Ethiopia

The Land of Origins

In the captivating country of Ethiopia, nature, culture and history merge to create a timeless appeal.

An impressive tourism potential exists in Ethiopia, and it is truly a land of contrasts and extremes, a land of remote and wild places, and of spectacular alpine terrain – including the Semien Mountains National Park with Ras Dashen and its 4261 meter peak at one of the country’s nine UNESCO world heritage sites.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Danakil depression, at 121 meters below sea level, is among the lowest places on earth and extremely hot, and features fascinating sulphur fumaroles and a lunar like landscape!

There is so much variety and choices that even the most experienced World Traveler will be happy visiting Ethiopia, with the wonderful Blue Nile Falls, climber’s paradise Gheralta rock and the Mago National Park, home of the Mursi tribe just to mention a few. Ethiopia’s numerous national parks also enable visitors to enjoy the country’s wildlife and biodiversity in their natural habitats as well as an opportunity for unparalleled adventure travel.

For those who love antiquity, Ethiopia is the cradle of humankind and where humans first began to walk upright. Our celebrated ancestors – Lucy (3.4 million years old), Salam (3.5.million years old) and Ardi (4.4. million years old) – are counted among Ethiopia’s rich prehistoric and paleo-archeological heritage.

These facts prove that Ethiopia is our common ancestral home on this beautiful planet.

In terms of modern history, Ethiopia is still old beyond imagination and can trace civilisations back over 3000 years. The Axumite kingdom was one of the great civilizations of the ancient world and has left behind the mystery of the great Axum stele, a 1,700-year-old, 80 foot tall granite obelisk weighing 160 tonnes, with decorations resembling windows on all sides.

The late Middle Ages saw a great religious civilization flourish in Lalibela, where churches hewn out of massive monolithic rock testify not only to their great faith but also their superior architectural skills. The 1000 year-old Walled City of Harar (Jugol) makes the list as one of the four most ancient Islamic cities in the world, and the 17th century castles found in Gondar speak of the same legacy. Also offered to the history buff are the living testimonies of ancient agricultural terracing and environmental protection found in the Konso cultural landscapes. These archaeological treasures, together with Tiya stele in the central part of Ethiopia, the lower Omo and the Middle Awash valleys, make Ethiopia the home of 9 UNESCO World heritage sites and 12 world literary and manuscript heritages!

This history is also evidenced by the ethnic diversity in the country, where more than 80 nations and nationalities coexist with their own unique languages, cultures and traditions.

It’s beautiful and friendly people assure visitors a warm welcome and unparalleled hospitality.

Explore Ethiopia and you will find solace for the soul and inspiration for the senses.

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