveled for days or even weeks on foot — some barefoot — to reach this sacred place.
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the ancient churches and surrounding hills fill up with people dressed in white, praying, chanting and glowing from candlelight.
I experienced this on my first visit to Ethiopia, and witnessing it was unforgettable. I knew it was something I had to share with you.
Into Another World
The Danakil Depression.
From Lalibela, the journey changes completely.
We’ll travel deep into the Danakil Depression, one of the most extreme and otherworldly landscapes on Earth. Salt flats. Vast volcanic terrain. Sulfur colored landscapes. Heat. And Erta Ale, one of Ethiopia’s active volcanoes – if we are lucky, we might even see flowing streams of lava!
This is the kind of place that doesn’t look quite real. We’ll make our way into this volcanic landscape, where conditions and volcanic activity can change—and where, depending on conditions, we may find ourselves looking down into an active crater while wearing gas masks. It feels less like Ethiopia and more like another planet—I often refer to it as Mars!
And then, just when you think the North couldn’t possibly become more dramatic, the landscape changes again.
The Church in the Sky
Abune Yemata Guh
We’ll head into the Gheralta Mountains, where you’ll have the opportunity to climb to Abune Yemata Guh— one of Ethiopia’s most remarkable churches.
The climb itself is an adventure. We’ll make our way high up the cliff face, using hand and footholds carved into the rock as we climb toward a church perched dramatically above the landscape. And then, after making the climb, you’ll step inside this tiny ancient church and see its beautifully preserved paintings covering the walls and ceiling. A priest who makes this climb every day will welcome us at the top. It’s one of those experiences where the journey to get there is just as incredible as what you find when you arrive.
For those who don’t want to make the climb to Abune Yemata, there will be the option of visiting the more accessible Maryam Korkor, with its spectacular views across the Gheralta Mountains.
Part Two— The South
January 13–17, 2027
Into the Omo Valley
The Part That Changed Me
And then we head south. This is the part of Ethiopia that changed me in so many ways.
We’ll leave the highlands behind and travel deep into the African bush, where the landscapes become more remote and the cultures and traditions incredibly diverse.
We’ll travel by 4WD through the Omo Valley and spend time with communities including the Dorze, Konso, Arbore, Karo, Dassanech, Hamer and Mursi — visiting villages and markets and experiencing traditions that are still very much alive.
The People & Communities
We’ll have the opportunity to learn about traditions and ways of life as these communities welcome us into their world and share pieces of their daily lives with us. We’ll listen, participate, ask questions, and begin to understand the people and cultures we encounter in a more meaningful way.
Special Moments
The Bull Jumping Ceremony
A rite of passage unlike anything else — a young Hamer man runs across the backs of a line of cattle as families gather, horns sound and the celebration builds. If a ceremony takes place while we’re there, we’ll make every effort to experience it.
Crossing the Omo by Dug-out Canoe
We’ll cross the Omo River in traditional dugout canoes to reach the Dassanech community on the far bank — the same way people here have crossed this river for generations.
A Night in a Hamer Village
We’ll spend a night camping within a Hamer village, sleeping under the stars and waking up to the sounds of goats, chickens and children as village life begins again in the morning. This is the part of Ethiopia that I keep coming back to and the part that has stayed with me the longest.
Unexpected Change
Not a Conventional Tour
There will be long days on the road. We’ll travel by 4WD, walk on uneven terrain, deal with heat, dust and changing conditions, and camp along the way.
But these roads will take us somewhere most people never get to experience. Some moments will be completely unexpected. Others will be the kind you never want to end. And that is part of the adventure.
This is the kind of journey that can fill a longing you didn’t even know you had. The kind that leaves you blown away by moments you never could have imagined, craving more, and talking about it for years to come.
That’s what Ethiopia has done for me. And that’s what I hope it does for you.
Join Me
Enter your information below and I’ll send you the complete trip details.
I can’t wait for you to be a part of this journey!
Lets Travel Together
Get to Know Zann.
I’m Zann Parker—a photographer, traveler and storyteller based in New York City.
I’ve been traveling solo for the past eight years, much of that time in Africa, photographing people, cultures and places that have stayed with me long after I’ve returned home. Ethiopia is one of those places. I’ve returned again and again, building friendships and connections along the way.
I love getting to know a place through the people who live there—sharing meals, learning about traditions, joining in, and allowing the unexpected moments to happen.
That way of traveling has taken me to some of the most incredible places I’ve ever seen and introduced me to people and experiences I never would have encountered any other way.
This journey isn’t something I simply researched and put together. It comes from years of traveling, exploring, building connections and discovering what makes a place worth going to.
I want you to experience Ethiopia the way I’ve come to know it—with curiosity, adventure, connection and a genuine love for being there.
I’m excited to share it with you.
