Geographically

Ethiopia is located at the heart of the horn of Africa; extending from latitude 33oE to 480E and longitude from 30oN to 14.5oN, bordered by Eritrea, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, and Kenya to the North, East West, Southern West, and South, respectively. Population

The current population of Ethiopian is about 80 million, making it the third most populated country in Africa.

Government

  • The former military regime was overthrown in 1991.
  • Ethiopia is now a Federal Republic made up of 14 regions, mainly based on diversity of ethnicity. (In southern Ethiopia, 5 regions have combined to form the Southern Region.)
  • The present government was elected in 2010 for a 5-year term.

Citizens of 33 countries includes:- Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea Republic, Kuwait, Luxemburg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, and US can now get visas on arrival, visitors from other countries should obtain visas from the Ethiopian Embassy in the their country of residence. If there is no Ethiopian Embassy, arrangements can be made through tour operators to obtain one on arrival at the airport.

AIRPORT SECURITY

Travelers are required to have an airline-issued boarding pass while checking in for flight from one city to the other. Travelers are also subject to searches at security checkpoints.

AIRPORT TAX

There is a US$20 departure tax for international flights

  • 85% of the population gets their livelihood from the land. Coffee (the word originates from the name of the province Kaffa, in the south west of Ethiopia) provides 65% of foreign currency earnings.
  • The opening up of the economy since the overthrow of the previous government in 1991 has created more favorable grounds for development of Ethiopia's resources.
  • Ethiopia is the "water tower" of the region (the Blue Nile contributes to 85% of the main Nile flow) and plans are now in progress to better exploit the country’s water resources both to boost agricultural production and for power generation.
  • Mineral exploration and mining has stepped up in recent years-there are reserves of natural gas, coal, Gold, copper, tantalum, potash, zinc, iron ore, marble, precious and semi-precious stones.
  • The export of livestock, skins and hides (Ethiopia has the largest domestic livestock population in Africa) oilseeds, pulses and animal feed makes up the rest of Ethiopia’s foreign currency earnings, with tourism set to make an increasingly important contribution.

you are welcome to bring a normal-sized suitcase as well as a small carry-on bag. The handling of the normal-sized suitcase will be our responsibility while moving from place to place during the tour and the carry-on will be yours. Your Tour guide or bell man will arrange for the suitcases to get to your room. On travel days, your Tour Manager will give you the time your bag should be available for pick-up by the bell man.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO PACK ANY MEDICATION IN YOUR CARRY-ON OR CARRY IT WITH YOU.

Note: If your tour is a flight one, airlines have strict regulations concerning luggage weight allowance. You may be asked to pay an additional fee at the airport if your luggage weight exceeds 25kg.

INCIDENTAL CHARGES

while staying at your lodging, costs you incur for phone calls, room service, laundry, and other special services are your responsibility. Please take care of these charges as soon as possible, either the night before or on the morning of departure, being mindful that your tour’s departure is not delayed.

when people go out of their way to do their best, providing extra service with a smile, you like to reward them for a job well done. Since most people would like to say a special “thank you” to their Tour guide and driver, may we suggest the following guidelines: (especially if the group is comprised of five to twelve people ) A gratuity of $3 to $5 per person per day for your Tour guide ; $2 per person per day for your driver.

These individuals are with you throughout the entire tour, so please use your own judgment and tip according to services rendered. Please handle this on an individual basis – the best way to present this gratuity is in an envelope with your name on it. We request that group collections not be taken.

No matter what tour you are traveling on, we do all we can to make your trip rewarding and enjoyable. All of our motor coaches, mini buses and 4WDs are of standard. A seat rotation program is followed to allow each traveler an equal opportunity for viewing the sights from different perspectives. We appreciate your cooperation in adhering to this courtesy. To prevent injury, please remain seated while the motor coach is in motion. If you find it necessary to move around, please do so carefully, holding on to the seatbacks of the coach. For the protection of all passengers please be extremely careful when removing your carry-on bag, or other stored items, from the overhead rack.

Because of the elevation, temperatures rarely exceed 25 o C in most of the country, although in some of the lower lying areas (Awash, Omo and Mago parks) it can get considerably hotter.

Pack light clothes for the day time and a jacket or sweater for the evenings, and a good pair of walking shoes even if you are not going trekking - path ways around historic sites are usually uneven and stony. Trekkers in the Simien and Bale Mountains will need warm clothes, water-proofs and 3-4 season sleeping bags. On a cultural note - Ethiopians are generally modest dressers, and visitors should be sensitive about going underdressed (shorts, tank tops and bare backed) into places of worship. Shoes must always be removed before entering churches and mosques - for getting around sites like Lalibela with its many churches airline socks are very useful.

the possession of a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is no longer mandatory but visitors coming from countries where Yellow Fever has been reported may be asked. Immunization for Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus, Typhoid and Polio is recommended.

Malaria: in many sites malaria is not a problem because of the elevation - this is true of Axum, Gondar and Lalibela for example, but it can occur in Bahir Dar at the end of the rainy season and after unseasonable rains. Lowland areas along the Awash River, the Omo Valley, Rift Valley and Gambella are subject to malaria outbreaks. Chloroquine resistant strains have been identified in most areas so you should consult your doctor about the prescription. Alternatively, you can keep mosquitoes and other insects at bay with repellent creams and sprays. (Climatic changes and phenomena such as el-Nino has meant the appearance of malaria at unseasonable times, and its spread to areas previously malaria free.)

