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Heroes and Heroines Asmara
Referred to as "La Piccola Roma" - Africa's little Rome - by Mussolini, Asmara is still littered with 1930s-era Italian architecture, with…
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Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Eritrea holidays
Isolated and secretive, Eritrea is Ethiopia’s forgotten neighbour. Once synonymous with conflict, the country has now been peaceful for almost two decades. In spite of this, few tourists ever venture inside. And what a pity, for if they did, they would be greeted by volcanic landscapes, remarkable culture and an idyllic coastline.
Eritrea is a country where tourism is very much in its infancy. Standards are markedly different to elsewhere in Africa and there is practically no foreign tourism. However, after a successful group tour that departed in October 2018, we are now offering tailor-made trips and will be running another group tour in 2020.
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Dahlak Islands
This cluster of almost 130 islands is spread along Eritrea's coastline, scattered amongst the warm waters of the Red Sea.
Keren
The second-largest city in Eritrea, Keren sits in a wide valley, overlooked by mountain peaks. The site of key battles during the…
Massawa
A historic port on Eritrea's Red-Sea coast, Massawa dates back to the times of the Kingdom of Axum, when it was just…
A Little More About Eritrea
Undoubtedly challenging and with its tourist industry barely classified as nascent, Eritrea is a place only suitable for those who are happy to tolerate the frustrations of exploring a young country, still firmly in the grasp of authoritarianism.
However, it is also home to a remarkable array of sights. Asmara, its capital, is still littered with Italian colonial architecture – the result of Mussolini’s desire to make it the centre of a second Roman Empire.
Landscapes of Eritrea
Away from the city, the country’s dramatic highlands mirror those of Ethiopia to the south, rich with towering escarpments and rocky peaks. And its Red Sea coastline – spectacular and deserted – incorporates the Dahlak Archipelago, with its uninhabited islands and pristine coral reefs.
Group Tour
Eritrea – Inside Africa’s Forgotten Kingdom
Explore this nascent and isolated country, only officially recognised as independent from Ethiopia in the 1990s. From the Art Deco Italian architecture and Coptic churches of Asmara to the Aksumite ruins and dramatic canyons of Adi Keyh, Eritrea is alive with culture, history and natural beauty.
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Uncovering Eritrea
“On a crisp early morning, old men tend the locomotive, oiling and stoking. We roll out of the yard and onto the plateau, through the prickly pears to the edge of the escarpment. Then, like a roller coaster of old, we are launched off the edge, between hills, over narrow bridges and through black, soot-lined tunnels. Such is my introduction to the bizarre and beautiful nature of Eritrea.”
Explore Eritrea
- Asmara
- Dahlak Islands
- Keren
- Massawa
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Illona Cross
Born in a small South African town, I have always followed my passion for nature and discovery. After studying Nature Conservation in Pretoria, I was one of the first women to complete a very tough cadetship in the Natal Parks Board. It was here where I cut my teeth in African wildlife management.
Talk with our experts
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Is Eritrea safe to travel around?
Despite being a poor country, Eritrea experiences low levels of crime, so you are unlikely to be at risk. However, it is still recommended that you take sensible precautions, such as avoiding unlit urban areas at night and not wearing expensive jewellery or displaying large amounts of cash.
There are some areas that are off limits due to the political situation in the region. Until recently, the area close to the Ethiopian border was considered unsafe. The border area close to Sudan should still be avoided. Check the FCO website for the latest guidance: http://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/eritrea
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Why Choose Steppes?
These may be uncertain times but they are, without a doubt, still full of opportunity to discover the extraordinary safely. Through knowledge and expertise, we can connect you to those destinations embracing travellers with the added confidence of flexible booking and decades of insight.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
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