FESTIVAL ATTRACTION

The Gada System, which is the social, political and cultural reflection of the traditional Oromo people, was registered in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in October 2016.The Oromo Thanks Giving Fesival — Irreechaa takes place during October all over Oromia.

The third UNESCO registered intangible heritage -Fichee-Chambalaalla is a New Year festival celebrated among the Sidama people in Ethiopia around in July. It was registered by UNESCO in 2015.Fiche is an anniversary celebrated by the Sidama people as a New Year event.

The festival of Timiket or Epiphany to commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River is celebrated across Ethiopia on January 19 or 20th in leap year. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism. The colorful Ethiopian Epiphany has become the fourth for Ethiopia in the list of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage lists in December 2019.

Eid literally means a “festival” or “feast” in Arabic. Eid al-Fitr is a three-day-long festival and is known as the “Lesser” or “Smaller Eid” when compared to Eid al-Adha, which is four-days-long and is known as the “Greater Eid”.Eid Al Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, which is a month of fasting and prayer. Many Muslims attend communal prayers, listen to a khutba (sermon) and give zakat al-fitr (charity in the form of food) duringEid al-Fitr. Many Muslims dress in fine clothing and children receive gifts on Eid al-Fitr. The end of Ramadan is therefore a big celebration called’Eid al-Fitr’ as it is the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. Muslims celebrate the end of fasting and thank Allah for helping them to be strong enough to fast. Eid al-Fitr officially begins with the first sighting of the new moon.

Eid al-Adha, (Arabic: “Festival of Sacrifice”) also spelled ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā, also called ʿĪd al-Qurbān or even al-ʿĪd- al-Kabīr (“Major Festival”), the second of two great Muslim festivals. Eid ul-Adha (‘Festival of Sacrifice’) is one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar. The festival remembers the prophet Ibrahim’s (Abrham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son when God ordered him to do so. Eid ul-Adha is another important festival in the Muslim calendar. By taking part in this festival, Muslims show that they too are prepared to sacrifice their lives for God. The festival is celebrated in the following ways: A sheep or goat may be sacrificed as a reminder of Ibrahim’s obedience to Allah. If there is a difference between Eid- ul -Adha and Eid al Fitr, the later (Eid al-Fitr) is the ‘festival of the breaking of the fast – is celebrated at the end of Ramadan.

The battle of Adwa represents a major historical landmark for Ethiopia and the African continent at large where a major European power, Italy, was defeated by Ethiopia, an African country. If Adwa holds a significant place in Africa’s history, it is because its meanings overflow the social and political conditions that made it possible and go beyond any relevance to its initial circumstances. The victory of Adwa is celebration as the national event on March 1 throughout the country. It is colorfully celebration in Addis Ababa and at Adwa, the very place of the victory.

Established in 1966, which is the first National park in Ethiopia registered under the proclamations number, with an area of about 756 square kilometers, the Park is the oldest protected area in Ethiopia dedicated to conserve the large population of Beisaoryx, wetlands and hot springs. Much of the Park, located within the northern extreme of the Main Ethiopian Rift and the southern margin of the Afar rift, is a monotonously plain area at an average elevation of 900 m.a.s.l. Notable features of the Park include the Awash River along with the spectacular valley. The National park is hold more than 400 bird species.

Dire Dawa is a smaller but beautiful upcoming tourist destination that is worth a visit. You will be surprised by some of the unique things to do and places you can explore at this hidden destination. Dire Dawa (Amharic: ድሬ ዳዋ?, Oromo: Dirre Dhawaa, lit. “Place of Remedy”, Somali: Dirre Dhabe, meaning “where Dir hit his spear into the ground”, Arabic: ديري داوا‎‎) is one of two chartered cities (astedader akabibi) in Ethiopia (the other being the capital, Addis Ababa). It is divided administratively into two woredas, the city proper and the non-urban woreda of Gurgura. Dire Dawa lies in the eastern part of the nation, on the Dechatu River, at the foot of a ring of cliffs that has been described as “somewhat like a cluster of tea-leaves in the bottom of a slop-basin.” At a latitude and longitude of 9°36′N 41°52′E / 9.600°N 41.867°E, it is the second largest city in Ethiopia. The city is an industrial centre, home to several markets and the Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport. Haramaya University is 40 kilometres (25 miles) away.

The Simien Mountains National Park, with an area of 412 square kilometers, was established in 1969 to protect the endangered endemic Mammals of Walia ibex (Capra walie) and the Ethiopian wolf. The Park was one of the first four natural heritages sites in the world to be inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. The Simien Mountains National Park could be visited for the spectacular landscape of breathtaking views of the grandiose Mountains and jagged mountain peaks and for many to climb to the summit, sharp precipices, impressive waterfalls, deep valleys, endemic mammals and birdlife, and idyllic tranquility and beautiful scenery. SMNP is characterized by an Afro-Alpine ecosystem dominated by grassland meadows and over 1,200 species of flowering plants and over 200 bird species.

