Ethiopia

What to see

Addis Ababa

Founded in 1887, the city survived a fuel shortage by planting eucalyptus to burn and has grown into an urban sprawl, best known as the home of the 3.5 million year old skeleton of Lucy, kept in the city’s Ethnographic Museum.

Blue Nile

The Blue Nile flows through the country. Trace its journey from close to Lake Tana, renowned for its island monasteries, downstream to a set of spectacular waterfalls.

Simien Mountains National Park

In the heart of the Ethiopian Highlands, these rugged mountains are home to Ras Dashen, Africa’s fourth highest summit. There is superb trekking and good wildlife spotting opportunities whilst the Rift Valley lakes further south are ideal for bird spotting and home to huge flocks of flamingo.

Bale Mountains National Park

A wide range of ecosystems including wooded lowlands and bare plateaus are home to plenty of species of animal that can be easily spotted on walking safaris.

Danakil

100m below sea level, the Danakil Depression is one of the hottest and most inhospitable places on earth, with active volcanoes, permanent lava lakes and adventure a plenty.

Top experiences / sites of particular interest

Lalibela

The eleven astonishing rock-hewn churches carved out of the bedrock are striking, unique structures believed to have been built with the help of angels that are still key sites for pilgrimage and offer a chance to witness Christianity in its most raw and powerful form.

Aksum

Ethiopia’s holiest city and ancient capital is home to spectacular carved granite obelisks and the church where the Ark of the Covenant is reputed to rest.

Gonder

The former capital of the country is the hub of many of Ethiopia’s historic trade and travel routes and now home to a number of celebrated church and castle ruins.

Lower Omo Valley

A fascinating area dotted with traditional villages and home to one of Africa’s last great tribal communities.

When to go

Weather & Seasons:There are three basic temperate zones in Ethiopia: the lowland are hot and humid, the hill country generally warm and the upland areas cooler. Rainfall tends to be concentrated between June and September, with the dry season being October to March. October to January is probably the best time to visit, with the country at its greenest.

Important dates and festivals: Celebrations are based around Coptic or Islamic calendar events. Major celebrations include Epiphany (Timkat) on 19 January, best enjoyed in Gondar, Easter (Fasika), watched in Lalibela and Christmas (Leddet), which is marked by intense fervour in Addis Ababa. The late emperor Haile Selassie’s birthday is remembered on 23 July whilst Ethiopian New Year takes place on 11 September.

Getting there / around

Flights: There is an international airport just outside Addis Ababa (ADD) . There are also a number of domestic airports well serviced by internal flights.

Roads: are generally all-weather and so passable in most conditions. Cheap, rather slow but essentially reliablebuses operate between most of the larger centres and tourist areas.

Car hire: is possible in the capital but drivers should be wary of driving after dark and conscious of regular fuel shortages in the country.

Rail:The only serviceable railway operates between Addis Ababa and Djibouti.

Potential itineraries

Shorter Trips: Ethiopia isn’t all that easy to get around so allow plenty of time to explore the sites and attractions of this extraordinary destination. An historical loop of the northern part of the country, starting and finishing in Addis Ababa, which takes in Lake Tana, Gonder, the Simien Mountains and Aksum before turning south again to visit Mekele and Lalibela, then returning to the capital will take around a month by road and two to three weeks if you add in a couple of internal flights.

Longer Trips:Allow two to three weeks to head south from Addis Ababa in search of the country’s fascinating tribal groups in the Omo Valley and best wildlife.

Guides

Overall Country Guides: There are only a couple of comprehensive guidebooks for Ethiopia. Pick up either the Bradt guide to Ethiopia or the Lonely Planet guide to Ethiopia & Eritrea. Hurst publishes a comprehensive History of Ethiopia.

Maps

Country Maps: The Reise Know-How map of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia offers full country coverage at a reasonable scale. Cartographia also produces a map of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti.

Trekking Maps: Trekkers should pick up the good quality map of the Simen Mountains from the University of Berne.

Read More

The Emperor by Ryszard Kapuscinski is one of the great works of reportage. It follows the Polish reporter as he travels to Ethiopia in the wake of the deposition of Haile Selassie in 1974, in order to talk to surviving courtiers and gain an insight into the lavish, corrupt world they operated in under a ruler who maintained absolute power, until his ousting by the Ethiopian military.

The Chains of Heaven is his memorable account of returning to a country that got under his skin and changed the direction of his life in order to walk hundreds of miles and explore a region torn apart by civil war. The result captures the country’s raw appeal and celebrates its people and spirit.

Michela Wrong’s I Didn’t Do it for You is a compelling and occasionally comedic account of Ethiopia’s contemporary history that provides insights into the national psyche. 

Sight & Sound

Music: Listen out for an azmari or wandering minstrel who ad lib songs and play a masenko, single stringed fiddle, for the entertainment of crowds in the larger towns. You’ll also hear intense resonating drums reverberating around the many churches.

Language

Amharic.

Currency

Ethiopian birr, made up of 100 cents.

Visas

UK and US citizens require a visa upon entry.

Health issues

Cholera, Diphtheria, Hep A, Hep B, Meningitis, Polio, Rabies, Typhoid and Yellow Fever vaccinations are recommended. Malaria is also present in the country.

Safety, FO travel advice

Generally safe but there are some counts of petty and opportunistic crime in the major centres. There is occasional banditry in rural areas and visitors should avoid the border areas close to Kenya, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan which can be more volatile.

Useful Telephone Numbers

Ethiopian country representatives can be found

in the UK at

and in the US at

There are no tourist boards in either country.

For more information visit www.ethioembassy.org.uk, or www.tourethio.com.