Ethiopia is totally different to any country in Africa that we have visited to date. The physical looks of the people, as well as their culture differ from the rest of Southern and Eastern Africa.

We first visited the lower Omo Valley section of the Rift Valley in the South-western region of Ethiopia. This area was until recently considered one of the most isolated in Africa. The area is home to different ethnic people (10 different tribes). For us it was a very interesting experience:

• The environment varies from very dry desert to lush green grassy plains to riverine forests.
• The different ethnic tribes still follow their respective ancient customs and traditions.
• We found the different clothing/jewelry and body adornments “weird” and interesting.

Refer to our photo gallery of Ethiopia for some photos of the different tribes.

We were delayed in Addis Ababa while repairs were done to our vehicle. We were lucky to find a very professional and competent workshop/factory to attend to the structural problems. We dismantled the vehicle totally, removing the living unit from the chassis to be able to reach all the problem areas.

From Addis we traveled to the Nile Gorge and back to test our vehicle, only to discover that we had to replace the left rear wheel bearings on our return to Addis.

We then visited the Awash National Park. It was very disappointing and disturbing to find the park totally occupied by the domestic animals (cattle, goats and sheep) of the local nomadic Afar people. Very little wild life still exists in the park; the park rangers confirmed that the situation is totally out of control and that they get no support from the government to control the invasion.

We then drove further west into the Afar Depression until Mille. The area changed to flat desert landscape with virtually no vegetation the further west we went. From Mille we returned to the Rift Valley passing through steep, high mountains via Kombolcha and Desse. The mountainous landscape continued from here until we left Ethiopia.

We next visited the rock-hewn churches at Lalibela. Although the churches and their construction are quite impressive and fascinating, the whole experience was somewhat dampened by the lack of proper factual information.

From Lalibela we traveled north via Mekele and Adigrat to Axum. The Stelae and other archeological sites in and around Axum are worth a visit; it dates back to about 1 000 BC. Contrary to Lalibela, the information at Axum was more factual and scientifically correct.

We continued from Axum to Debark in the Simen mountains. There we arranged for a 4 day trekking excursion in the Simen Mountains National Park. This was definitely the highlight of our visit to Ethiopia. The mountain scenery is absolutely breathtaking; high, almost vertical cliffs are broken into a series of ragged peaks along the escarpment. The mountains were covered with a multitude of wild flowers of various colours following the recent rainy season. The altitude varies between 3 000 – 4 600 m above sea level. The day time temperature is pleasant, but it drops to below freezing point during the night.

Next we visited the castles in Gonder; it was a disappointment and not really as spectacular as the guidebooks described it to be. From Gonder we went to Bahar Dar at Lake Tana. The Blue Nile Falls close to the source of the Blue Nile from Lake Tana was another big disappointment. Very little water (10%) actually crosses over the falls due to the nearby hydro-electric plant.

From Bahar Dar we drove to the Ethiopian/Sudan border at Metema via Gonder. We were however not allowed into Sudan due to problems with our visas. The officials at the Sudan Embassy in Addis Ababa made changes by hand on our visas and refused to sign next to it when we requested it. After trying all options to per sway the officials at the border to allow us entry into Sudan, we had to return to Gonder and then by plane to Addis Ababa to resolve the matter.

Contrary to the common belief that Ethiopia consists of a semi-desert to desert landscape where droughts and famine are common, we found to our surprise a totally different scenario. Except for the far most southern and western regions the landscape consists of lush green vegetation on hilly and mountainous terrain on both sides of the Rift Valley, becoming drier further north. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful from these green highlands onto the numerous lakes in the Rift Valley floor. Away from the Rift Valley the landscape is very mountainous with an average altitude of 2 000 – 3 000 m above sea level. The local population has created terraces across these mountains for the cultivation of various crops. These fields are ploughed with the aid of oxen or horses and then planted and harvested by hand; we did not see any use being made of tractors or other mechanical equipment. It could be that the relative small size of these individual fields as well as the fact that all land are owned by the government, preclude the use of such equipment. The farming activities give an almost “biblical” appearance to these scenes.

The main roads are generally in a reasonable condition with visible signs of ongoing maintenance; however once you venture off the main roads the conditions deteriorate drastically. The gravel roads are badly corrugated and the riding surface generally consists of a layer of rocky material. However if one keeps the very mountainous terrain into consideration the roads are actually in a surprisingly good condition; various very steep mountain passes exist, the like of which one will not find in the rest of Africa.

We have found the people of Ethiopia reasonably friendly once you get used to the constant “you-you-you” yelling aimed at foreigners. The continuous begging, from some times totally healthy people, is however very disturbing. Our vehicle was also hit numerous times by stones thrown at us for no obvious reason while passing, especially by young children. Another habit to get used to in especially Southern Ethiopia is the constant chewing of “chat”. “Chat” is an evergreen shrub of which the people chew the young leaves. It has a mildly intoxicating effect on them. The chewing of “chat” results in people almost always having something in their mouths and constantly spewing/spitting out bits and pieces, a quite irritating habit when talking. The chewing of chat is legal in Ethiopia.

The influence of the Orthodox Christian Church is very visible and strong throughout the parts of Ethiopia that we visited. Their traditions and believes date back to before the birth of Christ. Monasteries are located all over the country side on a regular basis, normally on the top of hills. It was however disturbing to notice the visible dirty and unhygienic circumstances prevailing in the vicinity of these monasteries, as well as the increased occurrence of begging

Photographing scenery and people in Ethiopia requires negotiating a price for the privilege. This is somewhat annoying, especially when photographing landscapes, buildings, general scenery, etc. Although not very expensive (1 – 2 Birr per photo), this definitely restricts taking photographs of sometimes interesting scenes due to the hassling involved as part of the negotiations.

The various local foods are also quite interesting. Some meals are definitely an acquired taste, for example Enset and Njera.

• Enset is made from the roots of a fruitless banana tree; the pulp is buried to ferment for at least 1 month before it is ready. It can be stored for up to 20 years. We tried it, but found that it has a very strong fermented smell – not nice.
• Njera is made from “Teff” seeds (looks like grass); it is fermented for 48 hours before it is baked in a big pancake shape. It looks like old grey kitchen flannel and tastes slightly sour. It is eaten by using only the right hand to break off pieces to wrap around small pieces of food or to mop up spicy sauces/juices. We found it quite tasty.

Overall we found the scenery in Ethiopia of the best in Africa. However we experienced the general attitude/behavior of the people, especially in the country side, not very welcoming. The continuous begging, yelling and shouting, and throwing of stones at passing vehicles could deter future travelers/tourists that might prefer to do it without the assistance of a local tour operator. A further complicating factor for independent travelers in Ethiopia is the fact that no camping facilities exists. Bush camping along the road is also difficult due to the ever present fields and the numerous onlookers/beggars that it attracts. The only really viable option is to make use of the local hotels, etc. Although not expensive they often experience water supply problems, and the facilities are generally very basic.