Ethiopia ought to be one of the world’s most visited places and, with a push, it will be. Here we have put together some of the fascinating things available that show you exactly why you don’t want to miss a visit to Ethiopia in the prime of the traveling season…
In this article, I have summarized some of the most intriguing things to see or do in Ethiopia. Hopefully, they will convince you to visit and encourage you to value the historical worth of this great nation.
(follow our YouTube channel – Dejene Ethiopia Tours – for a deeper insight)
The overall view of Ethiopia:
This incredible country comes with as many as 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 2 Unesco national parks, 2 Unesco heritage events ( Ethiopian holidays, astonishing to behold and to visit. Ethiopia’s tremendous mountain highlands are known as the “Roof of Africa”, and are one of the most captivating places to go for a hike. Aside from the lush highlands, Ethiopia is also home to Lake Tana – the source of the Blue Nile.
Ethiopia is a nation of wonder with more sites to see and places to visit than what a single visit can contain. From the colorful salt lakes of dallol to the impressive depressions that form some of the lowest places on earth, Ethiopia offers an adventure that can not be compared. The scenic nature is a sanctuary for dozens of endemic animals, like the Ethiopian wolf or Chilada baboons, that can only be found in Ethiopia.
On top of the thrilling sites, Ethiopia is also an ideal place for expanding business opportunities and trading in fresh goods. Spices, clothing, and locally grown crops are a great business in the country, and Ethiopia, on its own, is responsible for as much as 3% of the global coffee consumption.
Market Days are Social DaysThe market experience is another thrilling feat that is often underestimated – almost anywhere you find yourself in the local market prices are always up for a debate or bargain, which forms a social interaction between the buyer and seller. This social experience becomes highly important as it is also where people get to come together to share news and to mingle with the community. The Ethiopian people are welcoming to outsiders and are always happy to share their way of life, their culture, and history with others.
Ethiopia’s Overall Appeal
The staggering locations, natural hot springs, and lakeside resorts set the scene for a perfect vacation. Offering a world of fun activities and places to visit…
Tourism:
From north to west and east to south, Ethiopia offers wonderful sites to see in every direction of the country. With dozens of unique African tribes, our traditional food and music, endemic and exciting animals, hiking trails and national parks, museums and botanical gardens, island monasteries, and monumental cathedrals, Ethiopia is a place like no other. Visiting and seeing all the astounding sites and things that Ethiopia has to offer surely makes for the experience of a lifetime, and then some.
Ethiopia has opened her arms to the world beyond, and every year more and more people are seeing the value of a visit to the “Birthplace of Humanity”, also known as the “Cradle of Mankind”. Ethiopia has something for everyone, both old and young, the adventurous as well as the calm. Don’t miss out on this experience, Ethiopia is currently waiting.
In the past few years Ethiopia has had a difficult time, the covid pandemic has been hard on Ethiopia, but more than that; the war in the North of Ethiopia is a tragedy for all of Ethiopia.
We at Dejene Ethiopia Tours are optimistic and believe that it is our job to help build the county back up…
An Ancient Culture
Ethiopia stands out in so many ways and with so much to offer. Ethiopia is composed of over 80 tribes and is home to nearly 200 dialects, with each tribe maintaining their own portion of cultural heritage to add to the nation as a whole. Some of these tribes, like the Hamer, Mursi and Karo tribes from the Omo Valley, cling to lifestyles which were founded thousands of years ago…
Religion And Religious Sites
Ethiopia shelters people from all manner of religions, the religious history of Ethiopia is profound and goes deep into the past – as many of the museums will showcase with artifacts and recorded history. But more than just a great number of religions, Ethiopia is home to dozens, if not hundreds, of religious sites of great significance. Visiting the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, which is considered as a new Jerusalem to many Ethiopian people, is beyond thrilling as it shares a deep insight into the historic and religious past. The northern stelae fields of Axum is another incredible place to visit, standing as a testimony to the Ethiopian empire that once stood as one of the 4th strongest civilizations of its time.
Adding to the numerous religions and religious sites are the vibrant holiday feasts and traditional celebrations observed throughout the country. Meskel, Timket, Genna and many others, are holidays which showcase a greater side of Ethiopia’s devotion to their religious heritage. These holidays offer visitors the chance to see how Ethiopians will unify in honorable remembrance of their history and their religions past, and it is one heck of a show to watch!
Historic Foundations
Just like the numerous religious sites which add to Ethiopia’s religious appeal, even so Ethiopia is loaded with historical places to visit. The city of Axum was once the capital and center of the Axumite (Ethiopian) Empire. The ruins and remaining structures from that era and time, like the 115ft tall monolithic Aksumite obelisks, still remain standing as a bold testimony to the greatness and ingenuity of the past. Not far from the town of Axum you can even find the remaining ruins of an early palace said to have belonged to the Queen of Sheba.
