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A land of contrast and extreme diversity

Ethiopia is a land of contrast and extreme diversity. From the lowest lowland on earth to the second highest mountain in Africa, from the least complicated fascinating tribes of southern Ethiopia to the capital city and headquarter of Africa, Ethiopia is quite a contrast of historical, cultural and natural attractions.

Traveling in Ethiopia is the same as traveling through time. The rich history of northern Ethiopia - Axum, Lalibela, Gondar, Bahir Dar, Harrar and others dates back more than 3000 years. The fascinating tribes of southern Ethiopia - Konso, Mursi, Surma, Hamer and others make you fall in love with the originality and simplicity of different human living styles.

All these, coupled with the breathtaking natural scenery and wildlife abundance of the country, makes Ethiopia a first travel site to be visited in Africa.

We at Fest Ethiopia Travel are here to serve your travel and tour needs in Ethiopia. Our passion is to make sure the money and time spent in Ethiopia is worth the excitement, memories and experience from traveling with us.

ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia, located in the heart of the Horn of Africa, is the tenth largest African country by land area and the third largest African nation in terms of population. Ethiopia borders Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south and Sudan to the wesst.

A land of contrasts, the scenery in Ethiopia changes constantly from one region to another, creating a microcosm of an entire continent in a nation the size of France and Spain combined. The scenery changes from hot, dry areas to rolling hills and fertile highlands, to savanna and mountainous regions where it sometimes even snows. The contrasting land is largely due to the volcanic activity that shaped the area some forty million years ago when the Ethiopian land mass was shaken by a massive upheaval. This opened deep faults in the bedrock and its overlying sedimentary layers, through which white-hot basaltic lava slowly spread over a large expanse of the land. Later, erosion produced some of the sharp contrasts that travelers visiting Ethiopia can see today.

Ethiopia's dramatic geographic contours, which were formed over one million years ago, have been hailed by some as probably the most spectacular in the world. The most sensational geographical feature is the East African Rift Valley, which runs from north to south, cleaving the country into three distinct regions: the western highlands, the eastern highlands, and the Rift Valley lowlands.

The central highlands stand at altitudes from 7,800-12,000 feet, rising to Ras Dashen at 15,100 feet, the highest peak in the Simien Mountains. Deep gorges surround the high plateaus, dipping far below sea level. From the highlands of Gojjam Province in Amhara, the Blue Nile River crashes over the Tississat Falls, where it begins its 1,000 mile journey to join the White Nile in Sudan. The eastern highlands run along the Rift Valley escarpment, sloping steeply to the east and widening and descending into the Danakil Depression at 380 feet below sea level.

Ethnicity

There are more than 78 ethnic groups in Ethiopia, with 69% of them found in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' State. Highest population percentages (1994 census): Oromo, 32%; Amhara, 30%; Tigray, 6%; Somali, 6%; Guragie, 4%; Sidama, 3%; Wolaita, 2%; Afar, 2%; Hadiya, 2%; and Gamo, 1%.

Religion

The religions in Ethiopia are predominantly Ethiopian Orthodox (or Monophysite Christianity) and Islam. Other religions that are also practiced include Judaism and Animism. The Animist faith is found mainly in southern regions of Ethiopia. Further south in Somali and surrounding areas, Islam is practiced. Christianity is more common in the northern and central parts of Ethiopia, where Judaism and Islam can be found as well.

Traditions

People usually greet each other by bowing heads. A greeting in Ethiopia can be a long and lively process- the longer the greeting, the closer the friends. Another custom is to kiss the cheek of your friend three times when you greet them.

The coffee ceremony is a sacred tradition in Ethiopia, where the beverage originated and is an integral part of the Ethiopian lifestyle. Performing the ceremony is almost a requirement when you have a visitor at any time of the day. The special coffee ceremony can take up to a few hours. The beans are roasted by hand and then ground in a special way. The coffee is prepared in a special pot and poured into a special cup. Of course, food is prepared with the coffee, practically making a full meal of the affair. In most parts of Ethiopia, the coffee ceremony takes place three times per day-- in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.

Clothing

As diverse as their own backgrounds are the traditional costumes of each region. While European dress is worn in the major urban centers, the traditional shemma is seen frequently on both men and women in the highlands. The shemma is a white cotton dress with a border of bright colors. The pastoral peoples of the lowlands wear mainly leather clothing with bead or shell ornamentation or brightly colored garments. Fine-featured Hararies wear colorful, tight trousers and gauzy veils. Among the Oromos the young girls wear their hair in two buns behind their ears. In addition, their foreheads are encircled with wreaths of silver, leaves or flowers.

Food

Injera, a flat, sourdough pancake made of the indigenous grain called t'ef, is the country staple. The injera is typically served with either meat or vegetable sauces. To eat it, you tear off a bit of injera and use it to pick up pieces of meat or to mop up the sauce. T'ef is a nutritional miracle food. It contains 2-3 times the iron of wheat or barley. The calcium, potassium and other essential minerals are also many times what would be found in an equal amount of other grains. T'ef has 14% protein, 3% fat and 81% complex carbohydrates

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Fest Ethiopia Travel & Tour Plc - 2010