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Addis Ababa
Meaning, new flower is the capital of Ethiopia and the seat of the head of state founded in 1886 by Emperor Menilik the 2nd and his wife Queen Tahaytu who played an important role for the existence the city. Because of the inconvenient location of their former capital mount Entoto, queen Tahaytu persuaded and convinced her husband to be given a plot of land by the side of the hot spring water which is now served as a public spa and resort center for the citizens. Then she built up a small house where she installed herself in the later days. Addis Ababa is marked at the cross roads of the country with an average altitude ranging between 2500 – 2800masl which is suitable for human settlement and is the political and economical center of the country. It also hosts local and international organizations- like the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN), Economic commission for Africa (ECA) and other Embassies as well as governmental and none governmental organizations.
Bahirdar
Meaning by the side of the sea and is a lakeshore town set at the northwestern section of Ethiopia with a stretch of about 563kms from Addis Ababa south of Lake Tana. Bahirdar is now served as the capital of Amhara national regional state since the dawn fall of the Communist/Derg Regime in 1991. No tangible evidence that testifies the exact time depth in which this urban settlement came to existence. However, local historians dated it back to the 12th and 14th CAD (After Christ) following the Muslim-Christian conflict. Both Lake Tana and Blue Nile River with its majestic falls give an enticing setting for Bahirdar to retreat and explore those medieval Christian churches and monasteries doted on the islands and peninsulas of aforementioned lake. Basketry works and other handcrafts made by the local communities are also some of the activities extending tourist staying in Bahirdar.
Bahirdar
Meaning by the side of the sea and is a lakeshore town set at the northwestern section of Ethiopia with a stretch of about 563kms from Addis Ababa south of Lake Tana. Bahirdar is now served as the capital of Amhara national regional state since the dawn fall of the Communist/Derg Regime in 1991. No tangible evidence that testifies the exact time depth in which this urban settlement came to existence. However, local historians dated it back to the 12th and 14th CAD (After Christ) following the Muslim-Christian conflict. Both Lake Tana and Blue Nile River with its majestic falls give an enticing setting for Bahirdar to retreat and explore those medieval Christian churches and monasteries doted on the islands and peninsulas of aforementioned lake. Basketry works and other handcrafts made by the local communities are also some of the activities extending tourist staying in Bahirdar.
Gondar
Ethiopia had lost its political integrity due to a continuous political chaos after the decline of the Zagwey dynasty in the beginning 13th CAD (After Christ). This political instability finally made the county not to have permanent political settlement for centuries. Therefore, it was in this condition that Gondar flourished as a permanent capital of Ethiopia in the 17th century. It was founded in 1632 by a certain King Fasiledes ruled his monarch for about 3 decades. Gondar lasted as a center of politics, economy and religion for more than 250 years. The majestic stone castles that are confined with in a 70,000sqm area, Debre Birhan Silassie/ the church of Trinity know by its biblical mural paintings, the bath of King Fasiledes, the Fellasha village where the Ethiopian Jewish used to live and the Simen mountains NP are all made Gondar to be one of the best tourist destinations in the country. It is a UNSCO world heritage site spotted at an altitude of 2600masl with an estimated population of about 180 thousand people. The festivals of the Cross-day which commemorates the finding of the true Cross by queen Elena of Rome in the 4th CAD (After Christ) and Ethiopian Epiphany or Timket that recalls the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan river are also highly venerated and colorfully observed in Gondar on the 27th of September and 19th of January each year, respectively.
Yeha
A small rustic village located at the very northern section of Ethiopia just some 50kms northeast of Aksum town was once used as a seat of pre-Aksumite state known as the “Damat” state and was flourished in the most part of 8th CBC (Before Christ). Archeological excavations have had revealed different pre-Aksumite artifacts, stone inscriptions and Manuscripts of parchments in the vicinity. Ruin of 12ms high stone structure “moon temple” is one of the remarkable existing witnesses of ancient Ethiopia’s strong relationships with South Arabia and Yemen. The temple believed to have been served as a sacrificial-altar for the South Arabian “god of moon” known as ALMUQAH and Judaic belief in the later days. However, the importance of Yeha as a center of trade and politics, was engulfed by the Aksumite Empire in about the 1st half of the 1st C BC, and then in the 6th CAD (After Christ), the area was changed in to Christianity by one of the 9 Syrian saints, father Aftse in which the church named after his name.
