Equator Tour and Travel

01/06/2015

Mount Entoto is the highest peak where you can overlook the city of Addis Ababa. Besides being an oasis from a hurried world and reputable breathing space of Addis Ababa, Entoto is a historical place where Menelik II resided and built his palace when he found Addis Ababa 125 years ago. The mountain is densely covered by eucalyptus trees, which were imported from Australia then.

The colorful Entoto Market (Shiromeda) is one of the highlights of climbing the Entoto Mountain adventure starts with.

01/06/2015

Rock Hewn churches of Tigray

While the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are the most dramatic buildings, the cliff churches of Tigray show the most dramatic landscapes and the longest Christian tradition. Unknown to the world outside, these churches were first described by the British explorer Ivy Pearce as ‘the greatest of the historical-cultural heritages of the Ethiopian people’. It was not until some 4 decades ago that there were some 200 rock hewn churches, and even more may still be unknown. Most better-known churches are found in the following clusters: Gheralta, Taka Tesfay, Atsbi, Tembien and Wukro. The churches are usually semi-monolithic - a part is cut out of rock, while another part is built with masoned rocks - or hewn out of caves. Many of them relatively easily accessible, but some can only be reached by climbing up difficult terrain or even a cliff. Being hidden in mountainous areas, the many of these churches are in surroundings of breathtaking landscapes.

Usually rather primitive in design, many of the churches have some classics inspired columns and they usually are divided into three spaces:

the most holy part, only accessible to the priest, where a replica of the stone tablet with the 10 commandments - is kept;

The inner ambulatory, which is used by communicants at mass; and

the outer ambulatory, which is accessible to anyone.

Like elsewhere in Ethiopia, in many churches one is expected to take off one's shoes and some churches and monasteries are only accessible to men.

While the ages of the churches are usually unknown they seem to predate those at Lalibela, though few churches in Tigray are as immediately impressive as the ones in Lalibela.

01/06/2015

Hope Everyone has a beautiful Weekend! Wonder what you were up to? Did you go anywhere different? Want to share a place you found....? please lets get this travel on the road! Great day to you All!!

21/05/2015

The BLUE NILE FALLS:

The Blue Nile looks like a sluggish beast as it meanders out of Lake Tana, but not far out of Bahir Dar you’ll see the Nile in a very different mood. The river pours over the side of a sheer 42m-tall chasm and explodes into a melange of mists and rainbows (best at 10am) before continuing on its tumultuous path to Khartoum where it finally gets to kiss the White Nile.

The catch to this impressive scene is that hydroelectric projects upstream have stolen most of the energy from Tis Abay, the ‘Nile that Smokes’. Though far smaller than its natural 400m-wide flow, the three-pronged waterfall is still jaw-dropping huge in August and September. From around January or February until March it’s now known as ‘Blue Nile Shower’ and it’s not really worth a visit. The in-between time is still beautiful enough that most people enjoy the trip; though note that one of the hydro plants only operates on standby and if it’s turned on during this time the waterfall gets turned off. You may want to ask fellow travelers who’ve recently been to the falls about the flow, as tourist industry operators won’t always give you a straight answer. The falls are located 28km southeast of Bahir Dar down a bad dirt road. Buses from Bahir Dar leave about hourly for Tis Abay village (Birr13, one hour).

LONELY PLANET

20/05/2015

Ethiopia boasts to be one of the most historical, cultural and Natural places in Africa and the wold, comprising of all these riches in one beautiful country. It's history goes back millions of years back and is known to be the cradle of mankind.

Today I give you Axum: Interesting !

Located in the northeast region of contemporary Ethiopia, the city of Axum sits on a high plateau next to the Red Sea. With the city’s ascendance centuries before the birth of Christ and its position next to the Red Sea, Axum became a major center for international trade. Known for its monumental obelisk and as an early center of Christianity in Africa, Axum became one of the holiest of cities of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. -

By the third century A.D. Axum had established its own currency. It began its manufacturing of coins, the first city in Africa to do so, by using its depiction of leaders and the cross of Christianity as a representation of its holy stature. In 320 A.D. Ezana became the King of Axum. Under his rule, Ezana embraced Christianity in 327 A.D. and made it the dominant religion of Axum. Ezana made the cross the official symbol of his conversion. In 340 A.D. the Christian Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion was constructed in the city. Axum became the first state in Africa to adopt Christianity as its official faith and at the time was among only a handful of Christian states in the world. Roman Emperor Constantine embraced the faith in 312 A.D. Other small Christian states were scattered around the eastern Mediterranean region.
Along with the faith and the new currency came the establishment of a new language, Geez. It became the official language of Axum and included a written script. The usage of Geez today has declined. It is now utilized exclusively by the religious leaders of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

18/05/2015

Simien Mountains National Park (SMNP), with its undulating plateau and deep valleys is often dubbed the Grand Canyon of Africa. The park is located in the North Gonder Zone of the Amhara National Regional State. It sits 870km from Addis Ababa in the mountain massif to the north of the famous Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia.

