Journey through the oldest independent country of Africa with a fascinating blend of history, culture and people, in this 10-day, hotel-based Safari.

Highlights: Addis Ababa, Kombolcha, Debre Estifanos Monastery, Lake Hayk, 11 stone-hewn churches in Lalibela, Gondar, Semien Mountains, Blue Nile Falls, Bahir Dar, Lake Tana.

Detailed itinerary

About ETHIOPIA

• Area: 1,127,000 sq km²
• Capital: Addis Ababa
• Currency: Ethiopian Birr
• Climate: Ethiopia is pretty pleasant all year round, with temperatures in Addis Ababa averaging around 20°C (68°F) no matter what season it is. The rainy season is from mid-June to the end of August.
• Population: 55 million, making it the third most populated country in Africa.

• People: Oromo (40%), Amhara and Tigrean (32%), Sidamo (9%), Shankella (6%), Somali (6%), Afar (4%), Gurage (2%)
• Official language: : Amharic, Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English
• Time: GMT plus three

Topographic profile

From the north and running down the center are the Abyssinian highlands. To the west the land drops off to the grasslands of Sudan and to the east are the deserts of the Afar and the Red Sea. The land south of Addis Ababa is dominated by the Rift Valley Lakes.

The main rivers are the Blue Nile, the Tekezze (which joins the Nile in Sudan) the Awash, the Wabe Shebelle, the Omo, and Baro and Birbir.

History & Background: Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Sub Saharan Africa. The earliest evidence of Ethiopian history was in around 1000BC when the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon. Unique among African countries, the Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule throughout the twentieth century, with the exception of the Italian occupation of 1936 – 1941 . In 1974 a pro- Soviet Marxist-Leninist military junta , the Derg , deposed Emperor Haile Selassie , who had ruled since 1930 , and established a one-party socialist state. The ensuing regime suffered several bloody coups , uprisings, wide-scale drought , and massive refugee problem. It was eventually defeated in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces under the name Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). In 1994 a constitution was adopted leading to Ethiopia's first multiparty elections in the following year.

Clothing

Pack light clothes for the daytime and jacket or sweater for the evenings, and a good pair of walking shoes even if you are not going trekking - pathways around historic sites are usually uneven and stony.

A cultural note:

Ethiopians are generally modest dressers and visitors should be sensitive about going underdressed into places of worship. Shoes must always be removed before entering churches and mosques. For getting around sites like Lalibela with its many churches, airline socks are very useful.

Food

The Ethiopian national dish consists of injera, a flat, circular pancake made of fermented dough on top of which are served different kinds of cooked meats, vegetables and pulses.

The sauces are generally spiced with berbere, a blend of herbs and spices (including hot peppers) which gives Ethiopian food its characteristic taste.

Vegetarians should try "fasting food" (for devout Ethiopian Orthodox Christians fast days make up nearly half the year), a colorful spread of Salads, vegetables and pulses, devoid of all meat and animal products.

One eats national dishes with right hand (water for washing is usually brought to the table before the food is served), tearing off pieces of injera to pick up the "toppings".

Photography

As a matter of courtesy, permission should be sought before photographing individuals and in many parts of the country, particularly among the Afar and among the ethnic groups living by the Omo River, people will demand a fee. In some sites (Blue Nile falls for example) there is a charge for video photography.

Best Time to travel:

Ethiopia has two main seasons, the dry season which lasts from mid-September to the end of May, and the rainy season which goes from June to August, with an average temperature of 25° C. The best time to visit Ethiopia is from September to May.

Contact Vancouver Travel Consultant Chris Boecker for African Safaris!

                                        

                              Join our 10 day Cultural Discovery Safari

Itinerary:

	Day 1 Addis Ababa. You will be met on arrival at the airport and transferred to your hotel. After meeting up with the rest of the tour group we depart on an afternoon city tour. Visit the National Museum, St George Church and the Entoto Mountains with a great magnificent view of the city.
	Day 2 Kombolcha. Today we head for Kombolcha in the Amaha region south of Dessie. There we can admire a stunning view and if sun we visit the Oromo and Afar people market at the Senbete village. Here you can try your haggler skills to buy some jewelry, crafty work, woven materials and baskets. [BLD]
	Day 3-4 Lalibela. We drive to Lalibela. On our way we stop for a visit to the Debre Estifanos Monestary on a cryptic island in Lake Hayk. On the fourth day of our tour we visit the world Heritage site by Unesco, the stone hewn churches are again quite marvelous. You will spend the day stepping back in time and exploring the remarkable churches described as 'the creations of angels' in and around Lalibela. [BLD BLD]
	Day 5 Gondar. Take a morning drive to Gondar, the 17th Century capital of Ethiopia. Gondar has now become one of Ethiopia's largest and most impressive cities, with its walled royal enclosure. This enclosure contains several well-preserved castles and other old buildings. Spend the afternoon exploring castles and churches in Gondar: castle's compound, the Debre Birhan Sellasie church (light of Trinity), the King Fasiladas bath, old Qusquam monastery, Empress Mentewab palace. [BLD]
	Day 6 Simien Mountains National Park. We continue on to the Simien Mountains National Park. This fascinating and awe-inspiring wilderness consists of hundreds of canyons and gorges, with mountain peaks that soar to more than 4000 meters. The Simien's dramatic topography is a result of the erosion of basalt lavas, which have been calculated to be nearly 3,000 meters thick. Cracks have developed, opening the way for points of erosion; the cracks in the hard resistant basalt were widened and deepened by floods creating deep trenches. The result is an incredible array of jagged carvings reminiscent of America's Grand Canyon. We will also search for 3 endangered species found nowhere else in the world, namely the Walia Ibex, the Simien Wolf and the Gelada (an extremely rare baboon). There will be a 3 hour guided walk after which we return to Gondar and our hotel. [BLD]
	Day 7 Bahir Dar. We leave Gondar und make our way to Bahir Dar. This city is situated on the southern point of Lake Tana, wellspring of Blue Nile. Jesuit settlers founded it in the 16. century from which the P? building dates. Today?s Bahir Dar is the commercial center of the Amhara province. Nearby you can find the holy Selassie palace and the Blue Nile Falls. [BLD]
	Day 8 Blue Nile Falls, Lake Tana. Today we drive to admire the Blue Nile falls. These amazing waterfalls are 400 meters wide and more than 45 meters in height. Return for lunch in Bahirdar. Take an afternoon boat trip of about 4-5 hours on lake Tana to admire the beautiful monasteries (Ura Kidane Mehret, Mahal Zeghie Gyorgis and if time permits the Asua Mariam). The lake has an amazing network of 37 islands scattered over the surface of 3000 square km. [BL]
	Day 9 Addis Ababa. Return flight to Addis Ababa. In the Omoro Language the city is known as Finfinne or Shaggar. Today Addis Ababa not only a political capital, but also a social and commercial center. You will see modern buildings beside traditional houses, wide-open places und forest, mostly covered with eucalyptus trees. Because of its altitude Addis Ababa is the third highest capital. [B]
	Day 10 Addis Ababa. You have the day free to explore Addis Ababa on your own before your flight back or continuing to your next destination. Tour ends after airport transfer. [B] END OF SERVICES.