Trail & altitude running camp · 10 participants max
Come and train where some of the world's best distance runners train, between 1,700 and 3,000 m, and experience the country from the inside, not from a tour bus.
First departure21 – 30 January 2027
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Abysso Run started from a simple observation: the country that produces the world's greatest distance runners remains, for most Western runners, a destination people fly over rather than truly experience. I grew up with this Ethiopian heritage, guided groups of ten-plus people on the ground, and wanted to build the trip I would have loved to be offered: demanding, guided, and deeply rooted in the real country, not a postcard version of it.
Every itinerary is designed as altitude training disguised as a trip, with local guides, encounters with Ethiopian athletes, and a pace that leaves room for recovery.
Train on the same highlands as the world's distance-running elite.
A country where distance running holds a special place in the culture.
Roads, tracks and trails shaped by relief and altitude.
Run, eat and experience the country beyond classic tourism, with local accommodation and guides.
Why altitude makes the difference: the thinner air of the highlands pushes the body to produce more red blood cells, improving its capacity to carry oxygen. It's one of the physiological reasons why so many distance-running champions come from the Ethiopian highlands, and why training here, even for a few days, leaves a real mark.
A nation of champions: Ethiopia has won more than 60 Olympic medals, nearly all in athletics. Abebe Bikila remains a legend in a class of his own: the first Black African Olympic champion in history, winning the Olympic marathon in Rome barefoot in 1960, then again in 1964. Derartu Tulu became the first Black African woman Olympic champion in 1992, and Tirunesh Dibaba is Ethiopia's most decorated runner with 3 Olympic golds and 3 bronzes between 2004 and 2016, alongside legends like Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele.
Did you know? Ethiopia is often cited as the cradle of humanity: this is where 'Lucy', one of the world's most famous human fossils, was discovered. It's also one of the few African countries never colonized, with its own calendar (7-8 years behind, 13 months) and a mosaic of 80+ ethnic groups and Orthodox Christian and Muslim traditions that have coexisted for centuries.
Ethiopian roots, and a relationship to self-improvement forged by more than ten years of basketball as a point guard and serious competitive amateur boxing. That athletic background is where my taste for structured effort comes from. Running now holds a central place in my daily training, and I remain an active runner: recently ranked 46th out of 873 at Geneva's Course de l'Escalade. A graduate with a Master's in Finance from HEC Lausanne, I bring the same rigor to organizing your trips as I do to my own training. With French and Amharic as my native languages and fluent English, I can speak directly with local communities, with no middleman or translation needed. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, I operate from Europe while keeping a real foothold on the ground in Ethiopia. Field experience guiding groups of ten-plus people, including as a travel guide, and firsthand knowledge of the routes and communities you'll meet. The same person who replies to you on WhatsApp is the one guiding you on the ground.
Between two runs, there's a moment where the group truly stops: the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, prepared in front of you, and an active recovery day designed as a real highlight of the trip.
A gradual acclimatization, day after day.
Examples of planned routes, for guidance only. The pace stays an endurance pace, adapted to each runner.
Terrain: roads and dirt tracks, with some trail sections. Runs take place in the morning.
The level depends on the intensity and length of the runs, the altitude and the terrain, much more than on speed. A regular runner, comfortable with long runs on hilly terrain, is at the right level. Prior altitude experience isn't required: acclimatization is part of the program.
Not quite at that level yet? No worries: walking outings are available alongside the running sessions, and the pace is adjusted individually throughout the trip.
Travelling as a couple or a family and not everyone runs? A non-running companion can also join the trip, at the same price, and enjoy walks, cultural visits and discovering the country while the group is out running. Message us to talk it through.
Selected 4-star hotel in Bole for the nights in Addis Ababa, the capital's best-served district: minutes from the airport, surrounded by restaurants for your own meals, and one of the best-kept areas of the city.
Bole is farther from the Entoto highlands (roughly 45-60 min by road), but the included private driver takes the hassle out of that drive: the group leaves straight from the hotel, with no reliance on public transport or negotiating a taxi each morning.
Shared double room with a same-sex participant. Single room available on request, subject to availability. Message us to discuss it.
Breakfast and lunch included daily. Dinner is on your own most evenings (except the welcome and closing dinners, which are included): a chance to explore the neighborhood's restaurants at your own pace.
In the highlands and the Rift Valley, the stops are in smaller towns. We choose local accommodation there: simpler than the Bole hotel, but well placed for the runs. That's part of experiencing the country from the inside.
