enchanting brochure

Enchanting Enchanting Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Welcome to the Enchanted Land

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thiopia possess a wealth and variety of ancient legends and fascinating attractions

Riven by deep and stupendous gorges, crowned by high and magnificent mountains, neck laced by a chain of lakes, watered by majestic rivers, studded with burning deserts and great escarpments that plunge down from its highlands, Ethiopia is a land of wonder and enchantment.

It is old beyond imagination. More than three million years ago, one of our first ancestors walked that portion of the earth that is now Ethiopia: namely, Lucy (Dinkenesh to Ethiopians), meaning ‘Thou Art Wonderful’.

Its ancient and medieval monuments, its proud and colourful cultures, and its varied and often unique wildlife sets it apart from all else.

Ethiopia, dissected through its middle by the scar of the Great Rift Valley, is as old as time itself. It is a land claiming a history that goes back to the Old Testament. It is the land of Sheba, and of Axum and Lalibela, of towering obelisks and the Ark of the Covenant – a land that was Christian before much of Europe and yet unknown to Europe for 1,000 years or more; a land that dwelt in limbo, forgotten by the world which it never forgot.

From the vast spread of Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile through the relics of Axum, down along the scorching inferno of the Danakil Depression and high amid the wonders of Simien and Bale Mountains to the untouched, game filled wilderness of the remote southern grasslands, Ethiopia is an odyssey of discovery.

Many visitors know Ethiopia for its splendid rock-hewn churches and colourful ceremonies.

But it is Ethiopia’s people who join with the spectacular scenery, abundant fauna and fascinating religions to truly round out the character of this ancient land.

Enchanting Ethiopia

Addis Ababa Wide tree-lined streets, fine architecture, a bustling railway station, glorious weather, and the incongruity of donkey trains trotting along the boulevards, make Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, a delightful place to explore: a city of surprises characterized by remarkable diversity and contrasts.

Addis Ababa’s cosy espresso bars and patisseries are reminiscent of Rome and the Mediterranean, and its bustling outdoor markets are colourful reminders of more traditional

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ounded by Emperor Menelik in 1887, this big, sprawling, hospitable city still bears the stamp of his exuberant personality

ways of life. The people, the bursts of music from cafes and shops, the pungent aromas of spicy cooking, of coffee and frankincense, form a unique Ethiopian pastiche.

From its inception Addis Ababa was clustered around two main centres: the palace to the east and the market, with Saint George’s Church, to the west. Together they generated so much activity that the capital grew and developed rapidly.

By the late 1950s Addis Ababa was recognised as the unofficial capital of Africa, and thus was made the headquarters of the United Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in 1958.

Later, in 1963, it was chosen as headquarters of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

Today Addis Ababa, which bears the imprint of many of these past developments, is a major metropolis with a population approaching an estimated three million.

Located at the centre of Ethiopia, the city stands at the very heart of Ethiopia and enjoys connections with the country’s economic zones. Addis Ababa is Africa’s unchallenged diplomatic capital, with more than 70 embassies and consular representatives clustered in the mountain city.

There is much to do and see within the capital whether at night – at the variety of night clubs offering all manner of music from traditional Ethiopian to modern pop, as well as dancing – or by day.

Addis Ababa has a large number of hotels throughout the city, from inexpensive ‘budget’ accommodation to the most luxurious. The Five Star hotels have everything for the international traveller, including high-tech telecommunications and conference facilities.

Enchanting Ethiopia

Places and Travel Debre Markos: Taking the historic route north from Addis Ababa, the first stop is Debre Markos, 305 kilometres north of the capital and also accessible by air three times a week with Ethiopian Airlines. Here you will find the 19th century church of Markos (Saint Mark), with its pale but beautiful paintings depicting scenes of biblical and religious history.

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he well-trodden path through Ethiopia’s famous and historic places shelters priceless relics from a powerful and religious ancient civilization

Bahar Dar: Bahar Dar, the next stop, is 560 kilometres from Addis Ababa, has daily Ethiopian Airlines flights and a number of good hotels. It is located on the southern shores of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, with its ancient island monasteries and the Blue Niles’ most spectacular feature, the Tis Isat waterfalls. On the island of Dega Estefanos you will find the church of Saint Estifanos which has a priceless collection of icons and manuscripts and houses the mummified remains of a number of Ethiopian emperors.

