Ethiopia: An amazing country that no longer wants to be kept secret, wrote traveller

Ethiopia was once one of the least welcoming places in the world. With its proud peoples, an ancient history – arguably being the birthplace of humanity following the discovery of the 3.2 million-year-old skeleton dubbed “Lucy” – and a fiercely independent Abyssinian royalty, including the legendary Queen of Sheba, it was the only country in Africa never to be colonised.

But today Ethiopia’s doors to the outside world are open like never before. “We want to show everyone what an amazing country we have,” says local guide Gebresilassie Haddis. “We don’t want to keep it a secret anymore.”

The world is listening with the landlocked country on the Horn of Africa named on many lists as one of the places to visit in 2018. Lonely Planet named it Africa’s number one destination and an increasing number of travel companies are scrambling to add itineraries. 

In January, when I visited on a 10-day tour, operated by Peregrine, the Ethiopian Government further enhanced the re-emerging destination’s appeal by signalling a new political liberalisation and lifting a ban on social media.

Echoes of a dark past, however, still resonate. It was once better known in the west as a place of terrible drought and famine, which inspired Bob Geldof’s Band Aid in 1984 to raise funds to help, and later Live Aid. Fortunately, Ethiopia’s record in maintaining the health of its people has since improved, though much remains to be done.

Physically, Ethiopia is stunning. The Great Rift Valley tears through the length of the country, creating magnificent mountains, breathtaking gorges and dramatic valleys, giving Ethiopia its moniker, “The Roof of Africa”. It’s also home to the Blue Nile, that feeds into the Nile, the longest river on earth. 

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Source: Traveller