Ethiopia, where the adventure begins, is an entirely landlocked nation. It has a rich and colourful history dating back more than 3,000 years. With legends of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the Ark of the Covenant and the Axumite Kingdom, its history is a woven tapestry of mystery and intrigue.
Ethiopia today is a melting pot of diverse cultures practicing different religions and customs. Curiously it remains the only country in Africa never to have been colonized by a European nation.
The expedition will begin at Little Abbai - the mountain stream that is the humble source of the mighty Blue Nile. The flow soon joins Lake Tana, where the vessel will weave its way amongst the scattering of islands, many containing 15th Century Monasteries decorated with dazzling religious murals. Leaving Lake Tana behind, the team will trace the path of the river through the scenic Ethiopian highlands.
Once past the cascading spectacle of the Blue Nile Falls or Tis Isat, meaning "Smoke of Fire", rafts will carry the team amidst the roaring rapids through the breathtaking Blue Nile Gorge. The Gorge’s mile-high basalt walls, dubbed the ‘Grand Canyon of Africa’ are blessed with an abundance of wildlife including monkeys, mountain cats and a varied assortment of bird life. A myriad of tribes such as the Gumuz, Mande, Berta, Borano and Welo people make the Gorge their home, many of whom have never before witnessed a westerner.
The sweeping flow continues through the foothills of the Gojam Mountains dotted with small villages of cone-shaped huts. Cut off from modern communications, life in these villages has remained unchanged for millennia, with women still fetching water in gouras (empty rinds of giant fruit) and men still hunting leopards with spears.