Yeha
A small rustic village located at the very northern section of Ethiopia just some 50kms northeast of Aksum town was once used as a seat of pre-Aksumite state known as the “Damat” state and was flourished in the most part of 8th CBC (Before Christ). Archeological excavations have had revealed different pre-Aksumite artifacts, stone inscriptions and Manuscripts of parchments in the vicinity. Ruin of 12ms high stone structure “moon temple” is one of the remarkable existing witnesses of ancient Ethiopia’s strong relationships with South Arabia and Yemen. The temple believed to have been served as a sacrificial-altar for the South Arabian “god of moon” known as ALMUQAH and Judaic belief in the later days. However, the importance of Yeha as a center of trade and politics, was engulfed by the Aksumite Empire in about the 1st half of the 1st C BC, and then in the 6th CAD (After Christ), the area was changed in to Christianity by one of the 9 Syrian saints, father Aftse in which the church named after his name.
Aksum
The mysterious city of Axum is an oldest urban settlement located in the northern periphery of Ethiopia at an altitude of 2100masl with an estimated population about 51,000 people. Once it was marked by great civilization of ancient world and goes back to the time of the Greco-Roman empire. The Aksumite Empire flourished in about the 1st half of the 1st CBC (Before Christ) and was one of the ever so powerful states in ancient world, lasted for more than 1000 years as a social, political, economical and religious center. Its trade routes were extended as far beyond crossing the red coast up to China, Persia, Greek, Turkey, Rome and India through its entire port, ADOLIS. Aksum reached to its zenith in between the 3rd and 7th CAD (After Christ) and began to decline in the beginning of the 8th century, then finally went in to crack dawn starting in the 11th CAD (After Christ) due to internal and external problems. Aksum is still recalled by its age old relics and precious antiquates, like: – royal cemeteries marked by giant and small steals curved out of a single block of stones; under ground tombs; ancient burial cemeteries, stone inscriptions; coinages from gold, sliver and bronze; others like, the bath and ruin palace of queen of Sheba; St. Mary of Zion Church where the original Ark of the Covenant believe to have rested are some of the very few place of interests in Aksum and the surroundings.
Lalibela
It is a small town but with remarkable rock hewn churches situated on a rugged mountain plateau rising up to more than 2400masl. Roha was its former name and served as the capital of Zagwey Dynasty from which king Lalibela ruled after. It was flourished in the 12th CAD (After Christ) following the decline of the Aksumite state and named after King Lalibela who cut those magnificent churches from a single block of rocks. Lalibela lasted as a capital of Ethiopia for more than 133 years, that is form 1137-1270. There are more than 11 rock hewn churches in Lalibela cluster, which are still active Christian worshiping centers. As a result, Christian pilgrims from all over the country are travelling to this holy site on the 7th of January every year to attend on the festival of Ethiopian Christmas and the birth of king Lalibela him self.
Lalibela
It is a small town but with remarkable rock hewn churches situated on a rugged mountain plateau rising up to more than 2400masl. Roha was its former name and served as the capital of Zagwey Dynasty from which king Lalibela ruled after. It was flourished in the 12th CAD (After Christ) following the decline of the Aksumite state and named after King Lalibela who cut those magnificent churches from a single block of rocks. Lalibela lasted as a capital of Ethiopia for more than 133 years, that is form 1137-1270. There are more than 11 rock hewn churches in Lalibela cluster, which are still active Christian worshiping centers. As a result, Christian pilgrims from all over the country are travelling to this holy site on the 7th of January every year to attend on the festival of Ethiopian Christmas and the birth of king Lalibela him self.
Harar
Following the destruction of Port Adolis of Aksum on the Red Sea coastline in the beginning of 8th CAD (After Christ), another alternative trade route in the Eastern section of Ethiopia began to be implemented through port Zeyla and the Gulf of Aden. Then, the new Harbor became an important and frequently used by traders’ form Africa and beyond who eventually set up their own small polities in the surrounding highlands. Harar was one of those villages founded by some Muslim traders in about the 10th CAD (After Christ). Its social, political, economical and cultural significances basically established during the medieval period in the 14th CAD (After Christ) and reached to its apex in the mid 16th CAD (After Christ) by the leaders of its sultanate Mohamed Ibin Ibrahim Algazi who highly attacked and pushed the Christian Empire form their strongholds in central Ethiopia to the north. During this time, Harar minted its own coinages, established strong commercial relationships with internal and external nations and forted the town by a high trenched wall to protect it form the outside invaders. Then the power of Harar started to decline in the 19th CAD (After Christ) following the occupation of Egypt over the city from 1875-1885. Finally, Harar became a part of Ethiopia’s Christian Empire after king Menelik the 2nd of Ethiopia defeated its last Emir, in 1887. Today, Harar is considered to be as the 4th holiest shrine in the Muslim world next to Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem, and is mainly inhabited by the Harari people. Oromo, Argoba and Amhara societies are also living in the town. The fort that surrounds Harar, the Harari Houses with unique traditional identities, Museums, Mosques and so on are some of the cultural, historical and religious values of Harar. The live wild-Hyena man shows performed by the local communities is also another evening entertainment in the “Walled City”.
