2 / 5 - One review
How to get there
350km from Addis Ababa by car.
When to go
Avoid the rainy season as there are many mosquitos during this time.
Minimum stay
1 to 2 days
Jimma (Ethiopia)
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Stijn Debrouwere
Practical information about Jimma
Reviews of Jimma
It is a large city with more than 200,000 inhabitants living in the west of the country. It is an important trading centre in Ethiopia which holds little interest for tourists.
My suggestion:
Jimma is the ideal place to shop for crafts from all over Ethiopia.
Summary:
Jimma, in the west of the country, is really off the beaten track, in a region rarely visited by tourists. The city itself isn't the most pleasant, as with many others in the country, but it is authentic.
You can visit the Aba Jifar palace, a king from the Muslim Oromo dynasty who reigned in the 18th Century. At the museum in Jimma, you'll see the throne of the last king, sculpted using a single piece of wood. Since they have few visitors, some places are poorly maintained.
The main streets are famous for crafts which are sold across the city, making it an important trading area for jewellery, wooden items, basketwork ... The market is up and running in town every Thursday.
Jimma is a good place to start if you want to visit the lesser known and well-preserved tribes in the north of the Omo Valley: the Gurage, the Surma, the Tishana, the Boume and the Dizi. You can also follow the new road from Jimma toSodo, to join the Omo Valley
©
Stijn Debrouwere
