Ethiopian Destinations
ADDIS ABABA
With a population of more than two
million people, Addis Ababa is not only the
political capital but also the economic and social nerve-center of Ethiopia.
Founded by Emperor Menelik in 1887, this big,
sprawling, hospitable city still bears the stamp of his exuberant personality.
More than 21,000 hectares in area, Addis Ababa is
situated in the foothills of the 3,000 meters Entoto Mountains and rambles
pleasantly across many wooded hillsides and gullies
cut through with fast flowing streams.
Like any other capital in the world,
there is more than enough for anybody to do in
Addis. There are numerous restaurants offering various exotic dishes.
Addis Ababa is as cosmopolitan as any of the world's
great metropolises, and the architecture is as varied as the city
itself. Tall office buildings, elegant villas,
functional bungalows, flat, fashionable hotels,
conference halls, and theaters - gleaming
in their marble and anodized aluminum - vie for
attention alongside traditional homes of wattle and daub, surrounded by
cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens. Addis Ababa
simply grew in a natural, organic way, and its present appearance reflects
this unforced and unstructured evolution..
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LALIBELLA
King Lalibela is credited with the
foundation of the 11 rock-hewn churches in the 12th
Century. One of the world's most incredible man-made creations, they
are a lasting monument to man's faith in God. These
remarkable edifices were carved out of solid rock, in a
region where the rugged landscape still protects the
churches from mass tourism. The 11 man made churches are found in and
around the town of Lalibela. Other churches are
reached by a 45-minute drive. The venue for some of the most famous
church festivals in Ethiopia, a visit during the
great celebrations of Timket (Epiphany) is particularly rewarding.
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AXUM
Axum, Ethiopia's most ancient city,
and capital of one of the most glorious empires of
the past, is one of the most illustrious links in the Historic Route. The
Axumite Empire flourished 3,000 years ago. Its
riches can still be pictured on the magnificent stelae or obelisks, the
graves of King Kaleb and King Gebre Meskal, and the
legendary bath of the Queen of Sheba.
The 16th Century Cathedral of St
Mary of Zion was built based on an earlier 4th
Century church, and is the holiest church in Ethiopia. In its sanctuary is
said to rest the original Ark of the Covenant. The
churches and monasteries of Axum houses are richly endowed with
icons, and some of the historical crowns of ancient
emperors.
Some 76 km from Axum is the
monastery of Debre Damo, which is said to have the
oldest existing intact church in Ethiopia. Local tradition says that
Abune Aregawi, one of the nine Saints, built the
church in the 16th Century. The Monastery of Debre Damo can only be
reached by rope pulley. It is worth noting that the
monastery is closed to women. Some 55 km east of Axum is the 5th
Century B.C temple of Yeha. Its massive walls house
Judaic relics and historic artifacts.
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BAHAR DAR
Bahar Dar is a small town set on the
south-eastern shore of Lake Tana, where local
fishermen still use papyrus boats. It is just 30 km from the spectacular
Tisisat Falls. Here the Blue Nile creates "Smoking
Water" an awe-inspiring sight as it plunges into the gorge below.
From Bahar Dar you can explore some
of the ancient monasteries that have been built
around Lake Tana, or on its many Islands. These include Dek Stephanos
with its priceless collections of icons, the remains
of several medieval emperors, Kebran Gabriel and Ura Kidane Mehret
with its famous frescoes. The colorful local market
at Bahar Dar is renowned for its weavers and wood workers.
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GONDOR
Gondor was the 17th Century capital
of Ethiopia and is notable for its medieval castles
and churches. The City's unique imperial compound contains a number
of castles built between 1632 and 1855 by the
various emperors who reigned during this period. These dramatic
castles, unlike others in Africa, display richness
in architecture that reveals the Axumite traditions as well as the influence
of Arabia. Other treasures of Gonder include the
18th century palace of Ras Beit, the bath of Fasilades, the ruined palace
of Kusquam, and the church of Debre Berhane Selassie
with its unique murals.
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ARBAMINCH
Arbaminch an Amharic word to say
‘forty springs’. It is 510km from the capital city
.En route travelers can also visit villages of Sidamo, Oromo, Welayeta as well
as with the Dorze Tribes. The renowned Wenney
Ecolodge Langano provides an excellent vantage point to see and
experience all that Arbaminch has to offer.
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BACO
Baco features some wonderful local
villages and ethnic life in towns such as Konso,
Tsemay and Bena . Baco is the traditional mountain market town
located just 75 miles from Arbaminch. It is located
on the Debub Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and
peoples region.
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MURSI
Going to Mursi and visit the
numerous local ethnic groups is a rewarding
experience for international travelers. Excursions to see the Mursi people also
provides the experience of visiting Mago National
Park. These people are curious and famous in that the women wear
geometrical lip plates in the slits of their lips
and the men practice extremely old and fierce stick fighting rituals.
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TURMI
Drive to Turmi where we will enjoy
the weekly market of the Bena people. The Bena women
are simply stunning. They wear their hair in dense ringlets
smeared with mud and clarified butter and topped off
with a head-dress made out of an oblong aluminum plate. Their necks
and chests are adorned with string upon sting of
cowries shell and colorful beaded necklaces of varying lengths. Chunky
metal wristlets and armlets, shiny nails appended to
skirts, multiple earrings simple leather garments are all so a la
mode. This tribe is an inspiration to all. Overnight
fixed tents or bungalows at the Evangadi lodge.
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KONSO
As you travel to Konso, travelers
get to experience first hand local Erbore villages
and admire Macheka and New York of Konso village. The Konso, a pagan
people, erect eerie wooden totems (called Waka)
replete with phallic symbols over the graves of the dead and have numerous
cults based around the breeding and veneration of
serpents. The cornerstone of Konso culture, however, is a highly
specialized and successful agricultural economy
that, through terracing buttressed with stone, enable these people to
extract a productive living from a none-too fertile
hills and valleys that surround them.
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MAKALE
Although Lalibela is unique, it is
not the sole site of Ethiopia's famous rock-hewn
churches. In Tigray near Makale, over 200 fine examples of these monuments
to man's devotion to God, as well as his building
skills, may be seen.
The capital of the Emperor Yohannnes
IV (1871 - 1889), Makale is now the main town of
Tigray, the northern most Ethiopian region. The emperor's palace
has been turned into a particularly interesting
museum, with many exhibits of his time and subsequent history. The town is
also well known as a transit point for the camel
caravans bringing salt up from the arid lands of the Danakil
Depression. Intrepid visitors can also make
excursions into the Danakil to visit some of the
Afar nomads that trek across the region.
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HARAR
Dating back to 1520, the city of
Harar is an ancient and holy city. Always an
important trading centre, the city is famous for its ancient buildings, its great
city walls and with 99 mosques; the town is also
known as a centre of Muslim learning. The city is noted for its superb
handicrafts that include woven textiles, basket
ware, silverware and handsomely bound books.
Harar has been a place of pilgrimage
from all over the world for many years.
The City Walls and the narrow
streets are lined with traditional Harari Gegar
houses. Rimbaud House A fine example of a traditional house, dating from the
period when the French poet Rimbaud lived in Harar.
As evening falls, the Hyena Man leads local men to attract wild
hyenas to the city. In a bizarre spectacle they
bravely feed these dangerous scavengers.
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