Discover the Ethiopian, one Full Adventure at a Time!
Our Contacts
Address
Lalibela,Ethiopia
Djibouti Street Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
info@enkutatashethiopiatourandtravel.com
Phone
Ethiopia +251 912854945
United Kingdom +447495469027
From one-off wildlife to shimmering lakes of lava, and towering stone churches to rich green valleys, Ethiopia's natural and cultural diversity is its shining heart. Whether you're visiting for a day, month or year, or have been living in the country for your whole life, we know that we can provide you with an experience you will never forget. The bountiful treasures Ethiopia's people and places, combined with the intimate knowledge of our team of tour guides, means that every trip is guaranteed to leave you awestruck.
Currency
– The currency of Ethiopia is the Ethiopian Birr
– £1 = 151.13 Birr
– $1 = 114.91 Birr
– €1 = 127.49 Birr
Language & Religion
– Amharic (official language) and Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic. English is also the administrative language. The predominant religion is Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, as well as Islam, Protestant Christianity and Judaism
Coffee
– Ethiopia is famous for growing some of the best coffee in the world. Coffee was discovered first in Ethiopia! The story goes that a goat herder long ago noticed his flock’s ‘flocked’ to a specific bush, and so he tried some of this fruit for himself. The rest of his day’s herding was notably more efficient – and now we have iced vanilla oat decaf frappucinos
Festivals
– Ethiopia knows how to party. Timket is the biggest festival, but there is never a shortage of celebration, any time of year.
Vegetarian friendly
– Ethiopian cuisine is fantastic for non meat-eaters, thanks to a major branch of Christianity popular in Ethiopia forbidding it. Spicy vegan stews, injera and delicious wat. What’s wat? One way to find out…
13 Months in a Year
– Ethiopia is the only Christian country that still follows the Julian calendar, meaning it is seven years and eight months behind the rest of the Christian World! Thus, the Ethiopian calendar consists of 13 months: 12 months of 30 days and another month of five (or six days in leap years) days duration.
Also worth knowing, Ethiopians measure time in cycles of 12 hours starting when the sun rises at 6 a.m.
Discover one of the most fascinating countries in the world. Its rich culture, exciting history, and unique landscapes and places make Ethiopia one of the most fascinating and unknown countries in the world.
Ethiopia is the only Christian country that still follows the Julian calendar and consequently it is seven years and eight months behind the rest of the Christian world (which follows the revised Gregorian calendar). Thus, the Ethiopian calendar consists of 13 months: 12 months of 30 days and another month of five (or six days in leap years) days duration.
If this can be confusing, you also need to know that Ethiopians measure time in cycles of 12 hours starting when the sun rises at 6 a.m.
Teff is the grain cereal used to make the Ethiopian staple dish known as injera. It is believed to have originated between 4,000 and 1,000 years B.C. in Ethiopia. Teff is the smallest grain in the world and is becoming very popular among Western countries for being a great gluten-free energy source. Injera is a unique flatbread with a slightly spongy texture made out of teff flour and accompanied with different sorts of wot or stews and its eating ritual consists of taking a piece in your hand and using it to scoop the accompaniment.
It is believed that the Ethiopian highlands gathered the origin of the coffee plant. According to a legend, Kaldi, an Ethiopian shepherd, once discovered the properties of this stimulating plant after noticing that his goats became very active and awake after eating berries from a certain tree.
Nowadays the Ethiopian buna (“coffee” in Amharic) is popular worldwide. In fact, Ethiopia is the top coffee-producing country of Africa and Arabica beans are specially appreciated. The coffee ceremony is one of the most recognisable parts of its culture, offering this peculiar ritual during festivities, visits or as a daily routine for community or family meetings.
Ethiopia is considered as one of the oldest Christian nations in the World, adopting Christianity during the 4th Century. It is also claimed to be the home to the legendary Ark of the Covenant containing the 10 Commandments.
This relic is said to be kept in Axum and only one man is allowed to see it. Also, Ethiopia is the home of the Black Jews, known as Falashas or Beta Israel and Islam also appeared early in Ethiopia when Mohammed’s followers were persecuted and sought refuge in Abyssinia. Despite this melting pot of different religions, the country is known for its peaceful coexistence and respect.
There are nine places in Ethiopia considered as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Simien Mountains National Park is the only natural site while the others are listed as cultural sites, including the ruins of the city of Axum; the fortified historic route of Harar Jugol; the stonewalled terraces of Konso, (also known as the “natural New York village”); the lower valleys of both the Awash and the Omo River where the evidence of human evolution was found; the eleven rock-hewn churches of Lalibela;, and Tiya with its 32 carved stelae covered with indecipherable symbols.
The Afar desert of Ethiopia, in the Middle Awash, is the early home of our human ancestors. According to the latest research, fossils of Homo gender have been found buried in the soil of this area. This is also the area where “Lucy”, one of the World’s most famous fossils, was also found. A visit to the National Museum of Addis Ababa will guide you through the history of humanity’s birthplace.
If you ever heard Rastafarians imploring Emperor Haile Selassie it is because they believed him to be the God incarnate, both divine and human. In fact, the name of the movement, Rastafarian, comes from Haile Selassie’s birth name: Ras Tafari, meaning “Prince Tafari”.
Shashemene, a small town lying 250 km South of Addis Ababa holds a peculiar Rastafarian community known as Jamaica.
Discover the Ethiopian, one Full Adventure at a Time!
Lalibela,Ethiopia
Djibouti Street Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
info@enkutatashethiopiatourandtravel.com
Ethiopia +251 912854945
United Kingdom +447495469027
