Ethiopia, is truly a land beyond all imaginations, contrasts and extremes; land of remotes and wild places. Some of the largest and most stunning places on the African continent are found here, such as the jaggedly carved Simien Mountains, one of UNESCO?s world heritages sites and some of the lowest point on earth, hottest but fascinating Danakil Depression, with its lunar like landscape. Ethiopia is ancient as equal as prehistory of the earth, far earlier than that lived ?Lucy? or Dinknesh, meaning ?thou art wonderful?, as she is known to the Ethiopians, whose remains were found in a corner of this country. As Abyssinia, its culture and traditions date back over 3000 years.

A land of Great Civilization

 Do you know that Ethiopia is mentioned in the Bible more than 38 times by both Old and New Testaments? Ethiopia has a proud and long history extending to the known beginnings of humankind. The Axumite kingdom was one of the great civilizations of the ancient world and has left behind the mystery of the great Stellae found at Axum. In the late middle ages great religious civilizations flourished in many parts of the country, particularly at Lalibela where churches hewn out of massive monolithic rock testify not only to great faith but also great architectural skills. In the former capital Gondar many significant castles speak of the same legacy. All these would be enough to make Ethiopia a fascinating place to visit and travel through, but Ethiopia has so much more to offer.

 Land of Culture and Home of Diverse People

 Ethiopia has culture and traditions way back over 3000 years. With it?s over 80 different   ethnic groups, with their own language, culture and traditions. The strong religious setting, celebrations and festivals play an important part in every ones daily life. Church ceremonies are major feature of Ethiopian life. The events are impressive and unique. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has its own head, follows its own customs and is extremely proud of its fourth century origins

 "Are you not like the Ethiopians to me, O people of Israel??  (Amos 9:7)

 Islamic tradition is also strong and offers colorful contrast, particularly in the eastern and south eastern parts of the country. Historical records testify that there were Ethiopian Muslims during the lifetime of Prophet Mohammned. History has it that when the early followers of the Prophet Mohammed were denied the right to pursue their religion, and were harshly persecuted by the mercantile rulers of Makkah. He pointed to the kingdom and said:

 "A country wherein no one is wronged: a land of righteousness. Depart there and remain until it pleased the lord to open your way before you." Prophet Muhammed

 This rich religious history is brought to life in the romantic walled city of Harar, considered by many Muslims to be the fourth ?holy city? following Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.

 Ethiopia is the home of diversified ethnics. The Cushitic, the Semitic, the Nilotic and the Omotic language groups live in harmony side by side. The lower Omo is the home of Omotic, Cushitic and Nilotic linguistic group with their untouched culture.  It is situated following the vast Omo River, the sole contributor to the East Africa?s fourth largest lake ?Lake Turkana? in Kenya. Its landscape is diverse that boarders the Mago and Omo rivers. The Omo Valley is unique in that four of Africa?s major linguistic groups including the ?endemic? Omotic languages are represented within one relatively small area. To anthropologists; the Omo Valley is not far from being the ?Living Museum?. The area is home to many diverse and fascinating peoples and cultures.  

 A land of Beauty

 Ethiopia is a land of natural contrasts from the tops of rugged Simien Mountains to the depths of the Denakil Depression, at 120 meters below sea level one of the lowest dry land point on earth. The abundance of the natural beauty that blessed Ethiopia offers an astonishing variety of landscapes: Afro-Alpine highlands soaring to around 4,300 meters, a chain of mountains, the splendour of the Great Rift Valley, white water rivers, savannah teeming with game, giant water falls, dense and lush jungle? the list is endless.

 Ethiopia?s many national parks enable the visitor to enjoy the country?s scenery and its wildlife, conserved in natural habitats, and offer opportunities for adventure lovers unmatched in Africa.

 The wildlife consists mainly of East African plains animals, but there are now no giraffe or buffalo, Oryx, bat eared fox, caracal, aardvark, Columbus and green monkeys, Anubis and Hamadryas baboons, klipspringer, leopard, bushbuck, hippopotamus, Soemmerings gazelle, cheetah, lion, kudu and 862 species of birds have been noted in Ethiopia among which 30 are endemic to the country

A Land of Discovery

 Ethiopia is known the earliest the home of human race. A skeleton of an older human ancestor Australopithecus Afarensis was discovered in 1974 in the Afar region. Anthropologists have established that the skeleton covering 40% of the human body had belongs to a twenty years old female that lived 3.5 million years ago. Registered by the UNESCO as a world heritage, the site of the discovery called Hadar ? situated 160 kilometres northeast of Addis Ababa, the capital city of the country.

The skeleton is popularly known as Lucy or Dinkinesh. The Discovery has completed the missing link between apes and men ? paving the way for the search to human origins.

In addition, the earliest known hominid, 4.4 million years old Ardipithecus Ramidus was discovered in the Middle Awash in 1992. The recent discoveries include Australopithecus Garhi, 2.5 million years old hominid.

Garhi means ?surprise? in the Afar language- a language spoken in the internationally acclaimed archaeological site. Discovered by an international team led by Ethiopian Anthropologist Berhane Asfaw in the Middle Awash, Gahri is said to be a surprising hominid. Palaeontologist Tim White of the University of California at Berkeley was also the co-leader of the team. The species discovered by the team is descended from Australopithecus Afarensis and is a candidate ancestor for the early homo.

Bones from antelopes and horse were found 278 meters from the site of Garhi skull fragments at the same layer of sediment. The bones show unmistakable gashes left by stone tools; the animals were butchered, the meat cut away and the bones hammered open to extract stuff. This is by far the earliest proof of tool based butchery and may well provide the evolutionary theory that led to big brained humans.

For the above mentioned and other reasons, many people visit Ethiopia or hope to do so one day, because of the remarkable manner in which ancient historical traditions have been presented. And, indeed, the ceremonies and rituals of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church open a window on the authentic world of Old Testament. In no other country it is possible to find yourself so dramatically transported back in time or to participate with such freedom in the sacred rituals of an archaic faith.     

 And yet more to be discovered by you! A very warm welcome is waiting for you in the land beyond all your imaginations.

See you in Ethiopia!