Gondar: which Emperor Fasilidas founded as his capital in 1636, is the site of numerous castlelike palaces, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The city was Ethiopia’s capital until the reign of Emperor Tewodros II, also known as ‘Theodore’. During the long years when it was a capital the settlement emerged as one of the largest, and most populous, cities in the realm.

The oldest and most impressive of Gondar’s many imperial structures is the palace of Emperor Fasilidas. There are also numerous other fascinating historical buildings and relics, the most spectacular being, Debre Berhan Selassie.

Axum: Halfway by road to Axum from Addis Ababa is Ras Dashen which, at 4,543 metres, is Africa’s fourth-highest mountain. Axum, the northernmost stop along the route, is the site of Ethiopia’s most ancient city and is renowned for its Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion, where, as legend has it, the original Ark of the Covenant is housed. Axum is also famous for its seven mysterious monolithic stelae, carved from single pieces of granite and with identical decorations. The biggest of them is 33 metres high and weighs over 500 tonnes. It was the largest monolith in the world but fell at some time in the past.

Yeha: in the administrative region of Tigray, was possibly Ethiopia’s oldest major settlement.

An hour-and-a-half’s drive from the ancient city of Axum, with at least one obligatory photostop on the journey, it is little more than five kilometres from the modern commercial centre of Adwa. Yeha, which is set amid imposing mountain scenery, is well worth visiting. It is the site of the country’s most ancient temple, a remarkable huge stone structure, and a fine and richly endowed Ethiopian church of more modern times.

Enchanting Ethiopia

Places and Travel Makale: On the return journey to Addis Ababa the route takes you through Makale, 777 kilometres from the capital. It is famous for its rock-hewn churches – of which there are some two hundred in the region – beautifully decorated and some house important religious artefacts.

Lalibela: The last stop on the route is Lalibela, 642 kilometres from the capital, with good hotels and with daily Ethiopian Airlines flights. Once the thriving capital of medieval dynasty, Lalibela is internationally renowned for its rock-hewn churches which are sometimes called the eighth wonder of the world. Carved out of the rock in which they stand, these towering edifices seem to be of superhuman creation in scale, workmanship and concept.

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hrough the millennia the Omo River’s waters have cut stupendous gorges. Wild game roam in abundance on both banks, while colourful birds dart in and out of the lush vegetation

Harar: Off the oval-shaped, almost north-south historical route, is Harar, 523 kilometres due east of Addis Ababa. The most dominant features of Harar are its strong encircling walls, which tightly embrace the town, its rich and exciting market place – probably the most colourful in Ethiopia – its 99 mosques and the fully restored Rimbaud’s House named after the eccentric French poet. Harar has managed to retain its medieval character, charm and glory and is now a fascinating stopover for the traveller.

Omo Valley: Reckoned by enthusiasts to be one of Africa’s premier locations for white-water rafting, the Omo River’s early fury takes it through gorges hundreds of metres deep and over fish and the huge shapes of crocodile and hippo.

On the final leg of its journey south to Turkana, the Omo forms the border between Kefa and Gamo Gofa provinces. It is here that Ethiopia’s largest nature sanctuary, the Omo National Park – one of the richest in spectacle and game and yet one of the least-visited areas in East and Central Africa – is located. The Mago National Park, has been established on the eastern bank of the river: a land of endless, distant horizons. Most easily reached from the town of Jinka, Mago National Park is mainly savannah, with some forested areas around the rivers. It was set up to conserve the large numbers of plain animals in the area.

The parks are extensive wilderness areas and wildlife can be prolific. The birds are also typical of the dry grassland habitat, featuring bustards, hornbills, weavers and starlings.

Enchanting Ethiopia

Nature & Wildlife

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alia ibex, Simien fox, gelada baboon, mountain nyala, snail eating frog, giant molerat . . . these and other creatures are all endemic Ethiopian

Ethiopia is a land of natural contrasts, from the tops of the rugged Simien mountains to the depths of the Danakil Depression which, at 120 metres below sea level, is one of the lowest dryland points on earth.

The cornucopia of natural beauty that blesses Ethiopia offers an astonishing variety of landscapes: Afro-Alpine highlands soaring to around 4,300 metres, deserts sprinkled with salt flats and yellow sulphur, lakelands with rare and beautiful birds, moors and mountains, the splendour of the Great Rift Valley, white-water rivers, savannah teeming with game, giant waterfalls, dense and lush jungle... the list is endless.

