Much of the fascination of this country lies in its myriad historical sites, the obelisks and stele of Axum, the churches and Coptic monasteries in the Tigre, in the Lake Tana isles and in the Lalibela: the African Jerusalem with its monolithic churches. In Ethiopia there are also nine national parks, two of which include the mountain groups of the Simien and the Bale, while the others lie in the Rift Valley towards Kenya. The unforeseeable wild landscapes are surely the main attraction of these parks, where many of the animal species are protected, and some of them are endemic to the area. The proximity of Ethiopia to the Equator and the variety of its habitats make it one of the richest countries in Africa in wild bird life.

History and nature are not the only attractions of this surprising country. It is a unique experience to come into contact with its people, so deeply rooted in their traditional culture, to participate in religious rites in one of the many Coptic churches, to meet native populations like the Hamer, the Mursi, the Caro and the many others whose lifestyle is hard to imagine today, so far is it from our modern life.

Historical and geographical notes

Ethiopia (Abyssinia) is located in the east of Africa, commonly known as the Horn of Africa. It covers an area of 1,1 12,000kmq, twice the territory of France, and has an estimated population of 58,000,000 inhabitants with 80 ethnic groups. It is bounded on the northeast by Eritrea and Djibouti, on the east and southeast by Somalia, on the south by Kenya and on the west by Sudan.

The Ethiopian landscape is dominated by a volcanic plateau with an average altitude of 2000 meters, which decreases towards the country's borders on three sides. The Rift Valley begins at the Red Sea and traverses the Danakil depression (which contains the lowest point on the earth) continuing towards the south of Ethiopia and Mozambique.

It is almost certain that human beings and their hominid ancestors evolved in the eastern zone of the Rift Valley: Lucy, our most distant ancestor, who lived 3.5 million years ago, was found in the Awash Valley. Ethiopia has a very strong cultural identity, which has been preserved thanks to a long period of independence, lasting practically until present times. According to legend the first Ethiopian king, Menelik, was the son of the biblical king Solomon and the queen of Sheba. According to history, the Ethiopian empire originates with the pre-Christian reign of Axum, which lasted until the 10th century. And it was in Axum that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was founded in the 4th century A.D. It is the oldest Christian Church in Africa

85% of the population gets their livelihood from the land. Coffee (the word originates from the name of the province of Kaffa, in the south west of Ethiopia) provides the bulk of foreign currency earnings, although the recent decline in world coffee prices has meant a fall in its share from 65% to fewer than 50%. The export of livestock, skins and hides (Ethiopia has the largest domestic livestock population in Africa), chat, oilseeds, textiles, pulses, flowers and animal feed makes up the rest of Ethiopia's foreign currency earnings, with tourism set to make an increasingly important contribution, the opening up of the economy since the overthrow of the previous government in 1991 has created more favorable grounds for development of Ethiopia's rich resource base. Ethiopia is the "water tower" of the region (the Blue Nile contributes to 85% of the main Nile flow) and projects are now being implemented to better exploit the country's water resources both for power generation and to boost agricultural production through irrigation schemes. Mineral exploration and mining has stepped up in recent years - there are reserves of oil, natural gas, coal, gold, copper, tantalum, potash, zinc, iron ore, nickel, marble, precious and semi-precious stones. Thermal power generation schemes are already operational in Afar and Oromo Regions.

This can depend on where you are going. In most of the country, the main rainy season runs from June to the end of September, with short rains in March. In the Omo and Mago parks however, in Southern Ethiopia, the seasons are different with the main rains from March to June, and shorter rains in November.

Because of the elevation, temperatures rarely exceed 25 o C in most of the country, although in some of the lower lying areas (Awash, Omo and Mago parks) it can get considerably hotter. Pack light clothes for the day time and a jacket or sweater for the evenings, and a good pair of walking shoes even if you are not going trekking - path ways around historic sites are usually uneven and stony. Trekkers in the Simien and Bale Mountains will need warm clothes, waterproofs and 3-4 season sleeping bags. On a cultural note - Ethiopians are generally modest dressers, and visitors should be sensitive about going underdressed (shorts, tank tops and bare backed) 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.

Health and Medical

The possession of a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is no longer mandatory but visitors coming from countries where Yellow Fever has been reported may be asked. Immunization for Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus, Typhoid and Polio is recommended.

Malaria: in many sites malaria is not a problem because of the elevation - this is true of Axum, Gondar and Lalibela but it may be able to occur in Bahir Dar at the end of the rainy season and after unseasonable rains. Lowland areas along the Awash River, the Omo Valley, Rift Valley and Gambella are subject to malaria outbreaks. Chloroquine resistant strains have been identified in most areas so you should consult your doctor about the prescription. Alternatively, you can keep mosquitoes and other insects at bay with repellent creams and sprays. (Climatic changes and phenomena such as el-Nino has meant the appearance of malaria at unseasonable times, and its spread to areas previously malaria free.)