Simien is home to Ras Dejen, the highest mountain in Ethiopia (4,533m). This eco-tourism destination is popular among wildlife watchers including: bird watchers, researchers and cultural enthusiasts.

Trekking through the stunning national park will leave you speechless. This trek gives you a chance to see both incredible wildlife and scenery but also to experience the local culture while trekking through remote villages

Birdwatchers will rejoice with over 180 species recorded in the Simien Mountains National Park. Of these, five are endemic to Ethiopia and a further 12 to Ethiopia and Eritrea.

There are choices of camping, staying at one of the 3 community lodges or indulging a stay at a luxury lodge.

18/05/2015

Today beauty Star would be the incredible Semein Mountains... what a place it is a must see... Trekking is best done here... Interested on a trek we can...

11/05/2015

Evangadi is a courtship dance used by the Hamar tribe.The Hamar tribe is a tribe that lives in the south of the Omo Valley.They are cattle herders but also grow some crops. As many other tribes they use scarification to makethemselves beautiful.Scarring their bodies and packing the wounds with ash and charcoal.The Hamar are well known for the "bulljump". A rite of passage where a young man has to jump a line of cattle to become a man

11/05/2015

Nechisar National Park is situated 510km south of Addis near the town of Arba Minch, in between Lakes Abaya and Chamo. From the town on the ridge of land that divides Abaya and Chamo there are commanding panoramic views all around, including both lakes with Nechisar on the eastern side and, to the west, the Guge range of mountains. The outstanding beauty of the neck of land between the two lakes has earned it the sobriquet of'Bridge of Heaven'. The equally poetic Arba Minch - meaning 'forty springs' - takes its name from the bubbling streams which spring up amid the undergrowth of the luxuriant groundwater forest that covers the flats beneath the town. This alluring area is considered one of Ethiopia's last great surviving wildernesses.

11/05/2015

Arbaminch Crocodile Farm... along with the hippos of lake Chamo: Lake Chamo is rich in a variety of fishes including tiger-fish, giant Nile Perch, catfish and tilaphia, which offers fine sport. In the bays, a number of hippopotamus emerge at dusk to graze on the grassy shores. Lake Chamo is also sanctuary for several thousand Nile Crocodiles, which are up to 7m in length. Bird life is also enjoyable at the lake. Hordes of yellow wiver birds flit constantly through the trees, and vividly-colored king fishers skim the lake where great white pelicans storks, ibises, hornbills and cormorants plumb the waters for food.

11/05/2015

Menagesha Suba Forest: The Oldest Park In Africa - about 45kms from Addis Ababa:

Dating back to the reign of Emperor Zera Yacob, from 1434 to 1468, when he first designated it as a "crown forest. "

Absolutely a tranquil scene reigns over the area. It is full of life capable of refreshing bodies and souls of visitors. That is what visitors of the Menagesha - Suba forest, located some 45 km west of the capital - Addis Ababa, would say.

The giant old trees in the forest have resisted time, lasting for 500 years. The Menagesha - Suba natural forest, which started to exist in the 17th century, had defiantly passed through such a long period of time. It still exists well protected and preserved. The forest itself has "responsibly" been a sanctuary for wild life including those rarest ones. It has not only sheltered them well but also fed them with its own leaves and parts.

The forest is home for numerous endemic as well as common natural trees and flowers. Black and white colobus monkey, menelik’s bushbuck, duiker, Anubis baboon, bush pig, warthog, leopard, and serval cat are among the animals of the park. The majestic beauty of the Mogli peak and surrounding scenery makes Menagesha forest an ideal place for nature lovers, hikers, trekkers, sight seers, forest explorers, scenery admirers and so forth.

08/05/2015

Wonchi crater lake is located on the mountain range between the town of Ambo and Woliso.This beautiful lake is situated at altitude of about 3000m above sea level. Wonchi contains hot-springs, waterfalls and breathtaking valleys and scenery.In the island, an old monastery named Cherkos is found. Beside all this Wonchi is the home of indigenous forest reserves. Wonchi is a paradise for trekkers. The panorama to the right and left side of the gravel road is breathtaking. Once you arrive at the Crater Lake you would be totally overtaken by the beauty of the surrounding landscape and the freshness of the air.