Gambella National Park is unrivalled for its highest absorption of wildlife in Ethiopia. The Gambella plain is one of the few places in the world where one could get unique, undisturbed and rich fauna and flora. The migration of White –eared Kob (Kobus kob) between Gambella National Park and Boma National Park of Southern Sudan makes the Park to be the second migratory route in the World after Masai Mara and Serengeti National Parks of Kenya and Tanzania. The White –eared Kob along with smaller herds of Buffaloes, thousands of Elephants and Giraffes migrate across the open woodland bush in South Sudan at the end of the dry season. The Park hosts 69 species of mammals some of which include African elephant, African buffalo, white-eared kob, bush pig. Gambela National park is well known for its wildlife watching, safari and Trekking

Nech- Sar National ParkLocated at about 500 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, Nechsar National Park is a vast white grassy plain and bush land, The Park, located within the southern part of the Main Ethiopian Rift, was established in 1974. It is situated close to the beautiful Town of Arba Minch, nestled between Lake Abaya (second largest lake in Ethiopia) and Lake Chamo that are separated by a narrow isthmus made up of a volcanic dome known as the “Bridge of God”. The “Bridge of God” between the two lakes is covered with luxuriant wet forest dominated by Ficussy camorus that grows to 30 meters tall.

Omo National Park is situated in the lower Omo Valley of southwestern Ethiopia at about 900 kilometers from Addis Ababa. With an area of 4,068 square kilometers, the Park, an awesome site of true wilderness, Omo National Park has remarkable features which include part of the Omo River with its bounty wildlife species and possibilities for white-water rafting, and the Maji Mountains (1,541 m.a.s.l), as well as Sharum, Sai and Illbai plains. The banks of Omo River are lined with tall trees, while as one goes away from the River, open grassland interspersed with woodland and bush land becomes common.Omo National Park is home to over 80 species of mammals which include herbivores such as African cape buffalo, eland, greater and lesser kudu, bushbuck, waterbuck, hartebeest, Oryx, Burchell’s zebra, African elephant, giraffe.

Mago National Park is located in the Southern Rift Valley, about 800 kilometers southwest of Addis Ababa towards the border with South Sudan and Kenya. Patchy grasslands, woodland, bush land and scrub on the sides of the hills, wetlands and riverine forests dominate Mago National Park. The largest trees are found in the riverine forest beside the Omo, Mago and Neri Rivers. The magnificent physical features of the Park include Mago Mountain, and Omo River. Features of tourist attraction outside the Park include the colorful life styles of the Hammer, Mursi, Aeri, Karo, Kwegu, Male and Banna people that give rewarding stays.

Babile Elephant Sanctuary

The Sanctuary is the most Northeastern population Elephant populations and with about 400 animals the largest and most visible herd of the about 1000 animals remaining in Ethiopia and the population has been slowly increasing over the last decade.

Senkelle Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary

Senkelle Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary is a protected area in the Oromia Region (or kilil) of Ethiopia, dedicated especially to the protection of the Swayne’s Hartebeest. Covering 58 square kilometers, the reserve is located some 10 kilometers south of the Shashemene–Arba Minch road. The sanctuary was set aside to protect the largest population of Swayne’s Hartebeest in Ethiopia, a mammal endemic to the country, the original herd of 3,000 animals has dwindled to a few hundred due to poaching. The area “the small size of the reserve and open terrain make it the one place in Ethiopia where Swayne’s hartebeest sightings are practically guaranteed.

Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary

Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area wildlife sanctuary in southern Ethiopia.The sanctuary is 2,500 square kilometers and elevations ranging from 1430 to 2000 meters above sea level. The area of the sanctuary is notable for its red soils which have little organic matter. The general vegetation-type is Acacia savanna, the major trees being A. Drepanolobium on black cotton soil. Endemic species of birds found in this protected area include Stresemann’s bush crow and white-tailed swallow.

Afdem-Gewane

Akobo
Arsi
Awash West
Bale
Borana
Boyo Swamp
Chercher and Arba Gugu
Dabus Valley
Eastern Hararghe (Harar-Wabi Shebelle)
Erer-Gota
Jikao
Maze
Mizan-Teferi
Murle
Omo West
Segen Valley
Tedo

Abijiatta-Shalla National Park is home to about 76 mammalian species which include Grants’ gazelle, Columbus monkey, common warthog, greater kudu, klipspringer, lesser bush baby, oribi, rock hyrax, and common jackal. Hosting over half of the known bird species of Ethiopia, six of which are endemic, Abijiatta-Shalla National Park is paradise of aquatic birds and a hot spot for birding on the African continent. The Park is endowed with abundant bird life of about 436 identified species.

