Timeless Ethiopia Rides Modern Waves
By Dannielle Hayes
Called “the cradle of humankind”, Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent country and one of the oldest in the world. Located on the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is approximately twice the size of Texas and landlocked by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south and Sudan to the west. The county is mostly mountainous, dominated by Africa’s highest range, the Simiens and bisected by the Rift Valley.
Ethiopia is Africa’s third most populous country with approximately 70 million people and 77 different ethnic groups each with their own distinct language, customs and dress. The country’s population is mostly Christian living in the Ethiopian highlands, whereas most of the Muslims and followers of other beliefs inhabit the lowlands.
The country’s capital, Addis Ababa sprung up in the highlands a little more than a century ago and is now a modern metropolis of three million people. At an altitude of 2400 meters, Addis has comfortable temperate weather throughout the year, day and night, with the occasional downpour in the rainy season (June through September). Many travelers breeze right through Addis on their way to the historic north or fascinating south, but it is worth spending a few days exploring the capital.
A good place to start might be the National Museum of Ethiopia to see a replica of the 3.2 million year old “Lucy”, the oldest hominid found until the recent Ethiopian discovery of the 3.3 million year-old infant “Dikika”. At the Ethnographic Museum, there is an excellent exhibit of objects relating to most of the 77 indigenous tribal groups, and not to be missed is the Mercato, the largest open-air market in Africa. Addis comes alive at night when several restaurants and hotels feature traditional Ethiopian food followed by live music and the most vigorous “shoulder” dancing.
First-time visitors to Ethiopia usually begin with the northern historic circuit, by taking a short flight from Addis to Bahir Dar on Lake Tana, and the base for day trips to visit the numerous medieval monasteries dotted around the lake’s islands and peninsulas, as well as the Blue Nile Falls. Gondar, next on the tour is north of Lake Tana and noted for its impressive 16th century castles. The ancient capital of Axum follows and is famous for the palace ruins of the legendary Queen of Sheba and the Ark of the Covenant. Most visitors however, declare the highlight to be the medieval capital of Lalibela and its dozen rock-hewn churches called “the eighth wonder of the ancient world”.
To experience Ethiopia’s fascinating tribal cultures as well as wildlife, one should head south from Addis towards the Rift Valley and Omo Valley. These 10-day to 3-week tours are usually by 4-wheel drive vehicles, and may include trekking, camping out or very basic accommodation. Visitors to the south can expect to see the Dorze people, known for their beehive-shaped dwellings, the Hamer people in Turmi who fancy elaborate hairstyles, and perhaps the Mursi people who live near Mago National Park. This is Africa as it used to be, a real living museum in the rough.
Accommodations
The Sheraton is only five miles from the capital’s new Bole Airport. The Sheraton Addis has 293 deluxe guest rooms and the largest conference facilities in the country. Prices start at $240 and travel agents earn a 10% commision on all hotel bookings.
Visit www.addisethiopia@luxurycollection.com
The recently renovated Addis Ababa Hilton is close to the UN Headquarters and room rates start at $150 . There is also the new Queen of Sheba Hotel (queenshebahotel@ethionet.et) which combines traditional décor with international standard facilities and room rates are $50-$80 for a double. Visit www.hilton.addis@ethionet.et
Outside of Addis, the government-owned Ghion Hotels (www.ghionhotel.com.et) are clean and reasonably priced. Green Land Tours (www.greenlandethiopia.com), one of Ethiopia’s largest tour operators also operates a series of hotels throughout the country.
Getting There
Ethiopian Airlines (www.ethiopianairlines.com) is considered to be Africa’s best and in 2007 celebrated 60 years of operation. Featuring five flights weekly from Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport, the airlines offers both morning and evening departures, with the morning departure allowing seamless connections to 29 African destinations and 50 destinations around the globe.
Ethiopian Airlines has just launched “Ethiopian Journeys”, a new collection of three vacation packages showcasing the best of East Africa and designed for the U.S. travel consumer. The “Queen of Sheba Tour” features the northern cultural route of Ethiopia including the famous Blue Nile Falls, Gondar’s castles and churches, Lalibela’s fascinating churches carved from solid rock, and the ancient history of Axum, the country’s oldest city. The “Tanzanian Odyssey” promises to be one of the finest safari experiences in all of Africa, including the Serengeti National Park, the inimitable Mount Kilimanjaro and the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater known as the Eden of Africa. The third journey “Ethiopian Tribal Discovery” features the southern route of Ethiopia where travelers can discover tribal communities that have changed little over the last thousand years.
