Ethiopia is a land of wonder and enchantments,

a country with one of the richest histories on

the African continent, a land of contrasts and

surprises, of remote and wild places, home to

cultured and friendly people who are descended

from some of the world’s oldest civilizations.

This is the land of the fabled Queen of Sheba,

home of the Ark of the Covenant, the birthplace

of coffee. Lucy the world’s oldest known

almost-complete hominid skeleton, more than

three million years old, was discovered here...

... Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile, is the largest lake with 37 islands and

the Monasteries like KibranGebriel and Kidanemhiret dating back to 14th

century. The Great Rift Valley lakes, many with national parks, are home to a

wealth of bird and animal life. The high, rugged, Simien Mountains in the

north and the Bale mountains in the southeast are also home to some unique

wildlife and rich flora, and are ideal for trekking, whilst some of Ethiopia’s

fast-flowing rivers are becoming famous for white-water rafting. There are

eleven national parks and four sanctuaries where 277 species of wildlife and

more than 850 species of birds can be seen. The Semien Mountains National

Park is registered by UNESCO as a world heritage site and is home to three of

the endemic mammals, Walia Ibex, Gelada Baboon and Abyssinian Wolf. Ras

Dashen, the fourth highest peak in Africa with an alititude of 4,620 meters, is

also located within the National Park. Other National Parks include Bale

Mountains and Abijatta-Shalla in Oromia, Nechisar, Mago and Omo National

Parks in the south and Yangudi Rasa in Afar, Gambella National Park in

Gambella, as well as Awash in both Oromia and Afar Regions. Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia’s friendly and safe capital city has so much to offer, too, with its

first-class hotels and restaurants, museums and palaces, and good shopping,

which includes the Mercato – Africa’s largest open-air market. Ethiopia is a

mosaic of people with more than 80 languages, different lifestyles, costumes

and cultural dances...

Ethiopia: the lan

d of thousand sm

iles

...Ethiopia has so much to offer visitors: the

Historic Route, covering the ancient town of

Axum, with its amazing carved obelisks,

Christian festivals and relics, including the

Ark of the Covenant; Gondar, with its

castles and palaces; Lalibela, with its

remarkable rock-hewn churches: Negash,

one of the earliest holy Muslim centres from

the Prophet Mohammed Era with the

NegashAmedinMesgid; the walled Muslim

city of Harar and LegaOda, near Dire Dawa

where you can see cave paintings considered

to be thousands of years old...

Ethiopia: the land of thousand smiles

...People’s livelihoods vary from pastoralists and farmers to factory workers, business people and

academics. Ethiopia has been called ‘the land of a thousand smiles’. Visit us and you can be sure of a great

welcome, a memorable holiday, and the experience of a lifetime.

Addis Ababa

With a population of more than three million

people, Addis Ababa also known as Brussels of

Africa is located in the geographic centre of the

country. It is not only the political capital but

also the economic and social nerve centre of

Ethiopia. Founded by Emperor Menelik in 1887,

this big, sprawling hospitable city still bears the

stamp of the exuberant personality. There are

more than 120 international missions and

embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a

forefront for international diplomacy in Africa

and houses the headquarters of the African Union

and the United Nations Economic Commission for

Africa. Addis Ababa’s cosy espresso bars and

patisseries are reminiscent of Rome and the

Mediterranean, and its bustling outdoor markets

are colourful reminders of more traditional ways

of life. The people, the bursts of music from

cafes or shops, the pungent aromas of spicy

cooking, of coffee and frankincense, form a

unique Ethiopian pastiche.

Dominated by the 3,000-meter (9,840-foot) high

Entoto Mountains immediately to the north,

Ethiopia’s largest city has grown at an astonishing

speed since it was founded just over a century

ago. Covering 250 square kilometres the city

rambles pleasantly across many wooded hillside

and gullies cut through with fast-flowing streams.

Despite its proximity to the Equator, its lofty

altitude – it is the third-highest capital in the

world-means that it enjoys a mild, Afro-alpine

climate. From its inception Addis Ababa was

clustered around two main centres: the National

Palace to the east and the market, with Saint

George’s Churches, to the west. Together they

generated so much activity that the capital grew

and developed rapidly.

The small town of Lalibela in northern

Ethiopia ia famous for its 11 rcok hewn

churches dating back to the 12th century.

The town was originally known as Roha, but

was renamed after King Lalibela who

commissioned the churches these amazing

edifices were not constructed as such, but

were chipped out of solid rock. With only

hammers and chisels, the feat is so

incredible the legend has it angels worked

on the churches at night. One of the most

spectacular churches is that of BeteGiorgis

which has been excavated 12 meters down.

Upon approach, visitors are greeted by its

roof in the shape of a cross lying at their

feet. Some of the churches are connected by

underground tunnels and twisting mazes.

They portray a vast array of styles and

carvings: Arabesque windows, Grecian-style

pillars, the Star of David and the ancient

swastika symbol believed to have originated

in Asia.

Lalibela

Ethiopia’s world heritage sites

Legend has it that Emperor Menelik I, the son of the

Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, brought the Ark of

the Covenant from Jerusalem to Axum where he

settled and established one of the world’s longest

known monarchical uninterrupted dynasties. This is

only one example of Ethiopia’s magnificent history

which encompasses legend and tradition, mystery and

fact from powerful and religious ancient civilizations.

The well-trodden path through Ethiopia’s famous and

fascinating historic places takes you through a

scenically magnificent world of fairy-tale names such

as Axum, Lalibela, Gondar, DebreDamo and Bahr Dar.

Travelling the route by plane, by car or both, will

offer you a glimpse into a truly remarkable past. As

well as the many priceless historical relics, you will

also see the castles at Gondar, the churches of

Lalibela hewn out of the living rock, the mysterious

giant stelae at Axum, the ruins of the Queen of

Sheba’s palace, and then only by way of a rope

lowered by the friendly monks above.

The an

cient lan

d

Taking the historic route north from Addis Ababa the first stop is Debre Libanos, 110

kilometres north of the capital. Here you can find reminders of Saint

TekelHaymanot, the 14th century holy man, who stood on one leg for 7 years in a

cave at DebreLibanos. A wonderful modern cathedral marks this spot, the centre of

the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for hundreds of years. Nearby an old ‘Portuguese

bridge’ is visible from the main road.

Debre Liban

os Bahr Dar, the next stop, 563 kilometres

from Addis Ababa, has daily Ethiopian

Airlines flights, a number of good hotels,

and is located on the southern shores of

Lake Tana. This is the source of the Blue

Nile, with its most spectacular feature,

the Tis Isat waterfalls. Many of the Lake

Tana islands have historic churches, such

as the island of Dega. On the island of

DegaEstefanos you will find the monastery

of DekStefanos which has a priceless

collection of icons and manuscripts and

houses the mummified remains of a

number of Ethiopian emperors.

Bahr D

ar

On the return journey to Addis the route takes you through Makele, 783 kilometres from the

capital, with a number of new first class hotels, and with daily flights by Ethiopian Airlines.

The town is famous for its 120 rock-hewn churches of Tigray – which are beautifully decorated

and of which a few house important religious artefacts. Mekele is also a good place to watch

the camel caravans arriving from the forbidding Danakil Depression with their tablets of salt

and a routr to Dalol.

Mekele