VISA - All visitors to Ethiopia require visa with the exception of citizens of neighboring countries: Kenya and Djibouti.  Visas can be obtained from any Ethiopian diplomatic missions abroad. 

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS - All visitors are required to posses a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.    Vaccination against Cholera is also required for any person who visited or transited a cholera-infected area within six days prior to arrival in Ethiopia.  Malaria occurs in most parts of the country; specially when visiting the lowland. Visitors should take preventive dose against malaria before, during and after the tour. 

PEOPLE - Ethiopia's population is estimated around 57 million. The mosaic of Ethiopia is composed of about 80 ethnic groups. Based on the language they speak, they can be divided into Semitic, Hamitic, Nilotic and Omotic stocks. 

RELIGION- Christianity and Islam are the two main religions in Ethiopia making up 45% of the population each with other religions making up the rest. Most of the Christians belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. 

LANGUAGE- Amharic with its unique alphabet is the official language of Ethiopia and English is the official foreign language. There are over 80 languages and many dialects through out Ethiopia.    In areas outside of the larger cities and towns, indigenous languages are likely to be spoken. 

CALENDAR AND TIME - Ethiopia follows the Julian calendar, which has 12 months of 30 days and a 13th month of five or six days. New year starts on September the 11th. The Ethiopian Calendar is seven years and eight months behind the Gregorian Calendar, hence our motto: 'come to Ethiopia and be 7 years younger'!

Ethiopia is in GMT +3 hours zone; days starting at sunrise: dawn being 12 am, midday 6pm, dusk 12pm Ethiopian time& etc. 

WHEN VISITING A CHURCH

·             Shoes must be removed before one enters the building.

·            One should never smoke anywhere near a church.

·            Only priests are allowed to step into the Holy of Holies where the 'TABOT' - replica of the arc of the covenant is kept.

·            Both men and women are expected to wear clothing that covers their bodies completely. 

CLIMATE & LAND - Ethiopia has one of the finest climate in the world.  The dry season prevails from October to May, interrupted by small rains during the months of February and March.  The wettest season in most parts of the country runs from June through September.  Found in the tropical temperature is generally high, but visitors will soon discover climate is not merely an expression of latitude but also altitude.    The topography ranges from 116ms below sea level to 4620ms above sea level, which explains how one can experience the damp and cool moor land climate of the highlands or the hottest climate on the earth's surface at Ethiopia's Denakil Depression. 

CLOTHING - For Addis Ababa, loose-fitting cotton clothing, shirts of light- weight suits and dresses are suitable through out the year except during the cooler nights of July and August - when warm cloth is a useful addition.  When on the lowlands, cotton or khaki suits are your best protections against the sun and dust.  In the highland areas warm clothing is usually a must.  Sturdy but light walking shoes are also recommended for walks in the countryside. 

HOTELS - There are a number of good hotels, sometimes even in the remotest parts of the country.    The choice of hotels in Addis Ababa ranges from the luxurious Sheraton and Hilton to tourist class hotels.   There are also standard hotels with comfortable accommodation and essential amenities all along the main tourist routes and most urban centers.

FOOD - The national dish is 'Enjera' -a large soft bread resembling a pancake with 'Wot' a spicy sauce of different types: chicken, lamb, and vegetable being the most popular.  This delicious food is eaten using the fingers of the right hand to enfold the 'Enjera and Wot Hands are always washed immediately before and after a meal.  Ethiopian mead & bear - 'Tej & Tela' are also taken to wash down the traditional meal. But a typical Ethiopian meal would not be completed without an elaborate and charming coffee ceremony which is usually held two or three times a day lasting each time for a couple of hours.

For the international cuisine, there is now a selection of Italian, Indian, Chinese, French, Greek or Arabic restaurants in Addis Ababa and European food is always available in all big hotels outside the capital.