ETHIOPIA:
The Biblical
Water Tower
of Africa
The
natural beauty
of Ethiopia
amazes the first-time
visitor. Ethiopia
is a land of
rugged mountains
(some 25 are
more than 4000
meters high)
broad savannahs,
lakes and rivers.
The unique Rift
Valley is a
remarkable region
of volcanic
lakes, with
their famous
collections
of birdlife,
great escarpments
and stunning
vistas. Tisisat,
the blue Nile
falls, is considered
as one of the
greatest natural
spectacles in
Africa. With
14 major wildlife
reserves, Ethiopia
provides a microcosm
of the entire
sub-Saharan
ecosystem.
Birdlife abounds,
and indigenous
animals from
the rare Walia
ibex (a member
of goat family),
to the shy wild
ass, roam free
just as nature
intended. After
the rains, Ethiopia
is decked with
flowers and
with many more
native plants
than most countries
in Africa.
The
Nile
The river Nile,
the longest
river in Africa,
holds part of
its heart in
Ethiopia. From
lake Tana, the
Blue Nile, known
locally as Abbay,
flows for 800
km within Ethiopia
to meet the
White Nile in
Khartoum to
form the great
river that gives
life to Egypt
and the Sudan.
It has been
said that the
Blue Nile contributes
up to 80 percent
of the Nile's
flow. The Blue
Nile Falls are
about an hour
by tour bus
from Bahar Dar.
Known locally
as Tis Isat,
the falls are
over 400m (1312ft)
wide and 45m
(148ft) deep.
Because of a
series of dams
near Bahar Dar,
they aren't
as impressive
as they used
to be. Nowhere,
is it more spectacular
than where it
thunders over
the Tisisat
Falls literally
"Smoking
Water"
- near Bahar
Dar. Here millions
of gallons of
water cascade
over the cliff
face and into
a gorge, creating
spectacular
rainbows, in
one of the most
awe-inspiring
displays in
Africa.
The Blue Nile
falls can easily
be reached from
Bahir Dar and
the Scenic beauty
of the Blue
Nile Gorge,
225km from Addis
Ababa, can be
enjoyed as part
of an excursion
from the capital.
The
SoF Omar Cave
Sof Omar, a
tiny Muslim
village in Bale,
is the site
of an amazing
complex of natural
caves, cut by
the Wab River
as it found
its way from
the nearby mountains.
Armed with torches
and official
map, visitors
to Sof Omar
make their way
underground,
far into the
bowels of the
earth, beside
a subterranean
stream, and
there can see
an extraordinary
number of arched
portals, high
eroded ceilings
and deep echoing
chambers.
The
Rift Valley
The Ethiopian
Rift Valley,
which is part
of the famous
East African
Rift Valley,
comprises numerous
hot springs,
beautiful lakes
and a variety
of wildlife.
The valley is
the result of
two parallel
faults in the
earth's surface
between which,
in distant geological
time, the crust
was weakened,
and the land
subsided. Ethiopia
is often referred
to as the "water
tower"
of Eastern Africa
because of the
many rivers
that pour off
the high tableland.
The Great Rift
Valley's passage
through Ethiopia
is marked by
a chain of seven
lakes.
Each of the
seven lakes
has its own
special life
and character
and provides
ideal habitats
for the exuberant
variety of flora
and fauna that
make the region
a beautiful
and exotic destination
for tourists.
Most of the
lakes are suitable
and safe for
swimming other
water sports.
Besides, lakes
Abiata and Shalla
are ideal places
for bird watchers.
Most of the
Rift Valley
lakes are not
fully exploited
for tourist
purposes except
lake Langano
where tourist
class hotels
are built. The
Rift Valley
is also a site
of numerous
natural hot
springs and
the chemical
contents of
the hot springs
are highly valued
for their therapeutic
purposes though
at present they
are not fully
utilized. In
short, the Rift
Valley is endowed
with many beautiful
lakes, numerous
hot springs,
warm and pleasant
climate and
a variety of
wildlife. It
is considered
as one of the
most ideal areas
for the development
of international
tourism in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia's
Historical Spots
Ethiopia, the
oldest independent
nation in Africa,
has a heritage
dating back
to first century
AD. Traders
from Greece,
Rome, Persia
and Egypt knew
of the riches
of what is now
Ethiopia, and
by the first
century AD,
Axum was the
capital of a
great Empire.
