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Ethiopia still retains the Julian calendar, in which the year is divided into 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of 5 days and 6 days in leap year. The Ethiopian calendar is 8 years behind the Gregorian calendar from January to September and 7 years behind between... Continue Reading

The word Meskel means “Cross” and the feast commemorates the discovery of the true cross by the Empress Helena, (the mother of Constantine the great), on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The original event took place on 19 March, A.D. 326, but the feast is now celebrated on 28th... Continue Reading

Starting two weeks ahead of Gena, numerous peoples from every corner of the country undertake the pilgrimage to Gondar and Lalibela to attend the ceremony and to get spiritual blessings. The number of foreign tourists is also unusually high at this time. Above all, what makes the... Continue Reading

Timkat is the greatest festival of in Ethiopia, falling on 19 January, just two weeks after the Ethiopian Christmas. It is commemorates Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The next day is devoted to the feast of St. Michael the Archangel. From the end of the... Continue Reading

Fasika (Easter) is celebrated after 55 days of severe Lent fasting (Hudade or Abye Tsome). According to Orthodox Tewahedo, Christians do not eat meat and or dairy products for the whole 55 days. Vegetarian meals such as lentils, ground split peas, grains, fruit and variations of... Continue Reading

Tiya is a megalithic site located at about 80km south of Addis Ababa in Soddo area on the road to Butajira. The monuments are supposed to be remains of medieval Ethiopia culture apparently dated from the 12th to 14th centuries. However, the local people claimed that they were the... Continue Reading

The reat Rift Valley, which extends from the Middle East to Mozambique, passes right through Ethiopia, endowing the country with some spectacular features that range from hot, dey, and barren places to a string of beautiful lakes. Volcanic activity, which greatly contributed to... Continue Reading

Sof Omar Cave is one of the world’s biggest and Africa’s largest cave. This marvelous underground world is located in Dawe Qachan District of Balé Zone at a distance of 110m from the Zone’s capital Robé and 40 kilometers from the nearest town Goro.  The cave’s area which is... Continue Reading

The Simien Mountains are one of the prominent highlands of Africa rising to the highest point of Ethiopia – Ras Dashen (4520m), which is believed to be the fourth highest peak in Africa. Though the Simien Mountains are not far from the equator, snow and ice might appear on... Continue Reading

Omo is Ethiopia’s largest most remote park and is not easily accessible. The park does have a head quarters and a new airstrip but has little support for travelers. It is located on the west bank of the Omo River and was established as a national park in 1966. The park has... Continue Reading