Schedules can shift, a transfer can take longer than planned, some steps get adjusted on the ground. We anticipate these surprises and handle them, so you can focus on running and on the journey.
Our itinerary stays focused on Addis Ababa, the highlands and the Rift Valley, and avoids the regions the Swiss FDFA (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs) advises against. We follow official guidance before every departure and adjust the program if needed, which is also why travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Addis Ababa is a capital of over 6 million people, with the usual realities of any large city (heavy traffic, areas to avoid at night, normal vigilance with your belongings). Nothing Ethiopia-specific here: these are the common-sense precautions you'd take in any megacity. That's exactly why you never handle any of it alone: door-to-door private driver, guide present at every step, no improvised travel on your own. The real risk of a big city is having to navigate it unaccompanied, and that's not your situation.
Neither of these dates works for you? Abysso Run Private is organized around your own dates, on request.
The Full Service rate depends on the ticket price available at the time of booking; it is confirmed with you before payment.
Coming with a friend? CHF 100 off for you, CHF 50 off for them, once their spot is confirmed. Up to CHF 300 off in total for you.
You fill in the form below.
We talk it through and I answer your questions.
You receive an email with the invoice and a waiver to sign.
Your spot is confirmed once the CHF 300 deposit and the signed waiver are received.
Online group meeting ~10 days before departure: Abysso Run presentation, participants meeting each other, practical reminders and altitude preparation.
The first participants won't be joining an already-written adventure. They'll help write it. Their experience, their images and their stories will become the first traces of this journey.
The program is for regular runners comfortable with long runs on hilly terrain. The real challenge is the altitude.
In the Essential package, no: the flight to Addis Ababa is at your own expense. A common arrival window is shared with the whole group to make booking flights easier. Ethiopian Airlines flies to Addis Ababa from many European cities, including Geneva, Zurich, London and Frankfurt. If you'd rather we handle it, the Full Service package includes the flight and the visa, at a rate confirmed at the time of booking.
Two windows per year for now, timed to the best weather conditions in the highlands.
Yes, every departure mixes runners from several countries. Guiding is done in French and English, with Amharic on top for direct exchanges with local communities.
You get CHF 100 off and your friend gets CHF 50 off as soon as their spot is confirmed with a deposit. It's cumulative up to CHF 300 off for you: if you bring several people, the discount applies each time, within that limit.
Yes: CHF 300 deposit at booking, 50% of the balance 60 days before departure, final balance 30 days before. For late bookings (less than 60 days before departure), payment is split into 2 instalments instead.
Yes. It's actually the most common case for this kind of trip. You join a small group (10 participants maximum) that bonds quickly through the shared experience from day one.
With another same-sex participant also travelling solo. Want your own room instead? That's available as an option on request. Message us to check availability and the supplement.
By bank transfer, with the IBAN sent directly in your invoice once your dates are confirmed on WhatsApp.
Yes, without distinction. Mixed groups are the norm and the program is the same for everyone.
The guide immediately adjusts the pace or pulls the person from the run if needed. Local assistance can be mobilized for medical needs, which is why travel insurance with repatriation cover matters.
The included breakfast and lunch can accommodate common diets (vegetarian in particular, very common in Ethiopia). Since dinner is on your own, you choose where and what to eat based on your needs.
It's the heart of the dry season: sunny, mild days at altitude (around 20-23°C), cool to cold nights (5-10°C) depending on altitude. Bring layers rather than one heavy warm item.
Yes, absolutely. Just mention it during the WhatsApp exchange so we can adjust your return flight and, if needed, your final transfer.
Photo/video coverage is part of the experience. However, images in which you appear are only used for Abysso Run's communication (website, social media) with your consent, asked separately when you register and which you can withdraw at any time.
Our itinerary (Addis Ababa, highlands, Rift Valley) avoids the regions the Swiss FDFA advises against. We check its advice before every departure and adjust the program if needed.
The price depends on the number of participants, your preferred dates and the accommodation level. Message us on WhatsApp with your constraints, and we'll send a custom quote within a few days.
Yes. Running clubs, teams or groups of runners can book a private departure on the dates of their choice. The program is tailored to the group's level and goals (marathon preparation, altitude training block…), with the same standards as our regular departures. Group rate from 6 people: message us with the number of participants and your dates to receive a quote.
Yes, with Abysso Explore: ten days between Addis Ababa, the Rift Valley and the Bale Mountains, as an all-inclusive private trip, flight and visa included, on the dates of your choice. See the offer.