Geraltha Churches
The rock-hewn churches of Geraltha are located on the Hawzen mountain ranges just about 200ks in NE direction of Axum town, which is in Tigray provunce of Ethiopia.
The Hawzen plains are offering the most spectacular views in Ethiopia marked by an exceptional sandstone mountain escarpments, steep Cliffs, arduous paths, gorges, river valleys that are extended as far many kilometers in distance and flat surface plains covered with small shrubs and acacia woodland vegetation.
Most of Geraltha churches are cut from the face of high rising vertical rock pillars above 4000mts and are spotted at the great summits of those skyline mountain chains. Especially, the church of Mariam Korkor, Danieal Korkor, Abune Yemata/Guh, Kidanemihret at mount Zion, Yohanies Mekudi are some of the few churches reached by a sheer cliff faces, mountain tertian and quiet adventurous climbing paths using rock handgrips and footholds. They are decorated by religious fresco paintings depicting scene from biblical lore and Traditional stories.
Local tradition has it that most of the churches are dated back to between the 4th and 6th CAD (After Christ) while modern historical and written evidences that was found in one of the churches, confirmed their age much later than in between 13th and 14th CAD (After Christ). They are still active liturgical worshiping centres of Ethiopian Orthodox religion since the earliest days.
Geraltha Churches
The rock-hewn churches of Geraltha are located on the Hawzen mountain ranges just about 200ks in NE direction of Axum town, which is in Tigray provunce of Ethiopia.
The Hawzen plains are offering the most spectacular views in Ethiopia marked by an exceptional sandstone mountain escarpments, steep Cliffs, arduous paths, gorges, river valleys that are extended as far many kilometers in distance and flat surface plains covered with small shrubs and acacia woodland vegetation.
Most of Geraltha churches are cut from the face of high rising vertical rock pillars above 4000mts and are spotted at the great summits of those skyline mountain chains. Especially, the church of Mariam Korkor, Danieal Korkor, Abune Yemata/Guh, Kidanemihret at mount Zion, Yohanies Mekudi are some of the few churches reached by a sheer cliff faces, mountain tertian and quiet adventurous climbing paths using rock handgrips and footholds. They are decorated by religious fresco paintings depicting scene from biblical lore and Traditional stories.
Local tradition has it that most of the churches are dated back to between the 4th and 6th CAD (After Christ) while modern historical and written evidences that was found in one of the churches, confirmed their age much later than in between 13th and 14th CAD (After Christ). They are still active liturgical worshiping centres of Ethiopian Orthodox religion since the earliest days.
Omo Valley
The Omo valley region of Ethiopia is a part of the great East African rift system bounded with Kenya in its southern part. To explore the real and exceptional African culture, belief and tradition with in a confined spatial boundary, the lower Omo valley region is the best place where one can gain lifetime experience. This region encompasses from a site of an earliest settlement of human beings which is called Ramidous Kadaba, an ancestor of the modern man that runs back to 4.4myo to the present unique tribal collections who are really endowed with their own indigenous way of life. About more than 18 ethnic groups are living in this geographical cluster grouped under 4 different language families. To mention but some of them are: – the Hammer, Mursi, Konso, Bume, Dassanech, Surma, and so on.
Western & Southwestern Regions
This part of Ethiopia mainly encompasses the most stunning Nature, culture and medieval history of the Kingdom of Kafa as well as the state of Gibe dated back to 14th to 19th C. The road passes through wonderful landscapes covered by montage forest vegetations, High Mountain of the western high lands and river gorges. The region of Kaffa in which the Ethiopian wild Coffee was first discovered and even today highly produced in this geographical cluster. The main reason of traveling to this region is to explore those unique ethnic groups living form the southwester lower Omo valley up to the border of Sudan in the west. To mention but few are: – The Dize, Meen, Surma, Nuer, Agnnuak and more.