Alatash National Park is located in northwestern Ethiopia about 970 km from Addis Ababa, bordering to Sudan’s Dinder National Park. The Park was established in 2006, and it covers an area of 2666 square kilometers. The Park is named after Alatish River that has its source in the Park and flows in a westerly direction to the Sudan. It forms an Eco tone between the high mountains of the Simen and the Sahel zone in the Sudan. The large Baobab tree at Omedla in the Park area housed the last Emperor, Haileselassie who ruled Ethiopia for about half a century for seven days inside its stem on his return to Ethiopia after victory over the colonialist Fascist Italia in 1941. The area is one of the green belt for the desert in the northern part of Ethiopia.

Dati Wolel National Park is located in the southwestern tropical forest belt of the country. The Park was designated as a controlled hunting area in 1998 and upgraded to Park level in 2008. It covers 431 square kilometers. The Park has diversified ecosystems, and floral and faunal resources. More than half of the area of the Park is covered by wetland. There is also dense forest, grassland, woodland, and riverine forest in the Park. There are about 28 large mammals. The Park is unique in harboring the largest numbers of mega-herbivores of Hippopotamus amphibious (hippopotamus) and Syncerus caffer (African Buffalo) of all of the National parks in Ethiopia.

Located at about 175 km southwest of Addis Ababa, The Park is the closest national park to the capital. the nearest town to the Park at 17 kilometers. Established in 2009 to protect the high biodiversity of the upper Gibe River gorge, Gibe Sheleko National Park is the most recently established among the national parks of Ethiopia. The Park covers an area of 360 square kilometers. Deciduous savannah woodlands and denser evergreen riverine forests along streams and rivers dominate the vegetation of Gibe Sheleko National Park. The savannah woodlands in less stepper grounds have relatively deeper soil and are dominated mainly by acacia trees, while steeper stony slopes are dominated by acacia shrubby species. About 17 mammal species in the Park include greater kudu.

Ethiopia is home to an impressive number of species of birds that vary from residents, that stay all year around, to breeding birds, that spend a good part of the growing season in Ethiopia to raise their young, migrants who pass through Ethiopia with the seasons, to wintering birds who like to spend a good part of the winter in Ethiopia to escape colder conditions up north. While many species of birds are relatively common as they are part of the ecosystems of the state, it is always a thrill to stumble upon a rare bird or vagrant, that does not really form part of any the Ethiopia ecosystems. Maybe it got lost during its travels between its summer and winter residence or it was displaced by bad weather.

Among the species of the Check list of the birds of Ethiopia you can find waterfowl and wading birds, a large suite of song birds, raptors, game birds, swifts and nighthawks, etc., many of which occupy several ecosystems simultaneously, as they fly to and from forests, meadows, shorelines of waters, cities and and urban green spaces. At Birdlist, we have developed a coding system that can help you predict when you may expect a certain species, with a code for seasonality, such as resident, nesting, wintering, etc. A code for abundance will give you a clue on the likelihood that you may actually see a certain species of bird. As we progressed with the coding, we realized that there should be a differentiation in the coding for “common”, such as less common, common and very common birds.The following are the endemic bird of Ethiopia: Blue-Winged Goose (Cyanochencyanopterus, Degodi Lark (Mirafragillettidegodiensis), AbyssinianLongclaw(Macronyxflavicollis), Ethiopian Siskin(Serinusnigriceps), Yellow-Throated Seedeater (Crithagraflavigula), Erlanger’s Lark(Calandrellaerlangeri), Abyssinian Catbird (Parophasmagalinieri),Stresemann’sBushcrow(Zavattariornisstresemanni),White-TailedSwallow (Hirundomegaensis), PrinceRaspoli’s Turaco (Tauracoruspolii).

Guasa Community conservations area

The Guassa community conservation Area originated as a community-based natural resource management system known as “Qero” over 400 years ago. It is one of the oldest known conservation areas in Sub-Saharan Africa. Two formally elected chiefs who oversee the beneficiary communities to ensure equitable resource distribution, and enforce the bylaws protecting the common property resources organize the Qero system. Based on traditional tenure patterns, rules of protection and utilization as well as enforcement are essential aspects of the Qero system. The area has large populations of Gelada Baboon and bird species. It is an ideal place for trekking.

