Dila

Introduction

Dilla is a market town and separate woreda in southern Ethiopia, and serves as the administrative center of the Gedeo Zone. Once part of the former Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, it now sits within South Ethiopia Regional State. The town lies on the main road from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, making it a natural stopping point for travellers moving through the region.

Set at an elevation of around 1,570 meters, Dilla was formerly part of Wenago woreda and is today surrounded by Dilla Zuria woreda. As a market town and administrative hub, it offers a practical base for exploring the surrounding Gedeo countryside.

Three days in Dila

Day one: Arrive in Dilla, the town at the heart of the Gedeo Zone. Once you have settled, take a walk through the streets and get your bearings in this part of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, now within South Ethiopia Regional State. Dilla is the natural base for exploring the surrounding Gedeo countryside, so use the afternoon to adjust to the pace of the town.

Day two: Head out into the wider Gedeo Zone. The area around Dilla Zuria and the town of Wenago gives you a sense of the landscape and the communities that define this part of Ethiopia. The Gedeo are the people whose name the zone carries, and the settlements here are strung across the highland terrain between Dilla and its neighbours.

Day three: Set aside time for the journey onward. Dilla sits on routes that connect this part of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region with larger cities, including Addis Ababa to the north and, beyond Ethiopia's borders, Nairobi. Before you leave, return to the centre of Dilla for a final look at the town that has been your base in the Gedeo Zone.