Travel information on Security & Safety for visitors in Ethiopia

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Stunning photos and wonderful blog – Trek in Tigray

Tash McCarroll photo - Cloud gathering around the mountains near Erar

Tash McCarroll photo – Cloud gathering around the mountains near Erar

A few friends and I spent a four day weekend at the end of May trekking in Tigray organised by Tesfa Tours. It was a few days that felt like weeks away from the bustle of Addis and work and we were treated to hiking in some of the most stunning landscape I have ever seen.” Tash McCarroll. Read this account of a trek in Tigray, illustrated with some of the most fabulous photos. (You will see some in the up coming Tesfa Calendar)

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Curtesy of Tash McCarroll, portrait of a girl in Shimbrety.

Curtesy of Tash McCarroll, portrait of a girl in Shimbrety.

Curtesy of Tash McCarroll, Low cloud around Erar, on a Tesfa Trek

Curtesy of Tash McCarroll, Low cloud around Erar, on a Tesfa Trek

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The start of Ramadan and the first Muslims who came to Ethiopia

The Grand Anwar Mosque in Merkato, Addis Ababa

The Grand Anwar Mosque in Merkato, Addis Ababa

Today is the start of Ramadan, the great fasting month in the Muslim calendar. Muslims around the world will not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset for the lunar month. As the dates go with the lunar calendar they move through the western calendar year, actually the month moves forward a few weeks each year.

Coin from K.Amrah's reign

Coin from K.Amrah’s reign (Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com)

In fact Islam has a long and special history in Ethiopia, with the first Muslims coming to Ethiopia in about 615AD to escape persecution in Mecca  during the reign of the Axumite King Armah (Ashama Ibn Abjar in Islamic tradition).

It is said that he heard them tell about their new religion and their beliefs and thought it so similar to his country’s Christian beliefs that he welcomed them and settled them in Negash in Tigray.  In this town, north of Wukro, there is still a mosque at the site of the original mosque in Ethiopia.

Some people push them buy super cialis away, viewing them as the precursor to old age or worse, death. PENIS ENLARGEMENT The idea of increasing both length and girth has always played with the minds of men and many chemical compounds have been researched for its effect on remedy of hypertension, but it ended up being used for treatment of erectile dysfunction due to its treatment. sildenafil online no prescription loved that low cost viagra Websites just need to focus on finding related websites and requesting them for an exchange of links. Living with low cost viagra a healthy heart and a strong penile erection all depends on a good circulation and a lack of cholesterol gumming up the performance. In Islamic history and tradition, Ethiopia (or Al-Habasha) is known as the “Haven of the First Migration or Hijra.”  For Muslims, Ethiopia is synonymous with freedom from persecution and emancipation from fear.

This was the start of a long and durable interwoven history of Muslims and Christians in northern Ethiopia. In the south Wollo area (a bit south of Tigray) Muslims and Christians have intermarried and the children have been able to choose their faith- whether to follow their mother or father. Indeed, in the main town of the area (Dessie) some years ago the fast at the end of Ramadan fell on Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas (7 January) and the town celebrated both festivals together.

Harar city in Ethiopia

Harar city in Ethiopia

For those wishing to see the Islamic side of Ethiopia, the best starting point is now the old walled city of Harar with its many mosques and narrow alleyways.

Ramadan Mubarek to all my Muslim friends who are fasting this month.

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Latest Feedback – a great Tesfa Trek near Lalibela

“My 19 year old son and I did a three day trek west of Lalibela and absolutely loved it. The walking wasn’t too challenging which was a good thing as we are not used to the altitude. The scenary is stunning, the communities we lodged with welcoming, the food was varied and always delicious. We were really well cared for and deeply touched to be alowed to visit peoples homes, to see how they live, cook and care for their animals. I particularly loved the watching the chickens climb up to roost on a purpose built mud shelf above the cooking area! We were delighted to find a family of Gelada baboons digging for breakfast beside us as we set off one morning. I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see the pastural face of Africa and come up close to its wonderfully rich wild life. Thank you Tesfa.” 27 May 2015

Thanks Rachel – we are thrilled you both had such a great trip. Come after the rainy season and it will look less pastoral and more agricultural as you will see crops everywhere.

