11-Day Ethiopia Historic Route Tour with Lalibela and Axum

Travel Information

Topography

• With an area of 1,194,000 square kilometres, Ethiopia is the tenth-largest country in Africa. It is approximately twice the size of Kenya or five times the size of the UK. From the north and running down the centre are the Abyssinian Highlands. To the west of the mountain range, the land drops to the grasslands of Sudan, and to the east to the deserts of the Afar Depression. The Rift Valley lakes dominate the land south of Addis Ababa. The principal rivers are the Blue Nile, the Tekezze, the Awash, the Wabe Shabelle, the Omo, and the Baro. The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa, which lies in the heart of the country at an altitude of 2300 m.

Population

• With a population of about 100 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populated country in Africa. After the downfall of the Derg (the military regime), the country now has a federal republic government made up of 9 regions based on ethnicity, with regional administrations. Additionally, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa are under federal administration.

Economy

• The country's economy is based on agriculture, and about 85% of the population are subsistence farmers. Coffee, whose name originates from the province of Kaffa in south-west Ethiopia, provides about 50% of foreign currency earnings. The export of livestock and skins, chat, oilseeds, textiles, pulses, flowers, and animal feed makes up the rest of Ethiopia's foreign currency earnings.

When to come

• This depends on where you are going. In most of the country, the primary rainy season runs from June to the end of September, with short rains in March. In southern Ethiopia, including the Omo and Mago parks, the seasons are different, with the main rains from March to June and shorter rains in November. However, it is not possible to be definitive about the rains - in recent years, unseasonable rains have made sections of the Omo impassable, for example. With the upgrading of the airports along the Historic Route (Axum, Lalibela, Gondar, and Bahir Dar), it is now possible to visit the north even in the rainy season. For travellers who do not mind waiting out a downpour, usually followed by brilliant sunshine, there are certain rewards - a green countryside full of crops and flowers and the sites largely to yourselves.

Climate and clothing

• Because of the elevation, temperatures rarely exceed 25C in most of the country, although it can get considerably hot in some of the lower-lying areas, such as Awash, Omo, and Mago parks. Pack light clothes for the daytime, a jacket or sweater for the evenings, and a good pair of walking shoes even if you are not going trekking - pathways around historic sites are usually uneven and stony. In the Simien and Bale Mountains, trekkers will need warm clothes, waterproofs, and 3-4 season sleeping bags. On a cultural note, Ethiopians are generally modest dressers, and visitors should be sensitive about going underdressed, such as in shorts, tank tops, and bare backs, into places of worship. Shoes must always be removed before entering churches and mosques, including when getting around sites like Lalibela and many churches.

Health

• Visitors must have a valid health certificate for yellow fever before entry. If a visitor transited through or visited a cholera-reported area within six days before arrival in Ethiopia, vaccination against cholera is required.

Currency exchange

• Official currency: 1 birr = 100 cents.

• Bank hours: open from 08:30 in the morning to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays and half-day on Saturdays. However, banks at Addis Ababa Hilton and Sheraton Hotels are open daily, including holidays, from 0600-2300 hours. You can also cash Visa and MasterCard at the banks or use the ATM inside the hotels.

• Traveller's cheques are best taken in US dollars or pounds sterling, and cash is best taken in US dollars or euros.

• Some credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club are accepted at major hotels.

Time and electricity

• Ethiopia is three hours ahead of GMT (+3 GMT).

• The electric supply is 220 volts, 50 cycles AC.

Calendar

• Ethiopia follows its own calendar,