Ethiopia

Ethiopia, Our tours of Ethiopia will take you to a weird and wonderful country. Many things begin, some even say that people are the first ones. The booming waters of the Blue Nile start in the northwest, and the rock-hewn Christian churches of Lalibela date back to the 11th century. This is where the fossil of our oldest human ancestor, affectionately known as Lucy, was found and still hangs out. Ethiopia is rich in history, nature, and delicious food. If you just want to see as much of this country as possible, we can make custom tours for you or combine tours with nearby countries like Kenya, South Sudan, and others.

In general

Ethiopia is a country in the Horn of Africa. Its past goes back to 936 BC. This is also where the oldest human skeleton ever found was discovered. Because of this, Ethiopia is known as the “cradle of humanity.” The only African country that has never been a colony is this one. It was still called Abyssinia at that time. Because of its long past and wide range of ethnic groups, Ethiopia has a huge amount of cultural wealth.

Also, tours of Ethiopia show you a beautiful scenery and some of the world’s most varied plants and animals. Some of the tallest mountains in Africa are there as well. An Ethiopian coffee ritual is a must-do when you visit the “country of birth” of coffee. Ethiopia is known for its friendliness.

Geography

It is in the Horn of Africa and is surrounded by land. At 1,127,127 km², it is about three times the size of Germany. Kenya is to the south, Somalia, Somaliland, and Djibouti are to the east, Eritrea is to the north, and Sudan is to the west. It also shares a border with southern Sudan. There are over 1,800 meters of height in 25% of Ethiopia, making it the tallest country in Africa. The so-called “highlands of Abyssinia” take up most of the country.

This high mountain area is also home to the capital, Addis Ababa. But the country is also shaped by the central Great Rift Valley, which is also called the Great Rift Valley. It is a trench made by moving plates that goes from north to south across East Africa. Here, among other things, one thinks about where history began.

In the southeast of Ethiopia, the Somali mountains meet. To the northeast, the mountains drop very steeply, and this is where the Afar valley, which is also known as the Danakil valley, is. At 114 meters below sea level, it is the deepest place in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has a wide range of plant communities, from high rainforests and alpine coniferous forests to savannas, deserts, and large marshes. The Blue Nile starts in Lake Tana in the northwest of Ethiopia. At Karthum, it joins with the White Nile to make the world’s longest river. Aside from Addis Ababa, there are many other medium-sized towns in Ethiopia, such as Dire Dawa, Gondar, Adama, and Bahir Dar.

Climate: Because Ethiopia is in a tropical area, the year is split into dry and wet seasons, but the temperature doesn’t change much. In most places, it rains from June to September and doesn’t rain again from October to May. What’s different in the very south is that it rains from March to May and from October to December.

The best time to visit is from January to April. Because Ethiopia is so high up, it is much cooler there than in its nearby countries. The country is split into four climate zones, and the weather in each one is very different depending on its elevation. Most of the tropical-hot zone, which has desert-like weather, is in the eastern part of the country. It’s usually about 27 ° C here, and there’s a severe drought. The area around Addis Ababa is warm and mild. The normal temperature here is only 22 ° C, and it rains a lot. Because of this, there are a lot more fields here.

Temperatures are mild above 2400 meters, especially in the north and west, where they stay around 16 ° C on average. It gets down to 5 ° C at night, which is very cool. These parts of the country also get a lot more rain, which is why there are more woods there. Snow and frost can fall at night from a height of 3,900 meters. In the United States, most of the rain comes in the north and far west. It’s not as wet in the south.

Politics and Society

Ethiopia is home to about 96 million people. There are more people living there than in any other country in Africa. Ethiopia is a multiethnic country, like most of Africa. About 80 different racial and cultural groups live here, and each speaks its own language. The Oromo are the biggest group. They make up about a third of the people living there.

The Amhars are the second most powerful group in the country, even though they only make up a quarter of the people. It is also the official language of the country. This means that, along with Tanzania, Ethiopia is the only African country where the only national language is an indigenous language. The Tigray, the Afar, and the Somali are some of the other groups of people.

Some of the first religious centers were in Ethiopia. These were mostly Christian. This is still clear today thanks to buildings and icons of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church that were built in the 4th century AD. A lot of people belong to this group, along with Protestant Christians. But Islam has been around for a long time too. Harar, for instance, is thought to be the fourth holiest place in Islam. The eastern part of the country is where most Muslims live. They make up just under half of the people in the world. There are only a few thousand Ethiopian Jews left, but they are known for their food.

Ethiopia was an empire until 1974, when Haile Selassie took over. The country was turned back into a socialist People’s Republic after it fell, which lasted until 1991. Since then, Ethiopia has been a federal state. The country’s economy has come a long way, but there are still a lot of poor people living there.

The infrastructure

Ethiopia only has 4,400 km of paved roads, which is a lot less than many European countries. Between Addis Ababa and the port of Djibouti is the main road, but it is often too crowded. In order to help, the government is working hard to quickly grow the network. Some dirt roads can’t be used at all or with some limits during the rainy season. There are two international airports and a number of small state airports, so you can also fly within the country. Ethiopian planes is in charge of the planes.

The water supply is a big problem for the whole area, and the power supply only works in the bigger towns. Power outages are normal, and most places have generators to get around them. The phone network is pretty good, but it costs a lot to join, especially when you’re outside the country. Most towns have internet, but it’s very slow.

Peace of mind

Ethiopia is usually a safe place to visit. Still, there is a greater chance of violence happening in some parts of the country. Even though Ethiopia’s government is pretty steady, we want to warn you about a possible danger, especially near the borders. Please also look at the latest reports from the Federal Foreign Office for more information.

There have also been fights at large gatherings in the past. So, we suggest staying away from protests and big groups of people. Ethiopia isn’t very wealthy, and there is a big gap between rich and poor. Because of this, be careful with your belongings. We’ll be happy to give you tips on how to keep yourself safe from theft.

Also, you should know that Ethiopia has a unique society and some very strong religious and cultural beliefs. Do not do anything that could be seen as rude or provocative. We and our friends in the area will also be happy to help you.