The Walled City Of Harar
Considered the 4th most important city in the worship of Islam, the walled city of Harar makes up another astonishing place to visit among Ethiopia’s numerous historic sites. Harar is located in eastern Ethiopia and carries an ancient feel through all of its roads and alleyways. The walled city hosts 110 mosques and is home to a unique chat (qat) culture. In Harar it’s mostly men who chew chat, though some women will also be found chewing, people are often seen walking and holding plastic bags full of chat. The custom is to meet up, socialize and work while simultaneously participating in a common chat chewing session locally referred to as birtcha. As a visitor you’ll likely be invited to participate in one or many birtchas, and to accept the invitation will enable you to get to see the local homes and personal life-styles of all types of people.
The Scenic Nature
The incredible climate of Ethiopia offers a broad contrast of nature. It is a wonder to explore and discover, visiting the salt plains and volcanic areas of the Danakil Depression, taking a boat ride across the vastness of Lake Tana, hiking to the height of Mount Dashen in the Simien Mountains. All this and more will make it near impossible not to enjoy your visit.
The Simien Mountains is one of Ethiopia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a place some would refer to as “God’s playground”. For hikers, no place in Ethiopia offers as much scenery, wildlife and great hiking terrain as what you’ll find in the Simien Mountains in northern Ethiopia. The area is marked by rocky plateaus, sinuous gorges, valleys and high rising mountain peaks. Mount Dashen (a.k.a Ras Dejen), the highest mountain in Ethiopia and fourth highest in Africa, stands at an altitude of more than 4,550m above sea level. The Simien Mountains is also home to numerous wildlife including the Simien wolf, the Walia Ibex, baboons and others.
A Variety Of Wildlife
Not only is Africa famous for its extensive wildlife, but Ethiopia in particular is home to numerous endemic animals and birds which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. With over a dozen national parks, zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, Ethiopia’s wildlife is beyond mesmerizing to visit in person. Seeing animals like the Ethiopian wolf, the Walia Ibex, the Gelada baboons and many others is surely a wonder in itself, but in this case only accounts for a portion of the adventure you will embark on.
The Blue Nile Falls
Tis Abay (Tis Issat – smoking water) – the Blue Nile Falls – is an awe-inspiring feat of nature which has attracted visitors for decades. Sourcing from the vastness of Bahir Dar’s Lake Tana, this amazing waterfall is best viewed during the peak of the rainy season which empowers its mighty current with an abundance of water. The falls earned their name from the humid mists of smoke-like droplets formed by the mighty loads of water plunging 150 feet down to the continuation of the Nile River. The famous Nile crocodile lives in the area and can on occasion be seen moving about by the riverbanks.
The Cultural Diversity Of The Omo Valley
The Omo River Valley is a geographical location full of cultural diversity. The unique Ethiopian tribes which reside in the region cling to the way of life they have lived for numerous generations. Nowhere in the world will you find as much cultural variety as you can in the Omo Valley. Ethiopia is a nation that has never been colonized, this fact becomes an incredibly important factor once you consider how untouched and unaltered these small societies are, and visiting them might very well be like stepping through a doorway leading directly into the past…
Festive Commemorations
Ethiopia stands proud of her talented people and their warm yearly celebrations. With music and film festivals, vibrant and immersive holiday festivities, national competitions, renowned musical talents, artists, art galleries and more, Ethiopia is able to represent and uplift a broad variety of talented individuals, their art and the music genres which were founded on Ethiopian soil before being gifted to the rest of the world. Genres like Ethio-Jazz, or art like the traditional Ethiopian artists have left on display in Addis Ababa’s frequently visited museums, all help to add to the overall appeal of visiting Ethiopia. In so many ways, Ethiopia has so much to stand proud over, and so much more to share with the world around us.
During the Meskel celebrations (finding of the True Cross), many hundreds, if not thousands of Ethiopians, will dress up in their white church garments and take to the streets to celebrate together. This holiday feast is mesmerizing to see with your own eyes, just be careful not to get lost in the crowd.
The Ark Of The Covenant
This fascinating relic plays a significant role in history and can be found mentioned in the Bible, in Israel’s history and also in Ethiopia’s. In the story of Menelik I, it is said that Menelik I left Jerusalem with the Ark of the Covenant in his possession, bringing it with him back to Ethiopia.
In many legends of today, the Ark of the Covenant is said to rest in one of Ethiopia’s most holy and most guarded monasteries, tended to by a single monk whose life’s task is to guard the Ark.
Some of the island monasteries on Lake Tana are in possession of their own Tabot (replica of the Tablets of Law), showcased as a display of the common Ethiopian belief that the real Ark of the Covenant is hidden away in Axum (northern Ethiopia) in the St. Mary of Zion cathedral.
The Ethiopian Calendar
Ethiopia follows the Coptic type calendar with 13 months in a year. This type of calendar consists of 12 months of 30 days, and then the remaining 5 or 6 intercalary days make up the 13th month. With this in mind, it becomes fully comprehensible how Ethiopia is able to offer “13 months of sunshine” – a slogan which is both true and encourages visitors to return through every season.
The Cradle Of Humanity
Ethiopia’s roots are found deep in the soil of history. Ethiopia is believed to be one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with history records tracing its past back thousands of years – even the fossils of the first hominid beings were unearthed right here in Ethiopia, which gave the country its title as “The Cradle of Humanity”.