Visitors should take a simple first aid pack, which would include: different size plasters, antiseptic cream, anti-histamine cream and/or tablets for insect bites, sun barrier cream (while temperatures are moderate the sun is strong) and anti-diarrhea tablets such as Immodium for emergencies (they will not cure the problem but will control the symptoms).

Generally, visitors should take out standard holiday health insurance in their home countries.

Although Amharic is the lingua franca of Ethiopia, and both English and Italian are widely spoken in the main towns, there is a rich heritage of 83 local languages and over 200 dialects.

Amharic is considered the official language, and its distinctive alphabet will be seen by the visitor all over the Country. The name originates from the Amharic people, who live in the highlands of Ethiopia.

Ethiopian languages belong to one of four main language groups: Semitic (such as Amharic and Tigrinya), Cushitic (such as Afan Oromo) Omotic and Nil0-Saharan. A useful phrase book will provide phonetic guides to aid pronunciation.

With so many peoples, the food and drink of Ethiopia reflect the many different cultures. A typical dish is wot, a hot spicy stew of meat or vegetables, seasoned with a blend of berbere. Often made with doro (chicken), it is normally served with injera, the traditional spongy pancake made from a fermented teff flour batter. In most good restaurants, or in the local buna bet, or coffee house, you will find delicious dishes that reflect the customs and the ingredients of the region.

In Addis Ababa, as in most of the larger cities, visitors will also find a wide range of other restaurants that reflect the influences of their cuisines, All large hotels have international restaurants, but out in the City you can tempt your taste buds in Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Italian, French, Greek and other restaurants.

Ethiopia produces its own wines. Dukam and Gouder are fine reds, while Axumite is sweeter. Crystal is our dry white wine.

With so many peoples, the food and drink of Ethiopia reflect the many different cultures. A typical dish is wot, a hot spicy stew of meat or vegetables, seasoned with a blend or berbere. Often made with doro (chicken), it is normally served with injera, the traditional spongy pabncke made from a fermented teff flour batter.

  • Ethiopia is famous for its coffee, and nobody should visit us without sampling some of our best, and perhaps taking some home. Taking coffee can be a ceremony in itself… be prepared to wait up to an hour.
  • The coffee is always made by a woman, who washes the beans and roasts them over a small burner called a fermello. The beans are then crushed and put in to the pot with water to be boiled. When all is ready, sugar is put in small cups and the coffee carefully strained over. Incense is often burn at the same time. If you are invited to attend a formal coffee ceremony it is considered impolite to leave early, but after three cups you many retire.

Ethiopia is rich in traditional crafts, and our artisans work with local raw materials, creating artifacts that are both useful as well as being items of great beauty.

Shopping in Ethiopia can be an exciting experience. The bustling markets are the places to try out your age-old skills of bargaining, and even in some small workshops you can achieve a more reasonable price after a little bit of haggling. In Addis Ababa, the Mercato is the placer to head for, but in all towns markets and roadside stalls will display the crafts made in the locality.

In Harar visitors will find colorful basketwork or silver filigree, while the crosses of Gondar are famous. Are famous Hand-woven carpets come from Debre Birhan, while Jimma is well-known for its three-legged stools? All over the Country you will find historical (and sometimes not so ancient) artifacts. Icons, parchment, swords and old books may be offered by many vendors. Please remember that a permit must be obtained before taking reproductions of ancient relics out of the Country. To export a genuine national treasure us bit permitted

In all regions modern skills are being combined with traditional methods to produce modern handicrafts that make splendid souvenirs. Pottery, wood-carving and modern jeweler makes wonderful keepsakes of a visit to Ethiopia. Other treasures include hand-carved furniture, wall-hangings, beautiful embroidery, and costume dolls. Our modern designers have now created ranges of fashionable clothes that will entrance you. Ladies should explore some of the smaller boutiques in Addis Ababa, while both men and women will delight in the excellent leather goods for which Ethiopia is famous.

ELECTRICITY

220 volts. Plugs are of the two-pin variety.

SOUVENIRS

Many antiques cannot be exported and may be confiscated if found in airport searches. The National Museum in Addis Ababa can issue a clearance certificate.

PHOTOGRAPHING

outside Addis Ababa, generally only 100 ASA film is available. As a matter of courtesy, permission should be sought before photographing individuals and in many parts of the country, particularly among the ethnic groups living by the Omo River, people will demand a fee. In some sites (Blue Nile Falls for example) there is a charge for video photography.

BEGGING

Ethiopia's recent history of civil wars, famines and population displacement, along with poverty and under development generally has created large numbers of destitute, particularly noticeable in Addis Ababa. Giving to one often provokes a flood of others and does not really solve the problem - Village Ethiopia is happy to facilitate donations to organizations working with the needy and to facilities like clinics and schools.

NO SMOKING PLEASE

Mayflower Tours has a no-smoking policy on the motor coach. Frequent rest and meal stops are made, providing ample time for those who wish to smoke. Observance of this requirement helps assure the well-being of all members of the tour.