"I had an 18 hour layover between flights in Addis on a business trip, and decided that I'd use this as the opportunity to do some reconnaissance to confirm whether or not Ethiopia was somewhere that our family would like to visit in the future.

I absolutely loved the trip, which provided a fascinating and varied introduction to the country's landscape, nature and wildlife (particularly endemic species).

The highlight for me was Portuguese Bridge and the Jemma River gorge. The landscape is stunning, and using a local guide means that you get an excellent perspective on the wildlife. I am a keen birder, so was very excited to see Rupell's black winged cliff chat (whose distinctive call you'll hear reverberating through the gorge), sunbirds and two species of vulture - hooded vulture and lammergeier - as well as several other species.

We were also able to spend some time watching a family group of gelada baboon who - despite having fearsome canines, are vegetarian - who were digging for roots and bulbs.

Lunch was delicious - injera flat bread with a selection of stews, sauces and vegetables, eaten in the traditional style with hands and washed down with a cold Habesha beer. As I visited during Lent, the food was vegetarian, featuring lentils, cabbage and beetroot, so vegetarians could request this meat-free version outside of the fasting season.

Mulu speaks excellent English, and I found him friendly, well informed and very accommodating. When I indicated that I didn't want to attend a coffee ceremony because I have a food intolerance (and didn't want to risk offending my hosts by not drinking what they'd made for me), he was totally unfazed, and rearranged the schedule accordingly. He was happy to make unscheduled stops to explore things that I was interested in (including a lengthy stop by a stand of bushes alive with seed eating birds) and took me to a supermarket in Addis where I could buy local honey and tea to bring home with me. Most importantly, I never felt as though I was being rushed.

I would highly recommend this tour, and on this basis, I am confident that we will be back as a family to explore Ethiopia in the future."

Catherine from Belgium

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293791-d15812034-Reviews-Merit_Ethiopian_Experience_Tours-Addis_Ababa.html#REVIEWS

Muluken was a wonderful tour guide. He was extremely well informed, accommodating, and friendly. He even helped me to mail a package to the United States. I would not hesitate to book his services again.
Reviewed on Aug 5, 2017

I was thoroughly satisfied with my tour and impressed with Muluken's attention to detail in following the scheduled itinerary and his eagerness to answer any and all questions without any hesitation. He appeared to be very knowledgeable and has an extremely good command of the English language which made communication very easy and comfortable. Finally, I would highly recommend him to anyone and personally use him in the future.
Reviewed on Nov 4, 2017

As a solo traveler, Muluken and our driver went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable. The tour itself was great, and was a nice mix of activities to do in a single day. Looking forward to my next trip
Reviewed October 10, 2017

Muluken is a very effective guide
Hi took us at the most important place in Addis and around and this with all the historical explanations
He is also a very friendly guy
We highly recommend him

Reviewed November 3, 2017

I just finished a great 7-day trip with Muluken Girma through northern Ethiopia, in mid October 2017.
We traveled to: Bahir Dar, Gondar,Simien Mountains NP, Axum, Lalibela and Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is an amazingly beautiful place; the people are the friendliest you will find. Make the trip and you will not be disappointed. I will refrain from making this a review of Ethiopia its cities/sites, and focus on a review of Muluken as my guide on this trip.
I don’t think my trip and time with Muluken could have gone any smoother. All of our communication prior to the trip was detailed and timely. All transportation was safe, comfortable and clean. The drivers Muluken hired for us were all friendly to travel with and talk to, some of these drivers we send multiple days with. This also included a boat in Bahir Dar.
The lodging that Muluken had recommended or provided in places I could not book on-line, were all good places. Some were great places, like Bahir Dar , Simien Mountains NP & Lalibela.
Muluken provided great opportunities to talk with and interact with locals throughout the trip, stopping on the roadside to visit with families, farmers or walking through busy local markets, and many others. These were some of my favorite experiences.
Muluken was always providing me with great information about the people and places we were experiencing as well as Ethiopian history and culture. His knowledge is one of his most impressive skills. Muluken also provided great local guides at some of the specific sites for even more detailed information; all of these were good experiences.
I always felt safe with Muluken and that he was always looking out for us and looking for unique opportunities to experience Ethiopia. Muluken is a clean, organized and thoughtful man. I could continue with praise but I think you get the point. If you have the opportunity to travel with Muluken you will not be disappointed.