Ethiopia

Highlights

• National Museum: in Addis Ababa contains the remnants of 3.5 million year old Lucy, possibly mankind’s earliest ancestor. The Ethnographic Museum is a perfect place to learn about Ethiopia’s rich cultural diversity.
• Rift Valley lakes: are one of the top spots for bird watching. There are seven lakes including one blue, one silver and one brown.
• Lalibela: is a very isolated place and a center of pilgrimage. Spending a few days here will give the impression you’ve landed in a kingdom no less than seven centuries back in time.
• Simien Mountains National Park: is easily accessible and offers great trekking, inspiring views and a huge variety of wildlife.
• Sof Omar Caves: are one of the most spectacular and extensive cave systems in the world. Formed by the Web River through the limestone rock, the caves are an astonishing natural phenomenon and a place of awe-inspiring beauty.

Thirteen months of sunshine, anyone? Ethiopia is the place for you! Even though the famous historical loop and the rest of the highlands get rain between mid-March and September, this period still sees plenty of sunshine most days.

The highlands in the north and far east see even more sun, with considerable rain falling in July and August. Temperatures rarely rise above 86°F during the day and sometimes drop to almost freezing at night.

Festivals & Events

Celebrations in Ethiopia are huge and colorful affairs, mostly religious, and are often held over several days.

• January: Timkat Feast of the Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Christ. A Mass at 02:00 is accompanied by picnics with oil lamps.
• April: Patriots’ Day celebrates the end of Italian occupation in 1941.
• August: Buhe 21 sees groups of small boys calling at each house, singing and hustling until they are given some fresh dough, as in money.
• September: Enkutatash New Year also celebrates the Feast of John the Baptist with children dancing through the villages dressed in new clothes.
• December: Kullubi Feast of St Gabriel sees a huge pilgrimage to St Gabriel’s Church on Kulubi hill, eastwards from the capital.

• Wildlife safaris: in one of Ethiopia’s 14 main wildlife sanctuaries are usually done in four-wheel drive vehicles, but walking safaris or riding on mules is also possible.
• Hiking: through wild landscapes in Simien Mountains National Park, the moorlands of the Bale Plateau and the countryside surrounding Lalibela.
• Shopping: in the Mercato, one of Africa’s largest markets, located in the western sector of Addis Ababa.
• Swimming: in the Rift Valley, particularly in Lake Langano which offers windsurfing and waterskiing. Natural springs in the Awash National Park and at Sodere Filwoha form pools that are highly cherished for their healing benefits.
• Fishing: in the rivers and streams of the Bale Mountains and the numerous lakes in the Rift Valley. Boat trips can be arranged with local fishermen.

Addis Ababa is the main air hub and the domestic flight network is extensive and prices reasonable. There’s also a fine network of cheap but slow buses along all key roads. The only working railway line runs between Addis Ababa and Djibouti. Taxis are available in the capital and these include blue-and-white mini buses, which sometimes run on a shared basis and are inexpensive.

You’re more likely to be bitten by a tsetse fly than by a bullet, but stay clear of border areas and eastern Ethiopia beyond Harar. When encountering devotees of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church or Islamic religions, it’s better to keep quiet then embroil yourself in a religious discussion. Stick to bottled water, be careful of what you eat and keep out of the sun. Health facilities are very limited in Addis Ababa and insufficient outside the capital.