Venture Ethiopia

10/02/2024

Explore Ethiopian history, nature and culture with Venture Ethiopia tour and travel.

19/01/2024

Timket: Ethiopian Epiphany, commemorating Jesus's baptism, is celebrated on 19th January (20th January in leap years). It is an even bigger event than Christmas for Orthodox Christians. Each Orthodox church contains a replica of the Ark of the Covenant and on the eve of Timkat, these are wrapped in colourful cloth and paraded from the churches to prominent places around town. There is singing and dancing through the night before the parades return to the churches the following morning. The most impressive Timket celebrations are in Gondar, where at the height of the celebrations, hundreds of people jump into Fasil's Pool to re-enact the original baptism.

17/01/2024

The mercato, rumored to be the largest market in Africa, sprawls over several square miles to the west of the city centre. Originally established during the era of the Italian occupation (1936-41), it is now estimated to contain over 7,000 shops and stalls. If you know where to look, you can buy almost anything there. The narrow streets, mazes of stalls and bustling atmosphere can be a little daunting to begin with, but with a local guide to show you the areas for different goods, from coffee, spices and every type of food to fabrics, handicrafts, and even recycling streets, you'll soon start to appreciate that the mercato is the real heart of Addis Ababa. From rows of vintage sewing machines to balancing towers of mattresses, there's almost always a surprise round the corner.

06/01/2024

16/11/2023

The city of Harar, however, as the spiritual centre of Ethiopia's Muslim population, has a very different character. The ancient walled city, with its maze of narrow streets and alleyways, contains 83 mosques and 102 shrines, and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

16/11/2023

The region was already inhabited in Mesolithic times, as revealed by rock paintings and Middle Stone Age artefacts in the caves of Porc-Épic and Laga-Oda only a few kilometres from Dire Dawa.The area surrounding Dire Dawa is believed to have been a settlement of the extinct Harla people.

Historically, the area used to be part of the Adal Sultanate during medieval times. During the 19th century, the region was considered the domain of the Emirate of Harar until Menelik's conquest of the kingdom in 1887 and consequently became incorporated into modern Ethiopia from thereon.

30/09/2023

It seems she loved the Merkato visiting again and again.
It's my pleasure to meet you again.
Thank you for choosing

25/09/2023

Mercato and tomoca

12/09/2023

According to Ethiopian tradition, on 11 September Queen of Sheba (Makeda in Ethiopia) returned to Ethiopia from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem. Her followers celebrated her return by giving her jewels. Hence ''Enkutatash'' means the ''gift of jewels''.

Happy New Year from Venture Ethiopia Tour and Travel.

The coming year 2016 will give us a better peaceful working environment.

29/08/2023

ኣሸንዳ/Ashenda

Ashenda (Geez/Tigriniya/Amharic: ኣሸንዳ), also known as Shadey, Ashendiye, Solel, and Engicha, is an annual festival celebrated in Northern Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea. This festival is celebrated annually, typically between August 16th and 26th. It is a major event for Ethiopian people all over the world, particularly Tigrayan, Amhara, and Agew women. Ethiopian women and girls wait for this Girls' Day festival all year. The name "Ashenda" is the term for the tall green grass, estimated at around 80–90 cm minimum height, that the girls make into a skirt and to wear around the waist as decoration. The holiday originated as a religious one, marking the end of the 2-week fast known as Filseta, commemorating the heavenly ascension of the Virgin Mary following her dormition. It has now evolved into a cultural holiday that is celebrated by girls of all religious backgrounds.

13/07/2023

Our day trips from Addis offer a chance to get away from the city and experience a little more of what Ethiopia has to offer. Perfect for those who are short on time, or travelling to Addis Ababa for business or study.

Delve into Ethiopia's early history from the stone age through to rock-hewn churches and the mysterious medieval stelae field of Tiya.

See artefacts excavated from across Ethiopia at the Melka Kunture museum
Visit an open-air excavation and a prehistoric animal butchering site
Step back in time at the Adadi Mariam rock-hewn church
Explore the mysterious stelae field at TiyaDelve into Ethiopia's early history from the stone age through to rock-hewn churches and the mysterious medieval stelae field of Tiya.

