Touring Ethiopia

Visitors never cease to wonder at seeing things in Ethiopia that are unusual. Among the varied food and dishes served are many notable for their uniqueness and delicacy, tempting anyone whether hungry or not.

Of course travellers can find a wide selection of restaurants catering for Indian and Chinese to European or American cuisine. But Ethiopia has a cuisine and a style of presentation that make it unique and endemic, much like its wildlife.

You would almost never leave someone’s house without eating, whether you are a guest or not. Before eating the hands are washed with water caught in a special bowl and poured over the hands of each person.

Also while eating you will find ‘gursha’ given as a mark of great friendship; usually given at least twice. It is a tradition usually carried out by the host who picks a morsel of the food and feeds you directly by putting it into your mouth.

Injera the national bread

This is a staple food that serves as the base of every meal. It is served in a mesob (a basket made of straw), spread out like a large thin pancake; with different kinds of wot (sauces) put on top of it. Don’t mistake this for a table cloth like an American tourist once did.

You will be passionate for Doro-wot, considered to be the most sophisticated and almost the national dish of Ethiopia.

Tasty chicken usually cut into 12 pieces and accompanied by hard-boiled eggs is served in a hot sauce of butter, onion, chili, cardamom and berbere (hot powder red-paper).

If you ask any Ethiopian which food they particularly love the most, you will undoubtedly hear he or she reply - ‘Doro-wot’. It has an exotic and delicious taste and an aroma that stimulates the appetite.

Also ‘Tre-siga’ a raw meat served with various spicy sauces and ‘Kitfo’ a minced beef or lamb served raw or warmed (lebleb) in butter rosemary and berbere are popular and much loved foods among many Ethiopians. You may also find yourself addicted to them like many a native Ethiopian.

Shiro-wot, a chickpea or bean puree lightly spiced and accompanied by vegetables is served especially on fasting days. It might be one of your preferences especially if you are a vegetarian.

There are also tasty local made beverages from a local shrub known as gesho and Tella and Tej (honey wine) served in beautiful flasks. You might also like to try Arake a grain spirit which has a pretty powerful kick.

If you really want to treat yourself with an exotic experience of Ethiopia, you should not miss the coffee ceremony. Ethiopians are rightly proud of their coffee, since Ethiopia is the original home of coffee.

High quality coffee is still produced today, noted for its flavor and often blended with other fine coffees from around the world.

For the visitor a real and exotic experience will be to take part in this traditional coffee ceremony accompanied by freshly cut grass scattered on the ground, burning incense and coffee beans roasting in a pan.

As the smoke rises you’ll be offered the delicious aroma, to draw toward you and inhale.

The beans are then ground with a pestle and mortar and brewed with water in a pan. When it is finally ready, the coffee is served in tiny cups in three turns served with ‘Buna-kurse’ a small snack, usually popcorn is the other part of what is a beautiful ceremony.

Eskinder Hailu
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A few weeks ago I was travelling to the western part of Ethiopia for some project work. The last time I had been there was five years ago.

At that time I remember, my journey was so exhaustive, due to the difficult gravel road which made the place almost inaccessible. I never thought I would go there again.

Improving Roads

But this time many things had changed. Though some parts of the road are still under construction, many parts of it are completed and are easing the difficulties travellers and drivers use to face.

Such infrastructural improvements especially on the road sector are also significant in many other parts of the country. Good quality roads are to be found now in increasing numbers, leading to all corners of the country.

Improving Air Transport

Not only the road sector but also the upgraded and growing air transportation sector has also added good value to travelling to and within Ethiopia.

The old terminal at Bole International Airport has been renovated to serve the domestic and international flights within the past five years.

The Bole International Airport also ushers in a whole new era for Addis Ababa, bringing the runway up to 21st century standards including capability to accommodate the largest jets. The main airports within the country have also been expanded and upgraded for better service.

The main and most visible improvement in the airport sector is, of course, the new terminal with its high and spacious design. Passenger convenience and service has been the guiding principle of the new building. Space has been increased to five times the previous main terminal, which is now a massive 40,000 sq meters.

Improving Hotels and Services

Many new hotels have been built and many others are under construction in the capital as well as in the main tourist destinations. Hotels offering very good services, ranging from the luxurious ones, to the budget types, are operating in many regions of the country.

Continuing improvements make Ethiopia an important and enjoyable tourism destination and it has emerged as one of the top ten must visit places in 2007. A testimony to which was recently given by Frommer’s, renowned for their travel expertise for over 50 years.

Of course there are still many remaining assignments before Ethiopia is able to fully offer her most hidden treasures to the world.

There are still areas that are difficult to access and where hotels, lodges or other facilities are hard to find, even though such areas make attractive and amazing tourism destinations.

However much has improved and there is a great and bright hope for Ethiopia to sustain and grow even more in the future.

Eskinder Hailu
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I was in South Omo - Ethiopia last month to visit the tourism spots in this rather remote part of the country.

I always enjoy going there and usually comeback with mixed feelings.

On the surface anyone visiting parts of the area may be impressed by the different tribes and cultures that still exist there, the beautiful people and their attire, the vast land that they occupy with their live stock, to mention just a few.

One evening we were treated to cultural dances and a traditional barbecue, which consisted of roasted leg of lamb, the likes of which I never tasted before. The sky at night was bright with a magnificent display of countless stars.

South Omo is still regarded as one of the main tourist attractions of Ethiopia. Most of the tribes in south Omo are nomadic cattle herders, although more and more people are settling down around towns and relief distribution points, depending on their live-stock for a living.

The Mursi, usually naked, may deck themselves out in a white bark belt, leather strap ornamented with notches, and short skin garment.

They are numbered about 5,000 and have been a subject of television documentaries also they are best known for being pure Omotic-speakers.

They, like many Omotic speakers, are fond of body-scaring, a practice which along with body painting, is taken to garish extremes by the Karo people of the village of Doose.

Most Omotic villages welcome visitors, though you will be expected to pay to take photographs. Due to the remoteness of the area, the best way to visit the Omo area is on an organized Safari.

Tourists often want to buy a souvenir or two from the particular area they visit and although there is a good variety of souvenirs available in the capital, buying items and utensils locally adds some value to their authenticity.

I was also spending a night in Konso as the people are friendly and have an unusual culture. At Turmi, the main town of the Hamer, the Monday market is a must to visit.

The main square fills with the Hamer market goers, selling vegetables, spices, butter and milk. It’s a great place for picking up the beautiful incises gourds which are used by the local women as shopping baskets and as a sort of hand bag for stashing cash.

The best time to visit the lower Omo Valley is during the dry season, from June to August and November to February because roads can become impassable during the wet season.

Also to be able to withstand the high temperatures, visitors to the area must drink a lot of water and luckily there are now several brands of bottled water for sale in the towns.

Eskinder Hailu
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Visit Choosing a Tour for a short Video or Brochure
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