The National Museum of Ethiopia is the place to go if you’re looking to lay eyes on the ancient remains of Lucu, the 3.2-million-year-old fossil of the oldest hominid. The skeleton fragments went on tour though the U.S. for about 6 years before returning home to rest in Ethiopia’s national museum. Other fossils, like Selam and Ardi, are preserved in the museum’s state-of-the-art facility. The museum also offers a display of other interesting historical shards, preserved weapons, fascinating art works and necessary tools of the past.
Ge’ez
The Ge’ez language is the key that has unlocked numerous historical writings inscribed onto the ancient ruins of the past. Much of Ethiopia’s history was first recorded in Ge’ez and only through the knowledge of this ancient language are we able to know so much about all the fascinating things the wonderful nation of Ethiopia has endured, the empire it once was and the proud country it remains today.
History Of The Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity
Complimented by its awe-striking history, extraordinary civilization, manifold cultures and religious lifestyles, Ethiopia is one of the oldest predominantly Christian countries in the world. Ethiopia estimates 36 million Orthodox Christians and thereby hosts the world’s second-largest Orthodox Christian population after Russia. The religious commitment in Ethiopia is profound and shows itself through festive holidays, individual lifestyles and cultural traditions.
Christianity’s beginning in Ethiopia is commonly traced back to the biblical account of the Ethiopian queen Candace’s Eunuch who was converted and baptized by the apostle Philip (Acts 8:26-38). However, it wasn’t until the 4th century that Christianity rose to become the official religion of Ethiopia (the Aksumite Empire). And during the time between the 4th and the 7th century major religious ordeals were undertaken and set into motion to further Christianity within the country. For centuries now, the history of Ethiopia has been preserved along with its Christian heritage, which has remained as a symbol of independence for hundreds of years…
Traditional Ethiopian Cuisine
The variety of tasty dishes and delicious sauces you’ll discover in a traditional Ethiopian restaurant might astonish you. There are so many types to enjoy and to choose from. But more than just the food itself, eating traditional Ethiopian food in a traditional manner means to share the experience with friends, family and, on occasion, even strangers. Ethiopian food is commonly served on top of a semi-sour and locally made flatbread named Injera, which is eaten with the hands (right hand) and used to scoop up the various stews set before you. This is a great time to socialize, while tasting the soothing spices which are combined to compose such a masterpiece of delicious foods. The options range from spicy meat stews to stir fried veggie dishes, and offer varieties which appeal to all people who indulge the traditional approach to Ethiopia’s traditional cuisine and then learn to love it.
A Land Of Coffee
Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, and the coffee culture here is beyond astonishing to say the least. The legend of the goat-herder Kaldi goes back into the 9th century. In the story, Kaldi is said to have noticed how his goats behaved strangely energetic after nibbling on the small red beans. His curiosity got him to bring the beans to the local monks who believed there to be a bad influence over them. They tossed the beans into the fire, but regretted it almost instantly as the soothing aroma of the roasting beans began to rise into the air. After cooling the beans with water, they had unwittingly discovered the way to brew and enjoy coffee.
The Ethiopian coffee ceremony is an experience you definitely will need to try out at least once, if not several times over and over again. Watching the fresh beans roast, grind and brew into an amazing final cup of coffee is simply something words cannot describe.
Coffee is a huge business in Ethiopia and as Ethiopia’s main export product, coffee production provides employment for up to 15% of the country’s population. And Ethiopia is responsible for producing as much as 3% of the world’s global coffee consumption!
Beer Culture
Even the lively nightlife and Ethiopia’s beer culture is a feat to share and take part in, with more than 6 different types of excellent beer brewed right here in Ethiopia. Almost anywhere you find yourself out in the evening, you’ll be able to find bars loaded with people socializing and sharing their personal achievements or nation-wide news. Beer does at night what coffee does throughout the day – it brings people together. While visiting, be sure to sample Ethiopia’s locally brewed beer and be prepared to love it!
Did you know …?
- Ethiopia is home to the oldest hominid fossils unearthed. That’s right, the 3.2 million-year-old skeleton ‘Lucy’ was discovered here.
- The biblical Ark of the Covenant is believed to be housed in one of Ethiopia’s astonishing religious structures.
- More than 80 languages, with as many as 200 accents, are spoken throughout Ethiopia – including English. And Ethiopia is also home to 80 different tribes, all with their own cultures, traditions and lifestyles.
- Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, is the highest capital city in Africa, situated at an elevation of 2,355m above sea level.
- Ethiopia’s Rift Valley is an incredible natural attraction, so grand that it can even be seen from space!
Dejene Ethiopia Tours
And there you have it, a good number of reasons why you should travel to Ethiopia. So many opportunities to start a perfect holiday getaway. The Ethiopian adventure is more than a vacation, it is the journey of a lifetime and the source of memories that will last forever.
We at Dejene Ethiopia Tours are here to help you plan the adventure that is perfect just for you. So check out our website, find our exclusive offers, and book your tickets today!
Have you ever tasted Ethiopian cuisine? Or visited any of Ethiopia’s unique sites? What did you like the most?
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