All “Ethiopian Journeys” tours include airfare, hotels, land tours and other amenities.
For more information, contact Ethiopian Airlines, 800-445-2733; www.seeyouinethiopia.com
January 2007 Issue
Endearing Ethiopia
By Dannielle Hayes
Years of war, drought and famine have not diminished the spirit of Ethiopia where time began. Called “the cradle of humankind,” Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent country and one of the oldest in the world. Ethiopians still follow the ancient Julian calendar which has 12 months of 30 days each, plus one short month of five to six days. It was here where the skeletal remains of the 3.5 million year-old “Lucy” were found. It was here where the Biblical Queen of Sheba lived in the 10th and 11th centuries B.C. and bore King Solomon’s son. It was here where coffee was first developed by the Portuguese. And it will be here in 2007, when Ethiopia invites the world to help celebrate their Millennium.
Twice the size of Texas, Ethiopia is located on the “Horn of Africa” and sweeping clockwise, is landlocked to the north by Eritrea, tiny Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south and Sudan to the west. The country is mostly mountainous, dominated by Africa’s highest range, the Simiens, and bisected by the Rift Valley. The continent’s third most populous country with approximately 70 million people, Ethiopia has 77 different ethnic groups each with their own distinct language, customs and dress. The population’s majority are Christians living in the Ethiopian highlands, while the Muslims and followers of other beliefs mostly inhabit the lowlands.
Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, sprung up in the center of the country a little more than a century ago and is today a modern metropolis of several million people. A good walking tour of the city might include the National Museum to see “Lucy”, sample one or two of the traditional restaurants and stroll the Mercato, the largest market on the African continent. From Addis there are many interesting tours available including the historic rock-hewn churches of the north and the indigenous tribes and prolific birdlife of the south. To reach these areas many of the roads are rough or non-existent so the best way to get there is aboard Ethiopian Airlines’ scheduled flights.
If traveling to Ethiopia for the first time, the historic tour to the north is most popular. From Addis, one flies to Bahir Dar, 5,900 feet above sea level on the shores of Lake Tana. The country’s largest lake, Tana is dotted with 37 islands, most with historic churches and monasteries and accessible by boat. A good side trip is to see the source of the Blue Nile, where the falls thunder over an escarpment to join the White Nile many miles north.
From Bahir Dar, one continues by plane or car to Gondar, the first capital of the Ethiopian empire in 1632. Gondar’s palaces, residences and baths were built by the Fasilidas rulers over 236 years and its lovely church “Light of the Trinity” is decorated by beautiful frescos. The town’s night spots featuring traditional music and dance are worth a visit too.
Lalibela, only a half-hour flight from Gondar, towers 2600 meters above sea level and features 11 monolithic churches. Built in the 12th century and carved out of pink granite rock, the churches are considered to be one of the wonders of the world. Each church has a unique architectural style, carved and decorated with well-preserved paintings and guarded by priests.
From Lalibela, the tour continues to Axum where ruins of the Queen of Sheba’s 10th century B.C. palace and bath can be seen and the Ark of the Covenant is guarded. Long before Christianity, the Axumite Empire, represented a crucial connection between Africa and Asia for more than 1000 years. Great granite monoliths called “steles” decorated with symbolic carvings still tower in this ancient capital and pre-dawn candle-lit vigils outside the Church of Saint Mary of Zion with hundreds of Ethiopians dressed in white is positively breathtaking and timeless.
Where to Stay
The luxurious Sheraton Addis (www.addisethiopia@luxurycollection.com) is only five miles from the capital’s new Bole Airport. Opposite the National Palace, the Sheraton has 293 deluxe guest rooms including 33 suites, 20 classic suites, nine junior suites and four executive suites. With over 4,500 square feet of meeting space, the hotel provides the largest and most prestigious conference facilities in the country. Prices start at $240; travel agents earn 10% commission on bookings. The recently renovated Addis Ababa Hilton (hilton.addis@ethionet.et) lies on 15 acres of landscaped grounds close to the UN headquarters and boasts a thermal swimming pool, tennis and several excellent restaurants. Room rates start at $150 for a double.