Visitors should take a simple first aid pack, which would include: different size plasters, antiseptic cream, anti-histamine cream and/or tablets for insect bites, sun barrier cream (while temperatures are moderate the sun is strong) and anti-diarrhea tablets such as Immodium for emergencies (they will not cure the problem but will control the symptoms).

Food

The Ethiopian national dish consists of injera, a flat, circular pancake of fermented dough made from a grain seed called tef, 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) that gives Ethiopian food its characteristic taste. Vegetarians should try "fasting food" (for devout Ethiopian Orthodox Christians fast days make up more than half the year), a colorful spread of salads, vegetables and pulses, devoid of all meat and animal products.

One eats national dishes with the 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".

Addis Ababa now boasts of a wide variety of restaurants, and at hotels in tourist sites European style food such as pasta is always available. If you are travelling to remote areas, such as the Omo Valley and parts of southern Ethiopia, it is advisable to stock up with tinned and packet food in Addis Ababa.

Gassy and still mineral water, along with soft drinks, are now available throughout the country. There are several brands of locally produced beer. Ethiopia produces its own wine and spirits, while imported spirits are also widely available. There are home made alcoholic drinks: tela (home made beer or ale), tej (wine made from honey) and kati kala (distilled liquor from various grains.)

Addis Ababa has two 5 star hotels - the Hilton and the Sheraton (5 star plus) - and a growing number of tourist class hotels. Standards vary outside the capital, but apart from the Omo and Mago areas where camping is unavoidable it is generally possible to get relatively clean rooms with en suite toilet and shower. Kibran Tours and other companies have started to construct eco-tourist lodges, and is it is expected that others will follow.

Ethiopian Airlines operates a safe, extensive (43 airports and an additional 21 landing strips) and generally efficient and reliable domestic air service, but cancellations and delays can occur. Ethiopian Airlines and currently one private company offer charter services. Travelling by road allows visitors to experience Ethiopia's wonderful scenery, but road conditions are generally poor, and the mountainous topography in the north will cut speed. The hour flight to Lalibela for example takes nearly two days by road. Railway enthusiasts who wish to travel by train from Addis Ababa to Dire Dawa or on to Djibouti should be prepared for cancellations and delays and run down carriages.

Ethiopia has embarked on a massive road renovation and construction program, and many areas are now accessible by good asphalt roads. Given the size of the country, however, it will take quite some time to upgrade the road network on a countrywide basis.

Money Matters

It is no longer obligatory for visitors to declare currency in their possession on arrival, but should visitors wish to change money back on departure, it will be necessary to produce receipts from banks and authorized foreign exchange dealers. The Ethiopian currency is the Birr, the rate of which against the US dollar is fixed in weekly auctions. (In Sep. 2006 the rate is approximately 8.70 Birr to US $ 1.00).

Credit card acceptance is now growing throughout the country, but only one bank (Dashen Bank) can issue cash on cards, to a limit of US$500.00 per day, and does not yet have branches in all main cities.

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia is planning to introduce ATM for Visa and other cards.

Visas - Any foreigners except those who hold the Kenyan, Tanzanian and Djibouti passport needs a visa!!! You can get your visa from the Ethiopian embassies or consulates in your country but for the following listed countries, visa can be obtain on arrival at the airport in Addis Ababa: - Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea Republic, Kuwait, Luxemburg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, and US can obtain a visa on arrival for US$20 and two passport photos. This is only available at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa.

Souvenirs - many antiques cannot be exported and may be confiscated if found in airport searches. The National Museum in Addis Ababa can issue a clearance certificate.

Photography - outside Addis Ababa, generally only 100 ASA film is available. As a matter of courtesy, permission should be sought before photographing individuals and in many parts of the country, particularly 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.

Language

Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia, and English is widely spoken.

Calendar

Ethiopia has a calendar of 13 months: it follows the Julian calendar which is divided into 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of five or six days at the end of the year. The time difference is +3 hours from Greenwich.

Religious celebrations

The Ethiopian New Year on September 11th, the Finding of the True Cross (Meskel) on September 26 and 27th, The Tisyon Mariam on November 29th, the Ethiopian Christmas (Gena) on January 6 and 7th, the Epiphany (Timket) on January 18 and 19, The Ura- Kidanemhiret church festival on February 24, the Kulbi Gabriel on December 26 and July 26 and Easter are the most important festivities of Ethiopia.