Natural beauties of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a land of natural contrasts, from the tops of the rugged Simien Mountains to the depths of the Danakil Depression, at 120 meters below sea level one of the lowest dry land points on earth. The cornucopia of natural beauty that blesses Ethiopia offers an astonishing variety of landscapes: Afro-Alpine highlands soaring to around 4,300 meters, moors and mountains, the splendor of the Great Rift Valley, white-water rivers, Savannah teeming with game, giant waterfalls, dense and lush jungle... the list is endless.

Ethiopia's many national parks enable the visitor to enjoy the country's scenery and its wildlife, conserved in natural habitats, and offer opportunities for travel adventure unparalleled in Africa.

With 14 major wildlife reserves, Ethiopia provides a microcosm of the entire sub-Saharan ecosystem. Birdlife abounds, and indigenous animals from the rare Walia ibex to the shy wild ass, roam free just as nature intended. Ethiopia, after the rains, is a land decked with flowers and with many more native plants than most countries in Africa. Among the many natural tourist attractions, only the principal ones are briefly listed below.

Ras Dashen at 4620 meters is the highest in the country and the fourth highest in Africa. While trekking in the Simien visitors can see the endemic Gelada or bleeding heart baboon, the Walia Ibex, Simien wolf and rock hyrax, endemic birds such as the thick billed raven, black headed siskin, white collared pigeon, wattled ibis, white billed starling, spot breasted pl0over and white backed black tit, cruising Lammergeyers with their 3 metre wingspan and Afro-Alpine meadows carpeted with flowers and punctuated by giant lobelia and the tall spiky Kniphophia or "red hot pokers"
You can go in for a day, or go the whole hog and climb Ras Dashen. It is not a technical climb and no special climbing ability is needed. Mules can carry you and your luggage. The itinerary is for a longer expedition, but Grand Holidays Ethiopia Travel can easily arrange a shorter historic extension for those whose main interest is trekking.

The river Nile, over 800km in length within Ethiopia and the longest river in Africa, holds part of its heart in Ethiopia. From Lake Tana, the Blue Nile, known locally as Abbay, flows for 800 km within Ethiopia to meet the white Nile in Khartoum to form the great river that gives life to Egypt and the Sudan. It has been said that the Blue Nile contributes up to 80% of the Nile's flow. The Blue Nile Falls are about an hour by tour bus from Bahar Dar. Known locally as Tis Isat, the falls are over 400m (1312ft) wide and 45m (148ft) deep. Because of a series of dams near Bahar Dar, they aren't as impressive as they used to be. Nowhere, is it more spectacular than where it thunders over the Tisisat Falls literally " Smoking Water" - near Bahar Dar. Here millions of gallons of water cascade over the cliff face and into a gorge, creating spectacular rainbows, in one of the most awe-inspiring displays in Africa.

The Sof Omar Cave

Sof Omar, a tiny Muslim village in Bale, is the site of an amazing complex of natural caves, cut by the Wab River as it found its way from the nearby mountains. The settlement, which is a religious site, is named after a local Sheikh.
Armed with torches and official map, visitors to Sof Omar make their way underground, far into the bowels of the earth, beside a subterranean stream, and there can see an extraordinary number of arched portals, high eroded ceilings and deep echoing chambers.

The Abiata - Shalla National Park

The Rift Valley Lakes National Park, about 215 km south of Addis Ababa, is an ornithologist's paradise. As would be expected in a park surrounding two Rift Valley lakes, Waterbirds predominate. However, 150 different species have been recorded here, including large numbers of great white pelicans, great and lesser Flamingos and Sacred Ibis. The forests are especially good for seeing unusual weavers and turacos
The Yangudi - Rassa National Park
Although this park has little development and no tourist facilities, its dry grasslands are home to herds of the endangered Somali Wild Ass, as well as Grevy's Zebra, Hamadryras Baboon and Beisa Oryx. The park lies astride the Addis Assab road, and consists of 4,730 sq. km of semi-desert and dry scrub. Grand Holidays Ethiopia can arrange safari, birdwathcing and trekking programs to any of the above attractions in combination with other sites and attraction with in the country if required.

The Awash National Park

Lying in the lowlands east of Addis Ababa and astriding the Awash River, the Awash National Park is one of the finest reserves in Ethiopia. The Awash River, one of the major rivers of the horn of Africa, waters important agricultural lands in the north of Ethiopia and eventually flows into the wilderness of the Danakil Depression. The dramatic Awash Falls, where the river tumbles into a gorge, is a sight not to be missed. Awash National Park, surrounding the dormant volcano of Fantale, is a reserve of arid and semi-arid woodland and savannah, with riverain forests along the Awash River. Forty six species of animals have been identified here, including Beisa Oryx and Swayne's Heartbeest. The birdlife is prolific, especially along the river and at nearby Lake Basaka. There are fine endemic amongst the 392 species recorded. A special attraction is the beautiful clear pools of the Filwoha hot springs.