The new Queen of Sheba Hotel combines traditional décor with international standard facilities and room rates are about $50-$80 for a double.
Outside Addis Ababa, the government-owned Ghion Hotel chain (www.ghionhotel.com.et) is clean and reasonably priced though hot water is only available in the morning and evening hours. In Bahir Dar, the Tana Hotel is right on Lake Tana and room rates begin at $36. In Gondar, the Goha Hotel is perched on a hill above the town and rates start at $36. In Lalibela, the Ghion property is the Roha Hotel and rates begin at $38. In Axum, the Yeha Hotel starts at $38 or the privately-owned Remhai Hotel ranges from $54-$70 for a junior suite.
One of Ethiopia’s largest operators, Green Land Tours (www.greenlandethiopia.com) also manages a series of hotels including the Swaynes Hotel (www.swayneshotel.com) in Arba Minch, the Yemereha Hotel (www.yemerehahotel.com) in Lalibela, the Evangadi Hotel (www.evangadilodge.com) in Turmi and the Wenney Ecolodge (www.wenneyecolodge.com) in Langano.
Ethiopia: Cover Feature in JAXFAX July 2002 issue
Ethiopia
Beckons Intrepid Travelers
With A Passion for History
By Katharine Dyson, Special Interest Correspondent
Imagine a place where you can walk through the streets where little has changed since Biblical times. Where you can explore churches carved out of rock cliffs, stand near the waters where the Queen of Sheba is thought to have bathed; and go to the small chapel where many believe the Arc of the Covenant lies. This is Ethiopia, a fascinating destination for intrepid, well-seasoned travelers who have a passion for history.
Once known as Abyssinia, Ethiopia, located in sub-Saharan Africa, has a population of some 57 million speaking more than 84 languages including Amharic, the official language. It is here that the bones of Lucy, the oldest known hominid (afarensis), were unearthed by U.S. paleontologist Donald Johanson in 1974. The skeletal remains of her 3.2 million year-old bones are tucked away in the National Museum in Addis Ababa along with some incredible artifacts dating back thousands of years. More recently a 4.4 million year old hominid fossil was discovered in Haddar, along the Awash river in the eastern part of the country and at the Melka Konturie archeological site, stone tools more than one and a half million years old have been found.
Yet Ethiopia, is known to many, not so much for its historical treasures, as for its droughts, famine and wars. “We are aware we have an image problem,” said Yusuf Abdullahi Sukkar, commissioner of tourism and hotels for Ethiopia. But now with a peace agreement in place, a new conference center with a capacity for 2000 and more than 100 tour operators offering programs to the country, tourism is growing and the commissioner hopes to reach his goal of 300,000 tourists by 2005. (Currently tourists numbers are close to 20,000.)
My recent trip to Ethiopia took me from the capital of Addis Ababa to the tombs, stelae fields, palaces and holy places of Aksum; the 12th-century rock-hewn churches of Lalibela home of 11 of the 120 such churches; the castles of Gondar and the painted monasteries of Bahar Dar.
As excellent air services link the most important cities, we traveled by plane from city to city where most airports were so new, the baggage belts had not yet been activated. Where we traveled by car or van, except for the major cities, roads in the more rural communities such as Lalibela and Aksum were, for the most part, unpaved. Few cars or trucks joined us on these roads and most people walked. But in Addis Ababa, cars moved through wide, paved streets while alongside the highway, men walked prodding their donkeys and goat herds.
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is a city of 3 million people. With a strong Jewish population residing in Ethiopia, a trip to Addis Ababa’s Jewish Center might be a place of interest for your client. One morning I was picked up promptly at 6 a.m. by Ashagre-Zeleke, director of Beta Israel, the Jewish center in Addis Ababa. Although early, already hundreds of Ethiopian men, women and children were flooding into the compound. Children filed into the school, a handful of small rooms with corrugated tin walls and roofs, furnished with long wooden benches and a black board. Here about 2,500 children in two shifts study the official Ethiopian curriculum, Hebrew, Amharic and English in addition to Jewish history. As I entered one of the schoolrooms, the children, their faces beaming, smiled shyly and greeted me with “Shalom.”
In Ethiopia, there are some 26,000 Jewish people, many who are waiting for official clearance to go to Israel. In the past, some Jews had renounced their religion as prior to 1974, they were not allowed to own land and it was difficult to practice their religion. Since the laws have changed, many have converted back to Judaism and wish to emigrate to Israel.
