The cultural and natural wealth of Ethiopia attracts thousands of tourists every year. Fantastic landscapes, exotic fauna and color of wild tribes outweigh unsanitary conditions, road hazards and the risk of infections. In this case, each such trip is planned by tourists ahead of time, and the route is painted as accurately as possible. And most importantly, what you need to know is, of course, the purpose of your journey.
Types of tourism in Ethiopia
The cultural and natural wealth of Ethiopia attracts thousands of tourists every year. Fantastic landscapes, exotic fauna and color of wild tribes outweigh unsanitary conditions, road hazards and the risk of infections. In this case, each such trip is planned by tourists ahead of time, and the route is painted as accurately as possible. And most importantly, what you need to know is, of course, the purpose of your journey.
Types of tourism in Ethiopia
Holiday in this exotic country is very diverse. Several different directions in the journey can be combined, making your African vacation truly unforgettable. So, they go to Ethiopia for the sake of:
- cognitive excursions;
- ecotourism;
- active rest;
- ethnographic tourism;
- religious pilgrimage.
Let's consider each of these moments in more detail.
Excursion tourism
Sightseeing is an integral part of any journey. In Ethiopia this is:
- Orthodox churches , which are concentrated in Addis Ababa , Lalibela , Aksum and on the shores of Lake Tana ;
- museums , which are located mainly in the capital. Among them the most interesting is the National Museum of Ethiopia , where you can look at a copy of the remains of the most ancient man found on Earth - Australopithecus Lucy;
- architectural monuments - the palace of Emperor Johannes , Castle Fasil-Gebbie , the ruins of the palace of the Queen of Sheba ;
- the natural rivers are the Omo and the Blue Nile , the Tys-Isat falls , the Tana and Abbe lakes, the Danakil desert and the Dallol volcano .
Excursion tour of Ethiopia is best booked in a certified travel agency, and local beauties only visit with a guide.
Ecotourism and outdoor activities in Ethiopia
The study of African nature is a fascinating occupation with many devotees. Foreigners come here to see the most popular and colorful national parks :
- Awash is famous for its diverse fauna, hot springs, palm oases, archaeological finds.
- Mountains Bale - is a high range, which loves to conquer foreign fans of mountaineering.
- Nechisar is very rich in fauna and flora. Here you can see rare species of animals and treat yourself to fishing.
- Mago - here lives the most ferocious tribe in all of Africa, Mursi .
- Mount Simen - is known for its unique nature and the fact that it is on its territory that the highest peak of the country is located.
On the expanses of parks and reserves you can move on foot, and on horses or even mules. Some nature conservation areas invite tourists to safari on off-road vehicles.
Leisure
Hiking is not the only possible occupation in the vastness of Ethiopia. Travel agencies offer a wide variety of entertainment for those who can not sit still:
- Fishing in Africa will be loved by those who do not imagine their life without a fishing rod. Fishing is possible on the lakes of Chamo, Abaya, Awasa, Tana, where carp, tilapia, giant perch, spinorogi and catfish live. River fishing is primarily the rivers of the Bale Mountains Park, inhabited by rainbow trout.
- Rafting - only some of the rivers of Ethiopia - Oromo, Awash, Blue Nile, and only in the period when the rainy season is nearing the end (the end of summer and the beginning of autumn) give the possibility of such rest.
- Horse or bike tours are preferred by tourists visiting the vicinity of Lake Tana.
- Mountain trekking - this type of activity involves climbing to the top of Ras Dashen (4550 m) as the most popular destination.
Ethnographic tourism
Ethiopia in terms of recreation favorably differs from most countries in that it is possible to get acquainted with the life and life of numerous semi-savage tribes . They are very different, but they invariably surprise the "civilized" tourists with their customs - original, incomprehensible, and sometimes even creepy.
Most travelers visit the villages of the tribes of Hamer, Oromo, Bodi, Tsamai, Karo, Consor, Arboret, Dasinesh and Mursi. The latter are very aggressive people, and guests are not welcome. Wives of Aborigines decorate their lower lip with a huge saucer, and the men of the tribe defend their beauties with machine guns in their hands. Therefore, even the most courageous tourists come to the valley of the Omo River, where the Mursi National Park is inhabited by the Mago National Park, only accompanied by an armed guide.
Arriving on a visit to the Aborigines of Ethiopia, prepare a trifle: for every click of the camera shutter savages require money from travelers, and sometimes very aggressively. However, at the same time, most of them are very open, friendly and sincerely happy to see "white people".
Religious pilgrimage
Ethiopia is the only African state where Christianity is the most widespread religion. On its territory are scattered countless Coptic churches and monasteries, whose history dates back to the Middle Ages.
Religious traditions of Orthodox Ethiopia in many respects differ from those we are accustomed to. Black priests sing the ancient texts in their own language, dancing and beating the rhythm on the drum, and even the crosses on the tops of the temples have a slightly different shape. Therefore, the pilgrimage here has the form of a rather informative excursion to the main holy places of Ethiopia .
Among them is worth noting:
- the rock temples of Lalibela , which the ancient king ordered to cut out of the stone, wanting to build a new Jerusalem;
- the churches of Lake Tana that are still functioning today - for example, Ur Khitan Mehret , where only men are permitted to enter;
- The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the Church of St. George in Addis Ababa;
- The Church of Mary of Zion in Axum , where the legendary Ark of the Covenant is kept;
- a hospitable monastery of Debre Libanos and impregnable - Debray Damo .
When is it better to go to Ethiopia?
The climate of this country is quite unusual for Africa. It's not as hot as in other countries, and in Addis Ababa it can be cold. The temperature of the air is very influenced by the mountain relief, although the proximity of the equator also affects. For example, the desert of Danakil may well surprise by a heat of +40 ° C, while the capital at the same time of year will meet you with freshness at +15 ° С.
The most unpleasant weather surprise for tourists is rain, which not only hinders the examination of local beauties, but also erodes roads, raises the level of rivers, etc. Therefore, it's best to go to Ethiopia either before the wet season begins - in May, or after it ends, and all its consequences will come to naught - in December. A trip to Ethiopia in the midst of showers will be enjoyed only by those who want to see the stormy waterfalls of the Blue Nile and at the same time can afford to stay in the country for a couple of weeks, waiting for the bad weather.