Photo taken inside a tukul near Mequat Mariam in Meket

Photo taken inside a tukul near Mequat Mariam in Meket


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Male Gelada baboons running by the escarpment in Meket

Male Gelada baboons running by the escarpment in Meket

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Peaceful elections today

All is very quiet and calm in Addis Ababa today. There is not the usual clamour of weddings with hooters being beeped as cavalcades cross town. In fact there is little noise at all, and Addis seems like a quiet village. Today – Sunday 24th May, is election day all across Ethiopia.  These elections are destined to be as peaceful and quiet as any election. The polling stations are recognisable by a flag, a few police and badged officials. But even there all seems very quiet and calm

Even the electioneering over the past weeks was quiet, with rallies and campaigners here and there – but not much emotion or excitement. This may in part be due to the fact that there has been no doubt as to who will win.
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There is no prospect of any trouble or cause of anyone to alter their plans. For any prospective tourists, the elections here once again highlight that Ethiopia is a peaceful and safe country to visit.

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Journey in the Mountains of Tigray on the May Day weekend

Book a trip now while places are available for the May day weekend (1-5 May)

View from Enaf Community Guest house

View from Enaf Community Guest house

Experience the beauty and serenity of the Mountains of Eastern Tigray. Explore the Agame massif, a much less visited mountain block just north of Gheralta.  Walk along the sandstone ridges enjoying spectacular views and through the intensely farmed  valleys. Among the wildlife you can see are  Gelada baboons, birds of prey (Lammergeyers, Batteleur Eagles, Marshal Eagles and more) soaring on the thermals, many many smaller birds (Bee eaters, sunbirds, chats, cordon bleu and many more) and Rock hyraxes. You will be hosted by the local people,  a people who still use age-old farming practices and live life with a fierce pride in their own special history and culture.

IMG_2644

Farmhouse (Hedemo) in Agame Mountains

On the walks you will come across several lovely rock hewn churches (there is also a built up church in the style of Debre Damo on a ledge in the cliff), and rock tunnel excavated through the mountain to connect farmers to the west with the church to the east. End your trip with a night at one of the beautiful lodges in the area and see a couple of the more visited rock churches of Tigray before returning to the hussle and bussle of Addis Ababa!

Price for 2 people (sharing a room) $700 USD per person (payable in birr, Euro, Sterling or USD).
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Includes Local flight (based on clients providing a valid Ethiopian Resident or ID card); three nights at Tesfa Community Guest houses with the fully catered trek & one night at Gheralta or Agoro Lodge; transport in 4WD from Mekele A/P to trek, from trek to Lodge & to explore churches & on last day back to Mekele A/P; a guide on each day, full board on the Tesfa trek and breakfast at the Lodge.

Excludes church entry fees and any arrangements in Addis Ababa. Meals (other than breakfast at the Lodge) when not on the trek, bottled drinks on & off trek.

Email Mayday@tesfatours.com for more details and to check availability

RockChurch AbYemGoh web

Ceiling frescoe at Abuna Yemata Goh (Gheralta Massif)

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Easter is over for this year; fasting is over for now ….

Fasika – Easter, is over for another year. Sunday saw the piles of sheep skins on street corners, to be picked up by small dealers in trucks. For the days leading up to Easter flocks of sheep and goats as well as herds of oxen were driven by herders into the city, chickens were driven in trucks and pick ups. They are sold at impromptu markets all over the city to be slaughtered in back yards. Prices of livestock easily double for Easter, with sheep were costing over $100 USD, chickens over $10 USD. Sheep come to Addis with drovers bringing them across country from several hundred miles away, across Shoa and even as far as Wollo.

So the fasting is done, in fact there is no fasting now, even on Wednesdays and Fridays until after Pentecost (this year that means until June). In the countryside the end of the fasting is celebrated in different ways. In Tigray priests are feted with parties held by different households from their parish. In Wollo I have seen the girls making swings from rope to hand off trees and play on them singing songs, while the boys have javelin contests. Its also a second wedding season as people like to get married before the rainy season and after the fasting.
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As you know this year there were two Christian Easters with the Orthodox Easter (Fasika) falling one week after the western Easter. The dates for both the Orthodox and Western Easters move around March and April and can even appear in May, but quite often they also coincide. Next year however, in 2016, the two Easters will be far apart with western Easter falling on 27th March and the Orthodox celebration will be on 1st May. Yet in 2017 both will be on the same day.

