Across Ethiopian Skies

… ‘the land of thousand smiles’, home of the Ark of the Covenant, custodian of some of the world’s oldest civilizations – this is Ethiopia. But how much do you really know about this amazing country? Selamta fills in a few fascinating gaps…

Ruins of what is believed to be the Queen of Sheba's Palace. Remnants of stone stairs and flooring are all that remain. Locals claim that the Queen was buried in the shadows of the palace.

Queen of Sheba's Palace

Legend has it that Emperor Menelik I, the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, brought the Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Axum, where he settled and established one of the world's longest known, uninterrupted monarchical dynasties.

This is only one example of Ethiopia's magnificent history, which encompasses legend and tradition, mystery and fact, from a powerful and religious ancient civilisation. The well-trodden path through Ethiopia's famous end fascinating historic sites takes you through a scenic, magnificent world of fairy-tale names, such as Lalibela, Gondar, Debre Damo and Bahar Dar.

Traveling the route by plane, car or both will offer you a glimpse into a truly remarkable past. As well as many priceless historical relics, you will also see the castles at Gondar, the churches of Lalibela - hewn out of living rock, the mysterious giant stelae at Axum, the ruins of the Queen of Sheba's palace, and the monastery at Debre Damo, whose access is limited to men and then only by way of a rope lowered by the friendly monks above.

A 16th Century Church in Bahar Dar

Taking the historic route north from Addis Ababa, the first stop is Debre Markos, 305 kilometres north of the capital and also accessible by air three times a week with Ethiopian Airlines. Here you will find the 19th century Church of Markos (Saint Mark), with its pale but beautiful paintings depicting scenes of biblical and religious history.

Bahar Dar

Bahar Dar, the next stop, is 578 kilometres from Addis Ababa, has daily Ethiopian Airlines flights and a number of good hotels, and is located on the southern shores of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, with its ancient island monasteries and both the Blue and the White Nile's mast spectacular feature, the Tis Isat waterfalls.

On the island of Dega Estefanos, you will find the church of Saint Stefanos which has a priceless collection of icons and manuscripts and houses the mummified remains of a number of Ethiopian emperors.

Blue Nile in spate as it thunders over the Tis Islar Falls, down stream from lake Tana, at the start of its long journey to the White Nile at Omdurman, Sudan.

For the modern traveller, the starting point of any visit to the Blue Nile Falls, or to the islands of Lake Tana is the bustling market town of Bahar Dar on the lake's south-eastern shore. The colourful markets and a variety of handicrafts and weaving centres also make it a comfortable base for excursion by land or water. Bahar Dar port provides access by boat to a number of historic lake-side churches and monasteries near and far. Most date from the seventeenth century and have beautifully painted walls. Many such places of worship now have fascinating museums, at which the visitor can see priceless illustrated manuscripts, historic crowns and fine royal and ecclesiastical robes. Some monastic islands are forbidden to women, but others can be visited by both sexes.
Visitors to Bahar Dar can also SEE tankwas, locally made canoes, made out of the papyrus needs growing by the lake shore, as well as an historic old building erected, in St. Georges
church compound, by the 17th century Spanish Jesuit, Pero Paes.

Wonders of ancient workmanship, Axum's giant stelae made of single pieces of granite.

Yeha, Axum, Debre Damo

The journey through Ethiopia's historic route takes you on rough tracks, through dramatic highland scenery and eventually ends in a beautiful and serene agricultural hamlet. It is here that you may see the towering ruins of Yeha's Temple of the Moon, an imposing rectangular editice built more than 2,500 years ago. The temple speaks eloquently of the works of an early high civilisation, although little is actually known about the people who built this great edifice.

Much more is known about the historic highland city of Axum, once a great commercial center, trading via the Red Sea port of Adulis and founded perhaps 500 years after the decline of Yeha. Axum stands in the highlands of north-western Tigray, commanding spectacular views over the nearby Adwa hills. This ancient settlement is frequentIy referred to as "the sacred city of the Ethiopians" - a description that adequately sums up its significance in national culture as a centre of Orthodox Christianity. Many remarkable monuments here attest to the great antiquity of religious expression in this country, and as a former capital that has never lost its special appeal to the hearts and minds of all Elhiopians.

Axum is renowned for its Cathedral of St Mary of Zion, where legends it, the original Ark of the Covenant is housed. Axum is also famous for its seven mysterious monolithic stelae, hewn from single pieces of solid granite. The most notable are carved to resemble multi-storey houses; several weigh more than 500 tonnes and stand twenty metres high. They seem less like prayers of stone and more like lightning-rods to heaven.

Axum's greatest significance, however, is as the epic centre of the Queen of Sheba's dynasty, upon which rests the notion for the sacred kinship of the Semitic peoples of Ethiopia - a notion that links the recent past to ancient times. The former Emperor Haile Selassie claimed to be the 225th monarch of the Solomonic line. His death in 1975 marked the end of an era - and the beginning of the end of an entire way of life.