08/05/2015

When you must refresh, loosen up and get your head in the right place.... we know exactly where to take you....Spend your weekend with us... Today's suggestion is: Picnic, horse-Back riding and trekking at Wonchi Crater Lake... What a beauty!.... Check this out!

08/05/2015

Some Traditional Places to enjoy the typical Culture, Traditional Coffee ceremony and Wonderful heart touching dances Totot Restaurant and Yod Abyssinia : Food from Yod Abyssinias menu....

08/05/2015

The different Ethiopian Dishes... Spicy, Colorful and just filling... Enjoy your lunch!

07/05/2015

What have you got to say about this amazing place...The Dallol Depression, Erta ale

DANAKIL DEPRESSION

This is the lowest point in the north eastern Ethiopia and is covered by water close to the red sea. The Danakil Depression is the northern part of the Afar Triangle or Afar Depression, a geological depression that has resulted from the presence of three tectonic plates in the Horn of Africa. The Danakil Depression is among the hottest place on earth in terms of year-round average temperatures. It is also one of the lowest places on the planet and there is no rain for most of the year. Here, the Awash River dries up in a chain of salt lakes never reaching the Indian Ocean. The desert is the homeland of the Afar people, the majority of whom have remained nomadic pastoralists in the desert.

07/05/2015

THE ETHIOPIA:

Ethiopia is an exciting destination, rich in local traditions and history, possessing its own written language and script, and filled with classical African landscapes, flora and fauna. A little known fact about Ethiopia is that it has experienced no protracted period of colonial rule.

It may also be justifiably considered the cradle of humanity--its famous Rift Valley is the site of prehistoric civilization and the place where the fossils of ‘Lucy’ and ‘Homo Ramidus Afarensis’, the world’s oldest known hominids, were found. Best of all, it has been a virtually unknown tourist destination, which means that you won’t have to contend with scores of camera-wielding tourists. However, the world is taking a new interest in Ethiopia, so many of the low prices listed here may no longer exist!

07/05/2015

The Hippopotamus

hippo
This remarkable African mammal is usually featured as a goddess in African legends. Worshiped in ancient Egypt as Tawaret, the goddess of fertility and childbirth, she was essentially regarded as a protective and caring deity.

In Mozambique, the Ronga people tell the legend of a mother who left her child with Mother Hippo for safekeeping as the child’s life was threatened by an envious rival. Every night, Mother Hippo would emerge with the child so that it could suckle from its mother.

On the other hand, male hippopotami are usually seen as shape-shifting beasts. According to the legend of the hero Fara Maka, one such beast ate all the crops in the fields. The hero threw all his spears and sent black hounds against it, but the monster continued eating and could only be subdued and killed after a spell was placed on it by the hero’s wife.

07/05/2015

Good Morning Beautiful Ethiopia! Rain is falling with a pinch of sunshine peeking through the clouds, fresh air refreshing the dusty mist that blocked the way...... what a country... Enjoy your day!

06/05/2015

Legend Has it: The Great Debre Damo

North Ethiopia is full of creaky old monasteries and churches built atop the craziest crags; the best-known is Debre Damo. Perched atop a needle of rock, the monastery was founded by Abuna Aregawai. Looking at the sheer-sided mountain today you might wonder how Aregawai ever climbed to the summit. But Aregawai had a helping hand. God knew that this was a fine place for a monastery and so made a giant serpent lower its tail off the mountain and Aregawai was able to scramble up the snakes back to the summit. Those scared of giant snakes will be happy to hear that today monks haul visitors up the cliff face at the end of a weathered (very weathered!) length of leather rope.

Read Once upon a time in Ethiopia by Lonely Planet

06/05/2015

Random Interest of the Day: HOLQA SOF OMAR CAVE

The most extensive yet also most impressive cave is the Holqa Sof Omar Cave. It is a breathtaking phenomenon created by the erosion of the limestone walls by the Weiyb River as it changed its course in the past creating this new path. The length of this cave system stretches about 16kms with 40 main entrances and exists. Exploring this great work of art is an experience worth having in your memory books.

06/05/2015

Ohhhhh ... What a combination... The Sun has yet to set... Equators Eyes are filled with beauty ...

06/05/2015

Sunset that will blow you mind.... around Lake Langano... time between 5.00pm - 6:30

06/05/2015

The Diversity... The creativity... and just the Simplicity....

06/05/2015

From the Eyes of the camera to the Hearts of the People.... What a world....

06/05/2015

On The Road to Langano, Nature, people and their way of life

30/04/2015

30/04/2015