This realm became
one of the first
Christian lands
of Africa. Late
in the 10th
Century, Axum
declined and
a new Zagwe
dynasty, centred
what is now
Lalibela, ruled
the land. Axum,
Lalibela and
Gonder now provide
our greatest
historical legacy.
It was in the
16th Century
that the son
of the great
explorer Vasco
Da Gama came
to Ethiopia,
but then found
a land of many
kingdoms and
provinces beset
by feuds and
War.
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 Lalibela,
Gondar, Deber
Damo and Bahar
Dar.
Several of Ethiopia's
more remote
areas are excellent
for walking
safaris, which
are offered
by several good
tour operators
in the country.
Walking tours,
best planned
for the dry
season, offer
the traveler
the opportunity
for awe-inspiring
vantage points
from which to
view many of
Ethiopia's natural
wonders, cultural
riches and architectural
heritage.
In Gondar, there
are fairytale
castles dating
back to the
17th century.
In Harar, the
visitor can
enjoy the incense-flavored
mysteries of
narrow alleyways
and towering
minarets.
The followings
are some of
our historical
attractions.
Axum
And Axum, Ethiopia's
most ancient
city and the
capital of the
historic Axumite
state, is the
site of many
remarkable monolithic
stone stelae,
or obelisks,
the three most
important being
decorated to
represent multi-storied
buildings, complete
with doors and
windows.
Lalibela
Lalibela, lies
at the centre
of an extensive
complex of rock
churches. It
has 11 remarkable
rock-hewn monolithic
churches, believed
to have been
built by King
Lalibela in
the late 12th
or early 13th
Century. These
notable structures
are carved,
inside and out,
into the solid
rock, and are
considered to
be among the
wonders of the
world.
Addis Ababa
It is not only
the political
capital but
also the economic
and social nerve-centre
of Ethiopia.
Wide, tree-lined
streets, fine
architecture,
glorious weather
and the incongruity
of donkey trains
along the boulevards
make Addis Ababa
a city of surprises
and a delightful
place to explore.
Debre
Damo
Some 76 km from
Axum is the
monastery of
Debre Damo (closed
to women), which
is said to have
the oldest existing
intact church
in Ethiopia.
Local tradition
says that Abune
Aregawi, one
of the nine
Saints, built
the church in
the 16th Century.
The Monastery
of Debre Damo
can only be
reached by rope
pulley.
Yeha
Some 55 km east
of Axum is the
5th Century
BC temple of
Yeha. Its massive
walls house
Judaic relics
and historic
artefact.
Bahar
Dar
Bahar Dar is
a small town
set on the south
- eastern shore
of lake Tana,
where local
fishermen still
use papyrus
boats, and just
30 km from the
spectacular
Tissisat Falls.
Here the Blue
Nile creates
"Smoking
Water"
an awe-inspiring
sight as it
plunges into
the gorge below.
Gonder
Gonder was the
17th Century
capital of Ethiopia,
and is notable
for its medieval
Castles and
churches. These
dramatic castles,
unlike any other
African, display
a richness in
architecture
that reveals
the Axumite
traditions as
well as the
influence of
Arabia.
Harar
The city of
Harar is an
ancient (1520)
and holy city.
Always an important
trading centre,
the city is
famous for its
ancient buildings,
its great city
walls and as
a centre of
learning Muslim
scholarship.
Rimbaud
House
A Fine building
traditional
house dating
from the period
when the French
poet Rimbaud
lived in Harar.
The
Hyena Man
As evening falls,
local men attract
wild hyenas
to the city
in a bizarre
spectacle as
they bravely
feed these dangerous
scavengers.
The Ethiopian
experience is
one that offers
something
for everyone.
Truly, there
is no other
place on earth
quite like it.
