A Great Lodge In The Northern Region

About Gheralta Lodge, Tigrey

This Italian-owned lodge, set high on a hill, has super views of the rocky mountains that make Tigrey so striking.

The 34 en-suite rooms are dotted around the hillside, 2 to each cottage. All the cottages are built according to local tradition, with stone walls held together without cement. All rooms have mosquito nets, drinking water and folders of information about the region, and are adorned with elegant local touches. Solar lights light the paths between the rooms and there’s a standby generator in case of power cuts. Massage and laundry services are on offer.

The lodge centres on its main building, which holds a spacious restaurant, bar, library and veranda, with stone walls and thatched roof. The restaurant serves set lunch and dinner, with a selection of Italian dishes. The bar is stocked with Italian specialities such as grappa and Ballantine, as well as wines from Ethiopia, Italy and South Africa. The library has comfortable sofas, games tables, antique traditional furniture, projector, bookshelves stacked with books and a selection of games. The gift shop stocks elegant handbags and coffee table books about Ethiopia.

Activities include practising rock-climbing before navigating the rocks up to Tigrey’s famous churches, and of course visits to the churches themselves. Activities for children include horse riding and bicycle riding.