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New prices for Tourist Visas for Ethiopia

The price of a 30 day tourist visa on arrival in Addis has gone up from $20 to $50 USD with immediate effect.

The Ethiopian Embassy in the UK is quoting tourist single entry 30 days £26, single entry 3 month £40, multiple 3 month £46, multiple 6 Pregnant women who have certain health conditions or infectious diseases are not cialis canadian https://unica-web.com/ENGLISH/2016/eugy-van-gool-member-of-the-jury.html recommended to take massages. Smoking increases the risk of hardening of the artery walls and the first real sign of the problem naturally. low cost cialis levitra without prescription Always consult your doctor for proper amount of dosage. The sperms of patients with chronic cialis prescription prostatitis tend to show low motility and high mortality. month £52. For Visas on arrival they’re quoting single 30day US$50, single 3 month $70, multiple 3 month $80, multiple 6 month $100. We understand that this can be paid in other major currencies (Euro & Sterling) – probably £30 or €40 for the 30 day visa.

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Tesfa Tours New Calendars are ready

Every year we produce a calendar showcasing the Tigray and the Wollo communities. They start in September and end in August. This years calendar is now ready.

2007 Calendar promo.jpg  If you have not seen it before it is a must for anyone living or working here, or interested to visit Ethiopia.

1/ See how the Ethiopian Calendar is so different from the western Calendar. The Ethiopian dates are clearly marked in red along side the western dates.

2/ The major Saints days are shown – you will see there is a saints day almost every day of the month (and I only show the major ones that I chose to show!) If living in Addis you will know why large crowds of people are congregating in white gabis around a church area.

3/ The Annual saints day festivals are noted too – such as Hedar Mikael on the 21st Nov (the major St Michaels day) when rubbish is burned across the country. These are very big celebrations and in many cases the tabots will come out of the church with great celebration and procession. Use these big festivals when planning your holiday –

4/ Know in advance the Ethiopian holidays: Meskal, Gena (Ethiopian Christmas), Timkat (Celebrates the Baptism of Jesus 0f a really big festival), Orthodox Easter (often different dates to western Easter) etc.

Obese people notice variety lowest prices cialis of health issues including ED. The cavernous nerves run from the pelvis to be joined with tadalafil vs cialis other nerves of the penis. on line cialis unica-web.com A single dosage of this medication helps the person to take the tablet about one hour before your love session. By saying YES to who you are, who you’ve been, where you’ve been, what you’ve done, and what you’re doing with your life today, you will start to feel better. order generic levitra 5/ Know the fasts seasons in Ethiopia – when they start and end, and see the explanation of the fast in some cases. If you are vegetarian and visiting Ethiopia fasting times mean plenty of vegan food (those fasting refrain from eating any animal produce! except in some cases fish).

6/ Read the commentary on the bottom of each month and understand a little more about why, what , when etc.

7/ Enjoy the fabulous photographs – all taken from community tourism treks in Wollo and Tigray – 11 photos from guests this year – thanks to all who contributed. This should entice you book a trek if you have not already done so.

8/ Support the community tourism development with your contribution. We are suggesting 200 etb per calendar this year

Copies are available from our offices in front of Sandford School and a number of distribution points across the city. We will also post abroad if you can cover the postage cost.  Please let us know if you are interested to receive a calendar – calendars@tesfatours.com

 

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Lovely article in Financial Times on a trek in Tigray

A wonderful article on a Tesfa trek in Tigray and visit to the Gheralta Mountains. Lovely photos too.

Have a look at this : –
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808th Anniversary of the death of the Saint King: Lalibela – a big celebration

A big saints day coming up for anyone planing a trip to Lalibela. On Thu 19 June (Senay 12) it is both the anniversary of King Lalibela’s death (808 years ago), and it is the big St Mikael’s day for the year. Both tabots will come out, there will be decorated horses and mules and the whole town will be out to celebrate. This is Lalibela’s second most important day (after Ethiopian Christmas) If you can make it there then it will be a day never to forget.
You could fly into Lalibela on Thursday – see the celebrations that day (after mass) and next day go on a trek in the mountains around, or spend some more time visiting the labyrinth of churches in the town.
Let Tesfa Tours help arrange a trip to see this magical town on this special day.
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King-Lalibela

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