Travel Guide Nekemt

Altitude: 2,108 m. Population: 120,000. Distance from Addis Ababa: 340 km. Linked to Addis Ababa by a new asphalt road, the capital of Welega is just one of the major economic centres in an agricultural and forestry region, with gold, platinum, copper, iron and lead mines making it rich. Its main square still bears the Red Star, symbol of the Marxist Derg regime, which no one has ever thought of removing. A museum dedicated to the culture of the Oromo people expresses their strong identity. And with good reason: in the mid-19th century, the town was the Oromo capital of the Wolega empire, ruled by King Bekere Modana and his son. They submitted to Emperor Menelik when the region was conquered in 1880. In addition to the Thursday and Saturday markets, this museum is the town's main attraction.Benishangul-Gumuz, a mysterious land. This strangely-named federal region stretches over 2,000 km along the Sudanese border. Unknown because it has hardly ever been visited, this province remains a veritable field of exploration. Asosa, its regional capital, is easily accessible from Nekemt, via Ghimbi and Mendi. The 347 km route, dotted with vast mango plantations, leads from the town of Nejo through a region renowned for its gold veins. Some of these mines have been exploited since the dawn of time, awakening the fantasies of those who seek to identify the legendary "King Solomon's Mines", whose riches are said to have helped establish the mythical sovereign's power. The poor road network makes it difficult to explore from the north. However, there are two options: from Gondar along the road leading to Sudan, or from Bahar Dar, via the town of Injibara towards Guba. It will undoubtedly take a long time to define the region's real tourist attractions, including the very particular culture of the local populations (Gumuz, Berta, Mao, Komo and Shinasha). The region is currently not very safe due to armed groups from Sudan and nearby South Sudan.