History
Ethiopia is one of the most fascinating lands in the world due to its ancient history which was been began long before ancient Greece and the Roman Empire existed. Ethiopia is the cradle of mankind, research shows that modern human beings and their hominid ancestors evolved in the eastern zone of the Rift Valley. ‘’Lucky’’ one of our most distant ancestors, lived around 3.2 million years ago and was found in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia most recently, even older hominid fossils called ‘’Ardi’’ was discovered in the Afar region of Ethiopia and believed that about 4.4 million years old.
Ethiopia is one of the most devout countries in the world, boasting a unique orthodox Christian denomination dating back to the 4th century AD, an Islamic tradition established during the lifetime of prophets Mohammed and relicts of Jewish culture that date back to the reign of King Solomon.
- More than 300 rock-hewn churches are dotted around the country, some claimed to be more than 1,500 years old and most of the still activity use today. Such as the surpasses the 13th century complex of rock-hewn churches at Lalibela , which were originally conceived of as kind of ‘’New Jerusalem’’ by King Lalibela and remain active shrines to this Day.
- Negash, the earliest Islamic settlement in Africa, is the burial site of the group of followers of the Prophet Mohammed who fled from Mecca to Ethiopia 613 AD to escape the persecution of acceptance by Islam, a mosque till stands on the site of the 7th-century original.
- Set in the lowlands east of the Bale Mountains, the Dire Sheik Hussein shrine and Sof-Omar cave are important pilgrimage sites that attract hundred of thousands of domestic and international Muslim pilgrims annually.
Topography and Climate
Ethiopia is a Highland Country, Having Eighty percent of Africa’s land above 3,000m. The Highlands of Ethiopia are Divided by the Great Rift Valley and separated by large areas of lowland, creating a discontinuous tract of Mountainous peaks. The fragmented nature of Ethiopia’s Landscape, couple with a large attitudinal and Latitude range, makes Ethiopia a diverse country and home to several unique Habitats, including the largest area of Africa.
An important advantage of visiting Ethiopia during the pale arctic winter (November to March) is that large numbers of migrants are present, including species that can be hard to see on their breeding grounds, and the majority of bird tourism in the country indeed takes place between October and January.
However, winter is far from being the only time to go. Most birding sites are accessible all year rounds , and there are several advantages to visit during rainy season (which are complex and vary geographically) ;wildflowers in the Bale Mountains and elsewhere are wonderful from June to July , many birds are nesting or feeding fledged young during April to July ,and species such as weavers and bishops are in breeding plumage (and remain so until at least September).Temperatures are much milder then too, which can be particularly welcome when only cold showers are available for washing .one area that may become temporarily inaccessible during the rains is the Omo valley, which is too wet.
