Ethiopia Tour: A 5-Day Historical & Cultural Trip Review

Thinking of going to Ethiopia? That five-day Historical Cultural Highlights Tour might be just the ticket if you are really wanting to soak up some history and culture. We took the trip not so long ago, and I can tell you about the really good bits, plus a few spots that could perhaps use a little shine. Hopefully, this walk-through will make making plans way simpler!

First Stop: Addis Ababa – A Capital Start

Addis Ababa is where a lot of trips begin, and ours was the same, too it’s almost. To begin with, the Ethnological Museum – it’s in the former palace of Haile Selassie. Now that’s a way to begin, actually! Walking all around the different exhibits kinda gives you this crash course in Ethiopian history and just how diverse all the different cultures are, which I think is super cool, you know?

The National Museum is also well worth some time, too it’s almost. Its home to “Lucy,” some very old remains of a very early hominid. I’m not kidding, it’s wild to stand and stare at some remains that are way older than even the pyramids.

I found that the Mercato was really exciting. It’s like one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, you know? That you really could buy almost anything there. The market is a sensory overload—in a fantastic way—with noises and all kinds of smells. Be warned: it’s easy to feel really overwhelmed, so just keep a good grip on what you own and get set for the craziness!

Day Two: Bahir Dar & Lake Tana’s Monasteries

Next up, you get to fly out to Bahir Dar. The flight? Pretty short, really. From there, a visit to Lake Tana gets underway; so it is, a home to monasteries stuck on islands, that I did not see coming. You take a ship out, and that gives you this feeling like you’re in the olden days, traveling just like travelers used to. The Ura Kidane Mihret Monastery is something to check out. What makes it good? Wow, are its paintings something else; they’re unbelievably brightly painted.

You know, there’s also the Zege Peninsula monasteries. Word of caution: You need to dress sort of respectfully (I’m talking covered shoulders and things like that). Also, do a shoe check since you kick off your kicks to go in. Keep an eye out because things go walking on their own, too it’s almost. Even though these sites give some perspective on Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, these islands give you calm views.

In the p.m., now we come to the Blue Nile Falls, or “Tis Issat,” that gives you “smoking fire”. When it’s at full flow, the local guides say that that happens. But look; it just was a dribble on our trip – which happens at certain parts of the calendar where water has to be diverted so they can do dam work. Yet, the hike itself goes through some little country places and over an old bridge that Portuguese folks built a while back, that alone is rather worthwhile, too it’s almost. Ask when the best time for going might be. The flow’s much higher later in the wet part of the season (July-August).

Day Three: Gondar – A Royal Dive

Day three takes you over to Gondar. It felt a lot different versus Addis or Bahir Dar since you get into old castle grounds.

Fasil Ghebbi gives one of the top sites to check out here; It’s almost like Ethiopia’s own mini-Camelot. It includes palaces and fortresses of old emperors, all put in one location. That major building, Fasilides’ Castle, is quite amazing. In your mind’s eye you picture what court living used to be. Check all the structures out because they tell something about what life there was like hundreds of years prior.

A visit to Debre Birhan Selassie Church is a must do since, actually, this place makes people pause in wonder looking at the roof. There are some winged angel faces; you might have seen the photographs before. It is not difficult to stay some time watching all the local artworks up close; there’s just that great amount to notice.

Day Four: Lalibela – The Eighth Wonder?

Next, we get a morning fly-in up to Lalibela, somewhere lots of people hype like it’s the “Eighth Wonder”. You come face to face with some church edifices that exist dug deep, all hewn away into volcanic soil, too it’s almost. These don’t have any blocks used when they are constructed.

Beth Giyorgis (Saint George’s Church), as it’s known, looks a lot like it was plucked off some history page – sculpted way down. That way these local churches interconnect with underground passages creates more mystery as your footfalls sound off throughout these dimly lighted corridors.

I should point out that seeing this many sites requires wearing not very hard to remove shoes. You should wear shoes that you could also move fairly far in. Furthermore, getting in a good-fitting guide to offer more setting to each church does a lot.

Day Five: Homeward Bound from Lalibela

Just for some itineraries, there may be additional churches at Lalibela one may visit through an early start; however, for others it goes: taking transport to somewhere else for a trip that departs out of Lalibela when your period winds up. Really, it is what one has paid on up front!

The Food Situation

So, you might wonder what grub tastes in the regions, and what’s available?

Injera all of it is! Actually, injera shows itself almost constantly at every meal: like this bread – not quite crepe; just fairly spongy. In general, people put saucy entrées—stews that get called wat—over that spongy canvas to have a meal. Beef, chicken, or just a mix done with greens can turn up as options. Being a heads up here, Ethiopians really love to incorporate spice, although lots of locations give the option “no spice.”

For individuals that are veggies and stuff, that’s also not hard either to get at, given the Coptic Orthodox beliefs prescribe periodic times free of ingesting all types of animal stuffs. Try shiro be kibbe (that features mashed chickpeas); actually that gets really good spiced right, as I came across when having it.

Other Things to Take Into Account

Getting Around: To make long jaunts fast, the tours almost always contain flight transfers. Yet bear it at the forefront of your head that internal flight schedules get sometimes switched at random or simply postponed completely, in which your day itineraries have to change suddenly.
Where to sleep: Accommodations proved to be fine although quite far from luxurious for just about where all. Quite often, hope for what looks to be neat as the starting measure in accommodations – the goal becomes that these will be comfortable, however one does not often find posh features that might show themselves around worldwide places more travelled.
Health advice: Chat up your doctor some period early on given you’re making a trip to talk vaccines; certain zones advise guarding against specifically malaria too. Getting cautious on consuming bottled waters just will keep stomach disturbances more controlled here.
Just watch for common travel pitfalls: Check what tour businesses actually give since some might impose added expenses that do get somewhat hidden to beginners! Also haggle somewhat courteously if it goes to buying products out in neighborhood spots – which shows almost as habit going on around marketplaces.

By and large? Doing a five-day deep plunge on Ethiopian past eras while getting personally exposed with cultures? One could not feel unhappy through proceeding – It gave one amazing time although the trip had simply minor adjustments. Just have expectations sensible/a great open sense getting out toward it then get to feeling great moments all everywhere!

Quick summary of the 5-Day Ethiopia Trip:

Addis Ababa gives you nice culture at a start.
Around Lake Tana is just tranquil as church viewing goes.
Gondar feels as though going into royal backgrounds out in medieval times.
The ground cut in places deep from Lalibela must not go somewhere to simply look by, but visit through to simply gain comprehension just regarding them.
Being bold out checking with food adds richly when checking cultures at the home locale.

Enjoy the preparations! Going through places and spaces of antiquity gives such excitement, yet there appears quite much benefit found there after going away!

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