I am a photographer based in New York. I was always attracted to the people of Omo Valley and going there was a dream. I came across Emany and it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I cannot explain how warn and caring person he is. He took me to all the tribes I asked for. He can easily communicate with all the tribes and has a good relation with all of them. He will give you access like you wouldn't even imaging. I have travelled all around the world and I know the importance of having a good guide. A guide can make or break your trip. Emany is one of the best guys I have ever came across. Our relationship didn't end in Ethiopia. We still regularly keep in touch and he is like a family to me now. I would definitely recommend him to a friend. 

Trupal Pandya
www.trupalpandya.com

Visiting Ethiopia is a great experience and having Emany as a guide for the south was a big luck. He has an excellent knoledge about the tribes and by his personal friendship with the natives you get close contact with them. It is quite a singular adventure to sleep in a tent beside the huts of a Hama family, which is living in the middle of nowhere like in ancient times. 

In the two weeks with Emany I very quick reckoned him not only as my guide, but as well as a friend. My trip to Ethiopia is now a year ago and we are still in contact, we are chatting on Facebook and writing us mails. I think, this is a good proof, that I was perfectly satisfied by his person and his service. Thank you Emany, I had a great time!

Karin Hauke / Spain

I met Emanuel by chance in Turmi, a small town in Omo Valley,  when he kindly offered me his laptop to check my email. I was coming from a very disappointing experience around the most touristic trail in the area and he suggested I should go with him for few days and visit some remote villages. As I was looking for a local guide who could take me to the not so touristic places, I didn’t think twice.

We went by motorbike to some remote places and then we trek to visit Hamer and Arbore villages where we spent several days. This is without any doubts the highlight of my trip! I was able to take more natural photos and without paying for every click! He is not only very professional but a great human being.

If anyone is planning to visit the Omo Valley (specially photographers) give Emanuel a call, I highly recommend him. An important point is that, apart from Amharic and English, Emanuel speaks perfect Hamer.

John Quintero
Photographer based in London
www.johnquintero.com

I found thru a post on internet for a treeking tour in april/may 2014, I  got in touch with him by mail, then by phone and we hit it off right away. Spontanuously we agreed on a hiking, walking trip thru the Omo valley, visiting tribes of Hammer, Mursi and others. 

Emanuel wrote at the time:  

"I am from the Hammer and Bena tribes families , so am thinking to take you to off the beaten tracks of the different villages of the inhabitants in the lower omovalley areas including the tribes king house in Hammer , Bena , Konso and the Mursi tribes and we can do all this by trekking  while climbing the Buska mountain which is 2200 meter above sea level to meet the Hammer tribes chef/king while camping in Buska mountain forest via enjoying the natures and experiencing the real life's of the villagers in and around the Buska mountains and so far..

And while we will trekking perhaps we gonna use sometimes Motorbike and Donkey to load all camping and or valuable equipments and this is due to i do sometimes motorbike tour .
I mentioned all the above highlights because of you told me that you focus on peoples and remote landscapes."

We finally agreed to use a 4W car for the major distances, but walked a lot in between. Sometimes we slept in cheap, sometimes luxury hotels, sometimes in a hamoc, which Emanuel provided with camping equipement, right next to the round hut of local peasants. 

Emanuel has a knack for talking to the people, whatever the tribe, to establish a personal relationship and to make you partake and penetrate their lives. That is sometime adventurous and improvised on the spot, not always comfortable, but always real and on a human level.

We were both disgusted by the exploitation made of the MURSI tribes, the way they are given and give themselves as a spectacle, greedy and self abasing. Worse than any "pygmee" exhibition and "Nubian shows" in the 19th century. 

Whereas with Hammer and other tribes we became very friendly, impressed by their skills and independance. And beauty. We once bought a goat on the market to bring as a gift, in exchange for hospitality, followed the boys climbing trees to get honey by night, barbecuing our own goat, following the boys to the cattle jumping initiation rites (soem done for tourists, some totally genuine). 

Emanuel was always on top of the situation, whatever the circumstances, knowing the best places to get food, where to meet interesting people, and soon becoming a caring friend for the foreigner I was. We had a lot of fun.

Volker Schloendorff
www.volkerschloendorff.com

germany

My name is Jesse Walker and I’m the founder of ENKI EYEWEAR from Sydney Australia. In 2013 i collaborated with my wonderful friend Sarah Christensen a photographer also from Sydney to shoot the AKSUM//AFRICA.2013 campaign. We originally thought we would just find a guide when we arrived easily enough, but after researching on Trip Advisor we stumbled across two amazing reviews about Emmanuel. The feeling was right and we went with it. From the first moment we met Emany we knew he was a genuine and beautiful soul, and also just straight up cool ! On this campaign we worked really long hours for 2 weeks driving in and out of the Omo Valley daily, Emanuel helped us in so many ways make this time so pleasurable and the results were amazing. From translating to finding the authentic non touristic tribes deep in the Omo Valley Emany was the man, being from the Hamer Tribe himself he speaks different dialects and can clearly communicate with the tribes and from this he has full respect from the them which is really important if you are searching for a genuine tribal experience. We had no idea how TOUGH it was going to be working in Africa, we saw many tourists find local guides and not have a not so nice and genuine experience. We were so lucky to have found Emany and in the end we knew we that not only had he made our dreams come true, but we had found a friend for life, we couldn’t recommend a more professional and cooler guy for the job. Emany we love you !

Jess Walker

www.enkieyewear.com
Instaram: Enki_Eyewear
Tumblr: Enki Eyewear

Ethiopia, specifically the Omo Valley, was a great surprise for us. The meeting, almostrandom, with Emany, allowed us to touch pristine realities that probably, with tour operators more organized, are not reachable. We have been in contact with various tribes, we shared moments of celebration and moments of everyday life with them, from the coffee and honey ceremonies in the huts to the embraces of children: it was really exciting and even more stimulating it was to discover that for some people we were the first whites they encountered. This trip gave us a lot from the human point of view, with the help of Emanytwo very different worlds approached.... and definitely left an indissoluble memory in our hearts and in our minds. 
I highly recommend this trip and certainly the guidance of Emany: you will look at the world differently when you return!

Laura Zampieri