While they wait, the Jewish Compound serves as a gathering place. They come here to go to school, work, get a nutritious meal and practice their faith. Men and women sit side-by-side on long benches embroidering pillow, matzah and challah covers with brilliant-colored yarns. The designs which incorporate biblical scenes, stylized Ethiopian figures, art and Jewish themes, take about a month to complete. Each person signs his or her work and is paid about $20 per piece.
A new addition to the compound, a large open building furnished with blue tumbling mats (a donation from patrons), is the headquarters for the children’s circus. Children who go to school and do well with their studies, may participate in the circus where they do tumbling acts, juggling, and gymnastics. This motivational program has been so successful, that close to 20 other circuses are now operating across the country.
At modern hotels in Addis Ababa, such as the Hilton, traditional Ethiopian coffee is served; the bar is cozy; there is a wonderful thermally heated pool and the staff is eager to please. Call Hilton Hotels at 800-445-8667.
Aksum
For some time, Aksum, one of the most ancient and holy of all cities, did not welcome visitors. Now that it is once again open to travelers, Aksum, the spiritual heart of the country, is well worth visiting. A deeply religious city (45 percent of the people are Ethiopian Orthodox Christians; 35 percent are Sunni Muslims), Aksum is to Ethiopians what Mecca is to Saudi Arabians.
Dominating the center of town, the cavernous cathedral, the second largest in Africa (the largest is in Côte d’Ivoire) was built in 1964 by Haile Salassie who claimed to be the 225th emperor in the Solomonic Dynasty and ruled Ethiopia from the end of World War II until he was overthrown in the 1974 revolution.
The ancient capital of the country, this former Aksumite kingdom, is considered one of the last of the great civilizations and has been designated a World Cultural Site. From the 10th to the 1st centuries BC, Aksum was a thriving hub of commerce receiving and passing through goods coming from Red Sea and Indian Ocean ports. Evidence of Aksum’s former grandeur, its palaces, tombs and obelisk-like stelae, lie not far below the surface of this now dry, dusty landscape. Since 98 percent of the potential sites have yet to be excavated, this land is an archeologist’s dream with ruins of ancient tombs, stelae (obelisks), palaces and churches.
In Aksum, most get around on foot, their humble wares carried by donkeys laden with bundles of wood, bladders of water and other goods.
One of the city’s key attractions is the Mary of Zion chapel where the Ark of the Covenant, perhaps the most famous relic in the history of Christianity, is rumored to be secreted, guarded by a monk who will stay in the chapel until he dies. In the early 90s Graham Hancock’s “The Sign and the Seal” created quite a stir. Hancock had spent more than 10 years in a personal quest to discover the whereabouts of the Ark, which is supposed to contain Moses’s two tablets upon which the ten commandments were inscribed by God.
Although Hancock’s research is detailed on hundreds of pages, at the end, there is no definite conclusion or proof that the Ark is actually in Aksum. Nor that it is not. It is the mystery and the possibility that it might be here that intrigues.
As the story goes the Queen of Sheba some time in the 9th century B.C. traveled to Jerusalem. The queen and King Solomon became romantically involved and by the time Sheba left to return to her home, she was pregnant and bore Solomon a son, Menelik 1. When Menelik was a young man, he returned to Jerusalem to see his father. It is reported that when he returned to Ethiopia, he brought back the precious Ark of the Covenant.
The remains of a great palace located just outside town is said to be that of the Queen of Sheba, but archeologists say the palace was built some 1000 years after the queen’s time. Still it is well worth exploring. The former rooms defined in the foundation include evidence of a sophisticated plumbing system.
Just across the road from the palace ruins, The Gudit Stelae Field, contains a group of stelae thought to date from 500 A.D. Some believe the Queen of Sheba’s grave is here.
Aksum’s Northern Stelae Field contains more than 120 stelae, tall slender monuments and tombstones of the country’s most powerful rulers. Intricately carved out of a single piece of granite the stelae reflect the importance of the family whose remains were contained in the tomb under the stone. The largest stelae (527 tons, 108 feet) which lies on its side in pieces and is carved to represent several stories of an imaginary building, is thought to have crashed to the ground and broken in the initial attempt to set upright stelae in the field.