Menz Guassa community conservation areas (2021, tourism Ethiopia)

Adaba-Dodola Community

Adaba-Dodola community based ecotourism development project was initiated in 1995 to develop a replicable model for the conservation and sustainable use of natural forests in Ethiopia. Therefore, a more holistic and fundamentally new attempt is being tried, relying on the self-interest and self-organizing capacity of forest dwellers. The Adaba-Dodola project is involved in activities, which generates income through Eco-tourism management. Towards to the fulfillment this, it has constructed lodges and trekking routes. It also provides camping sites, horses, tents, guides etc. There are five forest lodges in an altitude between 3080m and 3460 m, each with its own characteristic scenery. The project assigned 18 personnel who have been assisting the association. This document discuss the innovation needs of the project for it further improvement and development.

Meket Community Conservation area

COMACO helps local communities take responsibility for their natural resources via a successful business model that benefit them. Rather than relying on the old solutions of donor-assistance aid programs, COMACO provides a clear path for overcoming rural poverty, while motivation farmers to adopt more productive and sustainable conservation and ecotourism development practice.

Alledeghi
Awash West
Bale
Chelbi
Gewane
Mille-Sardo
Shire
Tama

LAKES IN ETHIOPIA

The Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes

Lake Tana

Lake Tana is 84 km long, 66 km wide, 15 meters deep; Lake Tana is the largest lake in Ethiopia. The Blue Nile, a major tributary to the world’s largest river, the great Nile, starts its journey from Lake Tana (and flows down the impressive Blue Nile falls. Some of the world’s oldest churches and monasteries can be found on some of Tana’s 37 islands and peninsulas, the most famous being the Kebran Gabriel. Believed to be built in the 14th century, this ancient church contains a museum with old paintings and manuscripts. Note, that only men can enter and visit this monastery, and at the time of writing, it is no longer open to the public. UNESCO welcomed Lake Tana to its Biosphere Reserve list in 2015.the Lake is very popular for fishing and water based tourism activities.

Lake Awassa

One of the best lakes to fish in Ethiopia, Lake Awassa is located 270 km to the south of Addis Ababa, and is the smallest of the Rift Valley Lakes.With beautiful views, come beautiful hotels. Resorts built many luxury around the lake, with Haile Resort Awassa being one of the favorite in the area. It makes special because one of the famous in the world athlete Haile Gebr-selassie owns this hotel.

Lake Ziway

Lake Ziway is a freshwater lake that is located on the border between the Oromia Region and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region, about 100 kilometres south of the Addis Ababa. Lake Ziway contains 5 islands dispersed on its freshwater surface, the largest being Tulu Gudo. Legend has it that this island was the hiding place of the ark of the covenant, the powerful relic King Menelik I brought to Ethiopia in the 4th Century. in the 10th Century, the Zay people brought the relic to Tulu Gudo, and it remained here for about 70 years before being returned to its home, Axum.

Lake Langano

Lake Langano is forest is filled with a wide variety of birds and mammals, with some being endemic to Ethiopia. Baboons, hippos, and warthogs are a common sight at this lakeside forest. Two neighboring eco lodges on the far side of the lake loan modern mountain bikes, so you can explore the network of trails that wind through the lakes nearby forest. Langano is one of the principal swimming harbors for the locals. Tourists also come here from all over the world to either sail or waterski in the soft brown waters of the lake.

Lake Abaya and Chamo

Originally known as Lake Margherita, Abaya is a red lake located east of the Guge Mountains in the Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region of Ethiopia. Sediment suspended on the surface of the lake is responsible for the lake’s characteristic red hue. Lake Abaya is famous amongst birdwatchers. A breadth of bird species is found here, with white pelicans, black heron, and bright pink flamingos amongst the most common sightings. Located just south of Lake Abaya is Lake Chamo with a catchment area of about 18,000 sq. km and a depth of only 10 meters, this lake is known for its large population of crocodiles.

Lake Afdera and Asale

Lake Afdera and Lake Asale are saline lakes that in the Danakil Depression in the Afar triangle. Barely visited, this lake has a 160m depth and is fed by underground streams. Salt has been extracted from Lake Afdera for centuries and during your visit there you might see dozens of camels carrying up to a hundred kilos of salt ambling around the Danakil Depression.

Hot springs

The headquarters houses a small museum, currently being upgraded, which gives an excellent idea of the wealth of birdlife in the park. There are over 400 species recorded here, almost half the number recorded for the whole country, A further track leads on from Dole to the shores of Lake Shalla where hot steam, mud and water bubble to the earth’s surface. Revered locally for their medicinal properties, the hot springs have a sense of primeval mystery about hem, especially in the cooler early mornings. They are relics of the massive volcanic activity that has formed this amazing country and landscape.

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