Some four hours drive from Axum - plus a further two hours Stiff uphill walk from the point where the road ends - lies the monastery of Debre Damo, situated on a clifftop in one of the wildest parts of Tigray. Debre Damo is unique and unforgettable. The bluff on which Damo stands is a real-life Shangri-La. Remote and beautiful, far from the hustle and bustle of the twenty-first century, the cool celestial island of rock offers panoramic views over the surrounding countryside and complete seclusion and peace for the hundred or so monks and deacons who live there. The monastery's treasures include an extensive collection of illuminated manuscripts and the intricate carvings on the beams and ceiling of the ancient church around which the monastery is built.

Gondar

Still-standing palaces hint at the grandeur of days gone by in Gondar.

The next stop on the historic route is the graceful city of Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasilidas in 1635. The city was Elhiopia's capital until the reign of the would-be reforming Emperor Tewodros II, also known as Theodore. During its long years as a capital, the settlement emerged as one of the largest and most popular cities in the realm. It was a great commercial centre, trading with the rich lands south of the Blue Nile, as well as with Sudan to the west, and the Red Sea port of Masaawa to ihe north-east. Gondar is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches. The earliest of the castles was created by Fasilidas himself and is still in such an excellent state of repair that it is possible to climb its stairs all the way to the roof, which commands a breathtaking view over much of the city. Besides the famous palaces, visitors should inspect the so-called 'Bathing Palace of Emeperor Fasilidas', which is used for the annual Timket or Epiphany celebrations, and the abbey of the redoubtable eighteenth century Empress Mentewab at Owesquam, in the mountains just outside Gondar.

Lalibela

A monk reads the ancient scribes of Lalibela.

Hundreds of miles to the south and east of Axum is another ancient settlement, Lalibela, which is also famous for its architecture. Lalibela, is a city carved from legend - a mediaeval settlement in the Lasta area of Wollo that is the site of eleven remarkable rock-hewn monolithic churches, believed to have been built by King Lalibela in the late twelfth or early thirteenth century. These notable structures are carved inside and outside of the solid rock, and are considered among the wonders of the world. Each building is architecturally unique, and several of them are decorated with fascinating rock paintings. The unadulterated biblical atmosphere and vivid local colour of the Timket celebrations provide an ideal opportunity to see Lalibela as a sacred centre whose roots go back to man's very early years.

Harar

One of the gates through which caravans used to enter and leave the walled city of Harar.

No journey along Ethiopia's fabled historic route would be complete without a visit to the medieval walled city of Harar, which stands amid green mountains on the east wall of the Great Rift Valley. Harar's heritage is almost entirely Muslim and Oriental.

Harar has probably always had a great deal more in common with the Horn's coastal culture than with the life of the highlands - and it retains to this day a certain redolence of the Orient. The most dominant features, apart from its strong encircling walls, is its rich and exciting market place - probably the most colourful in Ethiopia. With its 90 mosques and shrines, Harar is considered to be the fourth most sacred centre of the Islamic world. Its Islamic character is best expressed in the Grand Mosque (Al Jami), which dominates the town.

Rightly renowned for its intricately worked filigree jewellery of silver, gold and amber.
Harar's Megalo Gudo market is also a centre for beautiful baskets of woven grass, decorative wall-mats and bright shawls, as well as all the fruits, vegetables, spices and grains of the province. Harar's five gates - the only means to enter or leave the city centre - have been strongly guarded over the years.

The sun sets magnificently over River Tana.

Ethiopia boasts seven of the Great Rift Valley lakes. Some are alkaline brown, yet surprisingly good for swimming; some are tropical in setting; some are bordered or fed by hot mineral springs; some play host to large flocks of flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, herons, storks and ibises; with 831 recorded bird species, Ethiopia is a bird watcher's paradise.

Ethiopia's Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile. The lake is dotted with island monasteries, which house many treasures of medieval art, Only 30 km from the lake, the river explodes over Tis Isat falls (meaning 'smoke of fire') - a sight that inspired wonder from the 18th century explorer, James Bruce. Before the Blue Nile joins the White Nile, which flows north from Lake Victoria, it runs for 800km through one of the world's deepest and most dramatic gorges.

The splendid Greater Kudu, seen here in Nechisar National Park.

Ethiopia's mountains rise up to a height of over 4,000 metres, with Mount Batu, the second highest peak in Ethiopia, rising to 4,307metres.

The national parks enable the visitor to enjoy the country's scenery and its wildlife, conserved in natural habitats, and offer opportunities for travel adventure unparalleled in Africa.

Awash National Park is the oldest and most developed wildlife reserve in Ethiopia. Featuring the 1,800 metre Fantalle Volcano, numerous mineral hot-springs and extraordinary volcanic formations, this natural treasure is bordered to the south by the Awash River and lies 225 kilometres east of the capital, Addis Ababa.

The wild life consists mainly of East African plains animals, but there are now no giraffe or buffalo. Oryx, bat-eared fox caracal, aardvark, colobus and green monkeys, Anubis and Hamadryas baboons, klipspringer, leopard, bush buck, hippopotamus, Soernmering's gazelle, cheetah, lion, kudu and 450 species of birds of all kind live within the park's 720 square kilometres.

