Ethiopia

Ethiopia travel guide: expert travel tips and holiday advice on everything from Addis Ababa hotels and restaurants to ancient rock churches and archaeological sites. Also included are natural history and wildlife, Bale Mountains National Park, South Omo, Tigrai, Lake Tana and Lalibela churches, Axum's stelae, Gondar and the Danakil Depression.

This new, fully-updated 8th edition of Bradt s Ethiopia remains the most comprehensive, detailed and thorough guide available, particularly known for its strength of background information, coverage of off-the-beaten track areas, and in-depth details of hotels and other tourist facilities. It also contains far more maps than other guides. Bradt s Ethiopia is also the longest serving English-language guidebook dedicated to the country, with a history of 25 years of research and expertise. This new edition has been updated by the original author, Philip Briggs, the world s foremost writer of Africa travel guides. Recent years have seen a notable rise in domestic and foreign private investment in the development of new hotels and national parks; this new edition includes all the most up-to-date details reflecting all the most recent changes, from development of tourist facilities to improved road infrastructure. Bradt s Ethiopia is ideal for visitors of all ages no matter the interest, whether travelling independently or part of an organised group, from adventurous and active travellers interested in cultural, historical, and wildlife sightseeing to international conference visitors, spa tourists and community-based visitors looking for activities such as trekking and horse-riding in the Rift Valley and Simien Mountains. Wildlife and birding visitors who come for Ethiopia s wealth of endemics are also catered for and this new edition includes a dedicated full-colour chapter on wildlife and birds. Of all the African nations, Ethiopia is most prone to misconceptions. The 1985 famine and the cracked barren earth of the Danakil Depression are not images quickly forgotten. But this fully updated guide refocuses the lens to reveal an ancient country that continues to surpass all expectations: from the ancient Judaic cultures of the fertile highlands to the Animist people of the South Omo Valley, from the Afroalpine moorland of the Bale Mountains National Park to the thundering Blue Nile Falls. This book also leads you further off the beaten track, so travellers can see more of this expansive and beautiful land, believed to be the cradle of humankind.

Introduction 

PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION 

Chapter 1 Background Information

Geography and climate, History, Government and politics, Economy, Population, Language, Religion, Education, Music

Chapter 2 Wildlife Guide 

Mammals, Reptiles, Birds

Chapter 3 Practical Information

When to visit, Suggested itineraries, Tour operators, Tourist information, Red tape, Getting there and away, What to take, Money, Budgeting, Getting around, Accommodation, Eating and drinking, Public holidays and festival days, Shopping, Nightlife, Media and communications, Local interaction, Responsible tourism, Health, Safety, Women travellers, LGBT travellers

PART TWO ADDIS ABABA AND SURROUNDS

Chapter 4 Addis Ababa

History, Getting there and away, Orientation, Maps, Getting around, Where to stay, Where to eat and drink, Nightlife, Cinema, Shopping, Other practicalities, What to see and do

Chapter 5 Around Addis Ababa

East towards Bishoftu and Adama, South towards Butajira and Hosanna, West towards Ambo and Mount Wenchi, North towards Debre Libanos and the Blue Nile Gorge

PART THREE NORTHERN ETHIOPIA

Chapter 6 Bahir Dar and Lake Tana

Dejen to Bahir Dar via Debre Markos, Dejen to Bahir Dar via Mota, Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Bahir Dar, Monasteries of southern Lake Tana, Bahir Dar to Gondar by road, Gorgora and northern Lake Tana

Chapter 7 Gondar and the Simien Mountains

Gondar, Debark, Simien Mountains National Park

Chapter 8 Axum and Surrounds

Shire Inda Selassie, Axum, Adwa and surrounds

Chapter 9 Northeast Tigray and Its Rock-Hewn Churches

Adigrat, Rock-hewn churches between Adigrat and Wukro, Wukro and surrounds, Hawzen and the Gheralta Escarpment, Abiy Addi and the Tembien

Chapter 10 Mekele and the Danakil

Mekele, Danakil, The Djibouti–Awash road 

Chapter 11 Lalibela and Surrounds

Through routes to Lalibela from Tigray and Western Amhara, Lalibela, Around Lalibela

Chapter 12 Dessie and Southeast Amhara

Hayk, Dessie, Gishen Debre Kerbe, Makdala Hill, Kombolcha, Bati, Dessie to Addis Ababa via Debre Berhan, The Dessie–Gundewein road

PART FOUR SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Chapter 13 Awash National Park, Harar and Eastern Highlands

Awash National Park, Awash to Harar and Dire Dawa by road, Dire Dawa, Harar, Jijiga 

Chapter 14 Bale and the Southeast

Arsi Zone, Dodola and the Adaba-Dodola IFMP, Bale Mountains and surrounds, Southeastern birding route, South towards Moyale

Chapter 15 The Southern Rift Valley Lakes

Ziway, Lakes Langano, Abijatta and Shalla, Lephis Forest, Shashemene, Hawassa, Sodo, Arba Minch and surrounds

Chapter 16 Konso and South Omo

Travel practicalities, Karat-Konso, Along the Konso–Jinka road, Jinka, Hamar Country: Dimeka, Turmi and Arbore, Omorate and the Omo River

Chapter 17 Southwest Ethiopia

The Western Highlands, Gambella Region 

Appendix 1 Language

Appendix 2 Glossaries

General glossary, Glossary of key historical and legendary figures in Ethiopia

Appendix 3 Further Information

Index