Elabered Estate

Elabered is a large agricultural estate on the road between Asmara and Keren, set up in the colonial period on irrigated land in a valley where water is available, and it has run more or less continuously since: citrus, mango, papaya and vegetables, a dairy herd, and vineyards producing some of the country's wine. The green of the irrigated blocks against the dry hills around is striking from the road. Water for the irrigation comes from the Anseba river system, which is what makes cultivation possible at all in country this dry.

What you actually see

• The irrigated blocks - green cultivation against dry surrounding hills.
• The orchards - citrus, mango and papaya across the estate.
• The dairy - the herd kept on the irrigated pasture.
• The vineyards - the plantings producing Eritrean wine.

When to go

Year round; the estate works through the seasons. Harvests vary by crop through the year. The main rains fall June to September.

Honest expectations

It is a working farm and visits must be arranged; there is no visitor operation. A travel permit is required for the road. Photography of agricultural and industrial facilities is restricted.

Nearby

Keren is north, and Asmara is southeast.