Lions, the creatures most symbolically associated with Ethiopia, are found in the north-east and south-west of the country.

The Bale mountains with their vast moorlands - the lower reaches covered with St. John's Wort - and their extensive heathland, virgin woodlands, pristine mountain streams and alpine climate remain an untouched and beautiful world. Rising to a height of more than 4,000 metres, the range borders Ethiopia's southern highlands, whose highest peak, Mount Tullu Deemtu, stands at 4,377 metres.
The establishment of the 2,400-square-kilometre Bale Mountains National Park was crucial to the survival of the mountain nyala, Menelik's bushbuck and the Simien red fox. This fox is one of the most colourful members of the dog family and more abundant here than anywhere else in Ethiopia. All three endemic animals thrive in this environment, the nyala in particular being seen in large numbers. The Bale mountains offer some fine high-altitude terrain for horse and foot trekking, end the streams of the park - which become important rivers Further downstream - are well-stocked with rainbow and brown trout.

The rough terrain of the towering Siemien Mountains exemplifies the rugged beauty of Ethiopia.

The Baro River area, accessible by land or air through the western Ethiopian town of Gambela, remains a place of adventure and challenge. Travelling across the endless undulating plains of high Sudanese grass, visitors can enjoy a sense of achievement in simply finding their way around. This is Ethiopia's true tropical zone and here are found all the elements of the African safari, enhanced by a distinctly Ethiopian flavour Nile perch weighing 100 kilos can be caught in the waters of Baro, snatched from the jaws of the huge crocodiles that thrive along the riverbank. The white eared-kob also haunts the Baro, along with other riverbank residents that include the Nile lechwe, buffalo, giraffe, tiang, waterbuck roan antelope, zebra, bushbuck, Abyssinian reedbuck, warthog, hartebeest, lion, elephant and hippopotamus.

The Simien Mountain massif is a broad plateau, cut off to the north and west by an normous single crag over 60 kilornetres long. To the south, the tableland slopes gently down to
2,200 metres, divided by gorges 1,000 metres deep which can take more ttian two days to cross. Insufficient geological time has elapsed to smooth the contours of the crags and buttresses of hardened basalt.

Zebras out grazing.

Within this spectacular splendour live the Walla (Abyssinian) ibex, Simian red fox and Gelada baboon - all endemic of Ethiopia - as well as the Hamadryas baboon, klipspringer and bushbuck. Birds such as the lammergeyer, augur buzzard, Verreaux's eagle, kestrel and falcon soar above this mountain retreat.

Large numbers of hippopotamus can be seen in many parts of Ethiopia.

Twenty kilometres north-east of Gondar, the Simien Mountains National Park covers 179 square kilometres of highland area at an average elevation of 3,300 metres. Ras Deshen, at 4,620 metres the highest peak in Ethiopia, stands adjacent to the park.

The Simien escarpments, which are often compared to the Grand Canyon in the United States of America, have been named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Addis Ababa

The beautiful city of Addis Ababa.

With a population of more than three million people, Addis Ababa is not only the political capital but also the economic and social nerve-centre of Ethiopia. Founded by Emperor Menelik in 1887, this big, sprawling, hospitable city still bears the stamp of his exuberant personality. More than 21,000 hectares in area, Addis Ababa is situated in the foothills of the 3,000 metres Entoto Mountains and rambles pleasantly across many wooded hillsides and gullies cut through with fast-flowing streams.

A monument in Addis Ababa which marks the victory over the Italian occupies.

There is more than enough to do in Addis. There are numerous restaurants offering various exotic dishes from many parts of the world. Ethiopian food is served at the majority and there are Chinese, Italian, French, Indian, Armenian, Arabic, Greek and many other leading specialist restaurants. Indeed, it is possible to eat your way round the world without ever leaving Addis Ababa! On the entertainment side several cinemas show international films with English dialogue or sub-titles. Most of these cinemas also stage dramas in Amharic depicting Ethiopian's social and cultural life during different historical epochs. Shopping in Addis is a delight and the shops are fairly well stocked with almost all consumer goods. The local jewellery, sold by the weight of gold or silver is in particularly high demand. The main market-place, known as the Mercato, is the largest open market place in Africa and has a wonderful range of goods and products, items of local art and Ethiopian curios and antiques. Here, haggling over prices is expected - and one should allow ample time for this.

At the shops in town, however, prices are fixed, although a small discount is often allowed on large purchases. If you have some spare time during your stay there are a number of places that are well worth a visit. The Addis Ababa University, whose campus occupies a palace built by Haile Selassie before the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, houses the Institute of Ethiopian Studies and the ethnological Museum. The St George Cathedral was built in 1896 in the traditional octagonal shape in commemoration of Ethiopia's military success at the Battle of Adwa (St George is the patron saint of the soldier). The Menelik Mausoleum was built in 1911 and the Trinity Cathedral in 1941. Both serve as tombs ol emperors, princes and Ethiopian martyrs of freedom. Menelik's wife, Taitur and his daughter, Zewditu, are also entombed at the Mausoleum.