The Bale Mountains National Park, which covers an area of 2,470 square kilometres, contains Ethiopia’s second highest peak, Mount Batu (4,307 metres). It is an area where one can either walk or drive, one of the best places to see the endemic Simien red fox, the mountain nyala and Menelik’s bushbuck. Amongst a profusion of birds, other animals to be seen include Anubis baboons, colobus monkeys, giant forest hog, lions and leopards. The creeks of the park, which become important rivers further down, offer some of Africa’s finest fishing for both rainbow and brown trout.

The two southernmost of the chain of Ethiopia’s Rift Valley lakes, Abaya and Chamo, are the lushest in vegetation and the richest in wildlife. The Nechisar National Park embraces the eastern shores of the lakes and was established as a sanctuary for the endemic Swayne’s hartebeest. The lakes support many species of fish, including the Nile perch and the tiger fish, as well as hordes of hippos and crocodiles. The bluff between the lakes has numerous springs, after which the nearest town, Arba Minch, ‘40 springs’, is named.

Not far from the Bale Mountains is one of the world’s most spectacular and extensive underground caverns: the Sof Omar cave system. Formed by the Web River as it changed its course in the distant past and carved a new channel through limestone foothills, Sof Omar is an extraordinary natural phenomenon of breathtaking beauty.

Enchanting Ethiopia

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ndeed, it is the charm of Ethiopia that is most infectious which makes people want to return

PHOTOS © PAOLA VIESI

Ethiopian People

Ethiopia, like many other African countries, is a multi-ethnic state. The people of Ethiopia are as diverse and contrasting as the country itself. There are 200 different dialects. The semitic languages of Ethiopia are related to both Hebrew and Arabic, and derived from Ge’ez, the ecclesiastical language. The principle semitic language spoken in the northwestern and central part of the country is Amharic, which is also the official language of the modern state.

Other main languages are Tigrigna, Guragigna, Harari, Afar, Oromo, Somaligna, Sidamigna, Afarigna, Gumuz, Berta and Anuak. The Tigrigna- and Amharic-speaking people of the north of the country are mainly agriculturalists, tilling the soil with ox-drawn ploughs and growing teff (a local millet), wheat, barley, maize and sorghum. The most southerly of the semitic speakers, the Gurage, are also farmers and herders, but many are also craftsmen. The Cushitic Oromo, formerly nomadic pastoralists, are mainly engaged in agriculture and, in the more arid areas, cattle-breeding. The Somali, also pastoral nomads, forge a living in hot and arid bush country, while the Afar, semi-nomadic pastoralists and fishermen occupy one of the most inhospitable desert or semi desert areas around the Danakil Depression. They are certainly proud and individualistic, and eke a living out of the challenging wilderness. Living near the Omo River are the Mursi, well-known for the large clay discs that the women wear inserted in a slit in their lower lips.

Elsewhere around the country there are a number of smaller communities whose cultures, languages and traditions are related to different facets of Ethiopia’s long history.

Folk culture is also an important element of today’s Ethiopia. Artists and craftsmen make their own contributions to the country’s cultural and social development. Almost every town has its own cultural troupe made up of singers and dancers, poets and writers, and its own cultural hall in which the troupe recreates the songs and dances of a bygone age in a particular area.

Enchanting Ethiopia

The New Spirit of Africa

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ommited to provide you with more choice and more comfort

Visitors have much to savour in the antiquities that bear visual testimony to Ethiopia’s past. And today Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most accessible countries, thanks to the wide connections forged by the national carrier, Ethiopian Airlines.

Established over 60 years ago, the airline is acknowledged as one of the finest on the continent and has become one of Ethiopia’s best ambassadors.

With around 56 international and 30 domestic destinations from Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Airlines is the only airline to fly daily east-west services across Africa and its domestic route network is one of the swiftest ways to explore this ancient and exciting land. With all the improvement and new aircraft coming on-stream, Ethiopian Airlines is well on its way to becoming Africa’s World Class Airline.

Ethiopian Airlines offers customers convenient daytime arrival at, and departure from, their home countries, minimum connecting times for those continuing their journey to other Ethiopian destinations as well as a wider selection of flights for their connections beyond the Ethiopian Airlines network.

Enchanting Ethiopia

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