The tallest upright stelae (78 feet) attributed to King Ezana, sits at the entrance to the field. Another stelae, 82 feet tall, was removed from Ethiopia by Mussolini during the Italian occupation in 1937 and is now standing in the Piazza di Porta Capenam, Rome. Although the Italians have agreed to return it, to this date, a practical way of accomplishing this has not materialized.
In the hills outside the city are a group of Aksumite tombs which were dug out of the earth, then lined with huge block of granite. The Tomb of King Ramha (Tomb of the Brick Arches), dating from the late 3rd century, consists of four rock chambers and the three small rooms of King Caleb’s tomb dating from the 6th century, are carved in a hilltop looking out over the Adwa Mountains.
Most western tourists stay in Ghion’s Yeha Hotel. It’s the most expensive hotel in town, yet rooms cost just $40. Ghion Hotels: 011-251-151-3222-51; Fax 011-251-151-0278.
Lalibela
It is only recently that Lalibela, a gentle town nestled into the rolling countryside, got electricity and like Aksum, in Lalibela there are few motorized vehicles, no gas stations and no paved streets. But for the 11 incredible churches carved entirely out of rock, Lalibela, the 12th-century capital of the Zagwe dynasty, might have been written off the tourism itineraries.
Isolated from the modern world, the town goes about its business much as it did several hundreds of years ago drawing water from wells and lakes, using donkeys for transportation of goods, tilling the soil with horses and hand-made plows and sleeping in dirt-floored huts. Many of the 10,000 people live in gojos, round thatched huts, some double-storied; others dwell in tin-sided, tin-patched shacks. The more affluent have hilltop bungalows.In the 1100s, the time of King Lalibela, the rock-hewn churches were miraculously constructed. Considered to be the 8th wonder of the world, they have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some are free-standing, some are carved into the hillside.
Engineers speculate that first a trench was cut out on all four sides of the rock, then the church was chiseled out, a feat that some say took a work force of 40,000. However they were constructed, they are wonderfully intricate with many carved columns, arches and walls. Each church has its own resident monk who appears on demand in colorful brocade robes. Holding one of the elaborate crosses, usually made of silver, the monk is quite happy to pose for pictures. (One appeared wearing a fancy pair of sunglasses.)
Getting up and into these churches requires some dexterity. The steps can be steep, rocky and rough. Self-appointed helpers help you along the way as well as take care of your shoes which you have to remove when you enter the churches. When you come out, you will find your Nikes neatly lined up with the others. (Wear dark socks).
Bahar Dar
Located on Lake Tano, source of the Blue Nile, Bahar Dar is one of Ethiopia’s prettiest towns with its wide avenues of palms and flowers. Bahar Dar’s main attractions are the monasteries which are found on some 20 of the lake’s 37 islands. Most date from the 16th and 17th centuries and have changed little since their founding. A convenient and fairly comfortable boat provides regular excursions to these sites.
Bahar Dar’s other star attraction, the Blue Nile Falls, is about an hour’s ride out of town. Once you get there, you can take a tankwa, a papyrus canoe, across a river then a hike to see the gushing falls or hike through the hills for a view of the falls.
The 64-room Tana Hotel, one of the best of the Ghion hotel chain, is located on Lake Tano. It has a nice garden, restaurant and a staff that is disappointed if you don’t want dessert. My tilapia with fresh vegetables was delicious. Ghion Hotels: 011-251-151 3222-51; Fax 011-251-151-0278.
Eating
A typical Ethiopian meal consists of a round of injera, a flat, spongy grayish bread which is often covered with little piles of cooked meats and vegetables the consistency of a heavy chili. Several people eat around each platter, tearing a piece of injera and using it snare a bite-size portion of food. Shish kebab, steak, chicken and fish are staples in hotel restaurants.
Tipping
In a country where the average annual wage is but $100, you can imagine how far a dollar will go. With each dollar worth 8 Birr, I would advise you to early on get a pile of small notes: ones, fives and 10s. There always seems to be someone to tip not to mention the silver trinkets and carvings to buy from the children. Guides expect at least 10-20 Birr; often more.
Getting There
Ethiopian Airlines, which flies to 27 cities in Africa with service through Rome from New York and Washington D.C., offers service to Addis Ababa. (See article on page 8 for more information.) Call Ethiopian Airlines at 800-445-2733 or visit: www.ethiopianairlines.com.