Ethiopia Travel Guides
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Article Intro
Visiting Ethiopia can be a pleasant experience and a lot of fun. It is important to prepare your trip in the right way by reading and learning about the country and its attractions.
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Ethiopia is a popular African country, which is known to have thirteen months of sun a year, as one of its slogans says. Indeed, more than 345 days a year are sunny here, and the sky above the country is absolutely clear. However, the heat is not as strong as in the surrounding countries due to higher altitude, which makes the climate more attractive for tourism.
Aksum is the capital of the ancient Axumite kingdom, which was ruled by the Solomonides dynasty, who considered themselves to be the descendants of King Solomon. The city has the aura of antiquity. There is a story that the Ethiopian king Menelik took the legendary Ark from Jerusalem, and since then it has been secretly kept in the church of Virgin Mary in Aksum.
The City of Gondar, located to the north of Lake Tana, used to be the capital of the Ethiopian Empire until the middle of the 19th century. It is reminiscent of the castles of the 16th century, and serves as a huge historical museum. Not far from Gondar, there is a complex of monasteries dating back to the 13th-15th centuries, in which there are several shrines of Ethiopian Orthodox Church, including the miraculous pool which cures women from infertility.
In Harer, there is an interesting governor's palace, Coptic Church, and several mosques. In Dire Dawa, there is a huge market, where one can buy local souvenirs.
Addis Ababa, the capital of the country, is famous for the palace of Emperor Menelik II, the Coptic Church of St. George, 'The Palace of Africa' with magnificent glass windows, the famous open-air market Mercato, the Archaeological Museum, and the Art Museum.
Lalibela is the city which hosts some of the main attractions of the country. For many centuries, it has been a religious center and a pilgrimage site. On its territory there are 11 temples, carved into the rocks. The largest of these temples is the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The most revered of the temples is the Temple of Virgin Mary, where the windows are made in the form of Roman and Greek crosses. The Church of St. George, the patron of the Ethiopians, was carved out as a single unit in the rock. The roof of the church is located at ground level, the church itself is in a deep pit, and it can only be reached through a tunnel.
The national parks of the country are located on the Awash River and Lake Abiyata. These are the places with rich fauna, ranging from hippos and lions to a sufficiently large number of birds.
Lake Tana is situated in the north of Ethiopia. It is one of the main natural attractions of the country, from where the Blue Nile originates. In addition to Lake Tana, there are small scenic lakes in the south of Ethiopia, the largest of which is Lake Abaya.
Recreation in Ethiopia gives you a chance to admire the famous Semien Mountains, a magnificent natural attraction of this colorful African country. The mountains are part of the Simien National Park, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. For millennia, the mountains were exposed to earthquakes and winds, which resulted in the perfect scenery of romantic mountain peaks, deep valleys and formidable gorges. The Semien ranges are especially beautiful and mysterious at night, when the moon gives them truly unforgettable shapes. Travelers will find here deep canyons and gorges, beautiful waterfalls, mysterious mountain forests, alpine meadows and untrodden mountain trails full of adventures.
Travel agencies in Ethiopia can be a valuable source of information about the country and its travel sector. Ethiopian tour operators are the experts to organize tours, flights, hotels and excursions.
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