Written by Mark and Amy (Link Ethiopia sponsors and parents to Ben, a volunteer with Link Ethiopia). Our trip to Northern Ethiopia can only be described as a major assault on the senses – in a good way. From the spectacular beauty of the Simien Mountains, to the architectural wonder of the Lalibela churches, this …
Written by: Malak Azer The Guardian recently published an article revealing where best to spend your holiday in Ethiopia, a clear testimony to the popularity of the country as a tourist destination. Nevertheless, the ‘Land of Origins’ has not always enjoyed such fame. The tumultuous years of the Derg era- featuring a communist dictatorship, coups, …
Written by Cecilia For Muslims Ethiopia has historically been the land of freedom from persecution and emancipation from fear. Ethiopia is considered “the heaven of the first migration or Hijra”. In 622 CE, some of the Prophet Muhammad’s followers, given the persecution they were subjected to in the city of Mecca, undertook their migration or …
Written by Rory & Hannah It is a time-worn cliché that you never visit the famous sights of the place where you live, focussing instead on the day-to-day necessities of life and saving the money to visit famous sights in far-flung places. Of course we are in Ethiopia so this does not quite apply, but …
Written by Hannah Dillon It was with great anticipation that we arrived in Gondar, our base for the coming months and a historical city located in Ethiopia’s Northern highlands. Apart from the extensive castle complex, the main things we had heard about before arriving were the excellent fish and chips at AG Hotel (from Matt …
Written by Ben Robinson Many volunteers are able to spend just one day in Addis at the beginning or end of their stay in Ethiopia. Here Ben, a previous volunteer, outlines his recommendations of where to eat and what do with that day. One option in Addis is to stay at Leya Hotel, and these …
Written by Emily Gretland “Enjoying an overdue breakfast on the small plane from Addis to Gondar, I peer out the window as we descend and glimpse my first view of this beautiful country. The vibrant shades of green are arranged in checkerboard patterns across the land and provide a lush coating on the mountains. It’s …
The Gelada old-world monkey is endemic to Ethiopia and only found in the highlands, with large populations residing in the Simien Mountains, in the North. The Gelada’s have adapted to the cooler climate; with their thick coats these rugged mountaineers are protected from the cold. Interestingly they’re the only monkeys on Earth that survive on …
Written by Ben Robinson Arriving in Ethiopia, the senses are most definitely overwhelmed. Little sleep on the flight, mainly due to lights going off at 2am and back on at 4am UK time on the flight definitely contributes, being surrounded by an alien language doesn’t help, the natural disorientation of somewhere new, and coming to …
Written by Julia Wathen The tourism industry in Ethiopia has long been left trailing behind other African nations, yet it seems people are beginning to appreciate and embrace the culture and wonders of this amazing country. The visitor numbers are growing by 10% each year, the Simien Mountains National Park (a prime tourist site) has …