Western & Southwestern Regions
This part of Ethiopia mainly encompasses the most stunning Nature, culture and medieval history of the Kingdom of Kafa as well as the state of Gibe dated back to 14th to 19th C. The road passes through wonderful landscapes covered by montage forest vegetations, High Mountain of the western high lands and river gorges. The region of Kaffa in which the Ethiopian wild Coffee was first discovered and even today highly produced in this geographical cluster. The main reason of traveling to this region is to explore those unique ethnic groups living form the southwester lower Omo valley up to the border of Sudan in the west. To mention but few are: – The Dize, Meen, Surma, Nuer, Agnnuak and more.
The Great East African Rift Valley
Ethiopia is so vibrant in cultural, Historical and geographical features. The East African Rift system is one of the country’s geological images formed by the intense volcanic and tectonic activities during the Cenozoic Era, which is some 65millions years ago. This land formation is only noted form space lying between Syria to Zambezi River in Mozambique. It passes through some countries of Asia, Middle East and Africa as well. Ethiopia is one among them and shares the maximum range of the great east African Rift system, stretching form NE to SW of the country, dividing it in to 2 major parts. The Ethiopian rift valley region is mainly characterized by a unique bio-diversity and a magnificent landscape that hosts one of the lowest point on earth know as Danakil Depression, -116-120mbsl and the second highest peak of Tulu Dimtu at the Sanatie plateau in Bale mountains NP which is about 4377masl. In addition, maximum number of National Parks and Lakes of Ethiopia are existed with in this environ. To mention but some of the Parks are: – Bale mountains, Awash, Abijata-shalla Lakes, Nechi-Sar, Mago, Omo National parks and Lakes of: – Abijata, Salla, Ziway, Langano, Awassa, Abaya, Chamo and so on. Most importantly the Ethiopian rift valley system has proven to be as the site of an extraordinary archaeological discoveries of human fossils. A place called HADAR in Afar Region is the birthplace of LUCY, which is an oldest Hominid fossil, traced back to 3.2million years old. The most colorfully cultured ethnic groups that account more than 50% of the total tribal collections in Ethiopia are also living in this area.
Erta-ale Volcanic Lake
It is a volcanic land feature surrounded by an orb lava field located on the summit of Mount Ertale it self which is in the most northerly extension Ethiopian Rift valley system and is marked by continuous volcanic movements held in an approximate radius of 60ms and 100ms depth caldera. Ertale is one of the most challenging but mind-blowing natural attractions containing probably the world’s only permanent volcanic lake at its central magma hill. Degassing, light earthquake, land cleft and eruptions are some of the natural events occurred occasionally in the vicinity of Ertale.
Erta-ale Volcanic Lake
It is a volcanic land feature surrounded by an orb lava field located on the summit of Mount Ertale it self which is in the most northerly extension Ethiopian Rift valley system and is marked by continuous volcanic movements held in an approximate radius of 60ms and 100ms depth caldera. Ertale is one of the most challenging but mind-blowing natural attractions containing probably the world’s only permanent volcanic lake at its central magma hill. Degassing, light earthquake, land cleft and eruptions are some of the natural events occurred occasionally in the vicinity of Ertale.
Simen Mountains NP
90% of the total geographical setting of Ethiopia is mainly characterized by magnificent mountain ranges, massive escarpments, River valleys, gorges and flat-topped alp plateau ranging from 1000 up to more than 4000masl. This made Ethiopia to be recalled as the roof of Africa. The Simen Mountain is one of the most spectacular land formations in Ethiopia located in the northern section of the country. Because of its exceptional landscape, natural scenic beauty with diversified faunal and floral distributions; The Simen Mountains NP has been listed under UNSCO as a world heritage site. These dramatic mountain ranges, sharpened hill side escarpments, remarkably steep cliff edges, high rising volcanic plunges and deep gorge structures host the “The Simen Mountains National Park engulfing the highest peak in Ethiopia and the 4th highest summit in Africa known as mount Ras-Dahen, rises up to 4543masl. The Simen Mountains NP is truly endowed with the maximum endemic mammals of the country’s list. These are Waliya Ibex, Ethiopian Wolf, Gelada Baboon and Menilik’s Bush Back. Other species of Plants and Bird are also sheltered under the park’s range. Among the birds: – bearded vulture/ Lammergeyers, Egyptian vultures and plants of St. John’s worth, Hagenia Abyssinica, giant lobelia, Erica Arborea are excess and common in the Park.