See artefacts excavated from across Ethiopia at the Melka Kunture museum
Visit an open-air excavation and a prehistoric animal butchering site
Step back in time to the Adadi Mariam rock-hewn church
Explore the mysterious stelae field at Tiya

15/04/2023

We wish you a happy Eastern or Fasika

15/04/2023

In Ethiopia, the most prominent and longstanding religion has been the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (then including the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church) since the times of Frumentius. Ethiopian (Ethio-Eritrean, Eastern) or Fasika, however, takes place in all the Christian Churches throughout the country, whether it be Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant, and follows the eastern method of calculating Easter thus tending to fall after Easter in the Western calendar (some years both fall on the same date).
Fasika is a much more important festival than Christmas since the Death and Resurrection of Jesus is more significant in Orthodox and Ethiopian Evangelical theology than in his birth. Jesus' crucifixion which led to his death on a Friday, according to Orthodox thought was to fulfill the word of God, and led to the conquest of death and Jesus' resurrection from the tomb after three days, the third day being the Sunday when Ethiopian Easter is celebrated.

Fasika is a climactic celebration. Fasting becomes more intense over the 55 days of Lent for Orthodox Christians, Catholics, and optionally for some Protestant denominations, when no meat or animal products of any kind, including milk and butter, are eaten. Good Friday starts with church-going and is a day of preparation for the breaking of this long fasting period.

The Orthodox Christians prostrate themselves in church, bowing down and rising until they get tired. The main religious service takes place on Saturday night. It is a somber, sacred occasion with music and dancing until the early hours of the morning. At 3:00 a.m. everyone returns home to break their fast, and a chicken is slaughtered at midnight for the symbolic occasion. In the morning, after a rest, a sheep is slaughtered to start the feasting on Easter Sunday. While Catholics and Protestant denominations have special Easter Services/Masses bringing in people from various smaller community churches together to participate in an Easter sermon and celebration.

In Ethiopian-Eritrean Orthodox Christianity or the Tewahedo faith, it is believed the near-sacrifice of Abraham's loved son Isaac (Genesis 22), which was a test of faith from God to Abraham, was interrupted by a voice of an angel from the heavens, and the sending of a Lamb for the sacrifice instead. This Old Testament story is said to be a prophetic foreshadowing of God sending his only beloved son for the world as a sacrifice and the fulfillment of Abraham's promise.

Easter in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and its diaspora communities, is a day when people celebrate; there is a release of enjoyment after the long build-up of suffering which has taken place, to represent Christ's fasting for forty days and forty nights. People often have food and for most Orthodox Christians locally brewed alcohol from fresh honey (tej, Tella, and katikalla), while to a certain extent, Ethiopian-Eritrean Protestantism generally discourages heavy alcohol.

Ethiopians and Eritreans in the West especially those of the Catholic and Protestant denominations celebrate Easter on both the Eastern and Western days. While most Ethiopian-Eritrean Orthodox Christians in the West refrain from doing so because celebrating the Western Easter celebration would interfere with the Orthodox Eastern Fasting Season. In most cases, the Catholic Western Fasting Season ends earlier than the Orthodox Eastern Fasting Season as can be seen in the difference between when the Eastern and Western Churches celebrate Easter (Fasika).

10/03/2023

The last day of the Berlin exhibition ITB

08/03/2023

Day 2 at ITB Berlin. A great day meeting new people and drinking fresh Ethiopian coffee!

07/03/2023

First day in Berlin ITB exhibition

06/03/2023

All ready for ITB Berlin! Come and meet us in hall 22B stand 206

06/03/2023

Still looking for a reason to visit the Danakil? How about camping on the shores of Lake Assal? Message us to book a tour or visit www.venture-ethiopia.com

06/03/2023

Erte Ale os one of the most active volcanoes in Africa. Book a trip to the Danakil Depression to see it for yourself!

06/03/2023

Traditional camel caravans are still used to transport salt to market in Afar. In the extreme heat (up to 50°C) they are more reliable than vehicles!

06/03/2023

We're excited to be in Berlin for ITB Berlin Travel Show! Come and meet us in hall 22B stand 206/208

05/03/2023

A reminder that we’re on TripAdvisor - read reviews and book tours online: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293791-d15648797-Reviews-Venture_Ethiopia-Addis_Ababa.html Our day trips from Addis Ababa are especially popular and suitable for all types of travellers

03/03/2023

Some stunning photos from the Danakil Depression, where the multi-coloured vibrant landscape looks as though it belongs to another planet! We have a new Danakil tour now available: https://www.venture-ethiopia.com/itineraries/danakil-depression-3-day-tour or check it out on Viator: https://www.viator.com/tours/Ethiopia/3-Day-Danakil-Depression-Expedition/d21891-298474P6

06/12/2022

06/12/2022

Preparing cotton thread for weaving. The Dorze people of the southern highlands in Ethiopia are famous for their weaving.

06/12/2022

Portuguese Bridge over the Blue Nile Gorge, Ethiopia

06/12/2022

Happy customers! In the Omo Valley, southern Ethiopia

06/12/2022

Sampling the local liqueur in Chencha village near Arba Minch, southern Ethiopia