Addis Ababa
Founded in 1880 Addis, which means “New Flower” in the native language of amharic, is a fairly new city whose impressive monuments of colonial architecture are dispersed amid stretches of sun-bleached shacks and empty lots. The smoky pine-covered hills surrounding Addis add to the enjoyment of walking the city streets especially in the evening or early morning. While there see the Emperors Palace and the Imperial Zoo (when we were last there they allowed visitors to pet the cheetahs).
Other sights include the Menelik II Mausoleum located in a cellar under a small church on a hill overlooking the citya priest will open the church for you Africa Hall (a convention hall with beautiful stained glass made by the famous Ethiopian artist, Afowerk tekle). Lion Park the Ethiopian Museum, the Great Mosque the Lion of Judah statue and the Octagonal Church of St. George (built in 1896try to attend a service to hear the incredible chanting and music of the orthodox Christians as they praise the lord in the ancient language of Geez). Addis Ababa’s Mercato is the largest market in East Africa. It’s a sprawling mess of open-air stalls, where you can buy everything from vegetables to gold jewellery. The mercato a colorful 10-sq-mi/26-sq-km open market offers everything from food to paintings of biblical scenes. Check with local advisers before you go however as violent clashes between rival Muslim leaders in the area of the mercato have been reported. Several day trips are possible.
The city’s Ethnographic Museum is an ideal place to start learning about Ethiopia’s rich ethnic diversity. It has an impressive array of religious crosses, triptychs and murals, as well as Haile Selassies’s bedroom and bathroom. The National Museum is much smaller, but it does have the fossils of 3.5-million-year-old ‘Lucy’, perhaps our earliest ancestor.
Related Travel Information
Weather and climate
The best time to visit the highlands (Addis Ababa) is October-June. From July-September, it's hotter by about 10 F/5 C and can rain in strong (though infrequent) downpours (called "the big rains"). Around Addis, it can also rain a bit February-June ("the little rains"). Temperatures range 77-59 F/25-15 C. Because of the elevation of most of the country, it's advisable to bring a sweater year-round.
Bahar Dar
Bahar Dar lies 300 km northwest of Addis Ababa. This place sits on the southern shore of the 3600 sq km Lake Tana. Nothing much happens in Bahar itself, apart from a bustling Saturday market, but there's plenty to see in the surrounding area. Lake Tana is scattered with islands, many of which are home to monasteries. Some of these monasteries were built as long ago as the 11th century, and most were built before the 16th century. The most popular monasteries are Ura Kidene Meret, Kebran Gabriel (not open to women) and Debre Maryam. Known locally as Tis
Omo National Park
Omo National Park is situated at the south-west on the west bank of Omo River. This park is 870km south-west of Addis Ababa, covering an area of approx 4,070 sq km
Omo National Park is home for buffalo, elephant, giraffe, cheetah, lion, leopard, zebra, kudu, hartebeest, oryx, Anubis baboon and many other animals. Over 306 species of birds exist in this national park. This is also a wonderful area for visiting local peoples and experiencing their cultures.
The park is not easily accessible. The park HQ is 75km from Kibish settlement. However, a new airstrip is available close to
Ethiopia Travel Tips
Do take along a coat and tie, as they may be needed for the good restaurants. Address people by using Mr. Mrs. or Miss preceding their first name. Don't take pictures of military installations, airports, bridges, etc. and ask permission before taking photographs of people. Don't give money to beggars; the local children may quit school to earn. You can expect beggars to thrust their hands inside your taxi if a window is open. There's not much you can do about it, however: Beggars have already removed the hand cranks used to raise and lower windows on most
Rift Valley Lakes
There are seven lakes of the Rift Valley. These lakes sits in a wide, fertile valley which runs between Addis Ababa and the Kenyan border. This is one of the best parts of Ethiopia for bird watching. Lake Lagano, lake Abiata and Lake Shala are the most popular of the seven - one lake is blue, one silver and one brown. Abiata and Shala form a designated national park, but this doesn't mean much in practice. Lake Abiata is shallow, with heaps of birds, while Lake Shala sits at the bottom of a 250m deep crater. Lagano is
