Ethiopia is a land of wonder and enchantment, a country with one of the richest histories on the African continent, a land of contrast and surprises, of remote and wild places, home to cultured and friendly people who are descended from some of the world’s oldest civilization.
This is the land of the Queen of Sheba, home of the Ark of the Covenant, the birth place of coffee. Lucy the world’s oldest known almost-complete hominid skeleton, more than three million years old, was discovered here.

Ethiopia has so much to offer visitors; the historic route, covering the ancient town of Axum, with its amazing curved obelisks, Christian festivals and relics, including the Ark of the covenant ; Gonder with its castles and palaces ; Lalibela with its remarkable rock-hewn churches, Negash, one of the earliest Muslim centers from the prophet Mohamed Era with the Negash Amedin Musk, the old city of Harar and Lega Oda, near Dire Dawa were you can see cave paintings considered to be thousands of years old.

There are fifteen national parks and three wild life sanctuaries were 277 species of wild life and more than 850 species of birds can be seen. The semen mountains national park is and another eight (8) tourist sites are registered by UNISCO as a world site and is home to three of the endemic mammals , Walia Ibex, Gelada Baboon, and Abyssinian Wolf. Ras Dashen, the fourth highest peak in Africa with an altitude of 4620 meters, is also located within the national park.

Ethiopia is a mosaic of people with more than 80 languages, different life styles, customs and cultural dance. People’s livelihood varies from pastoralists and farmers to factory workers, business people and academic.
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Ethiopia has been called the land of a thousand smile’s visit us and you can be sure of a great welcome, a memorable holiday experience of a lifetime!!!

History
Ethiopia's rich historical heritage is unique in sub-Saharan Africa. The country looks back on a history of more than 3,000 years when the city of Axum became the centre of an empire stretching from the Nile River across the Red Sea to the Yemen. Even today, ruins of palaces and monuments, old inscriptions and underground catacombs demonstrate the city’s ancient magnitude. While the medieval capital of Lalibela is home to a cluster of monolithic rock-hewn churches built in the 12th and 13th century, the imperial city of Gondar is best known for its 17th century castles built by Emperor Fasiladas and his successors and the beautifully decorated church of Debre Birhan Selassie. In the east of the country lies the old walled city of Harar with its numerous mosques and shrines, considered a holy city among Muslims. Or would you like to discover the ancient and secluded island monasteries of Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia and the source of the Blue Nile? Or be one of the few visitors to Ethiopia’s remote rock-hewn churches, testimonies to the country’s centuries-old Christian legacy?

Culture
Ethiopia is rich in culture and traditions, with strong religious customs from the 5th century BC that continue to play an important part in the people’s daily lives.
Tourists are welcome to share in the greatest of Ethiopian festivals, Timket (Epiphany), along with other the glorious celebrations of Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year), Meskel (The Finding of the True Cross), Gena (Christmas), and Fasika (Easter). Every region has its own local festivals and ceremonies where visitors are treated like honoured guests.

While checking the dates of these events, do bear in mind that Ethiopia retains the Julian calendar (almost eight years behind the Gregorian) and has 13 months. The Ethiopian New Year falls in early September.

The many different cultures associated with the peoples of Ethiopia can be breathtaking for visitors. These include the lip-plates of the Surma and Mursi, the head-dressing, hair styles, and the body paintings of the Hamer and the Karo, the Guragie enset (false banana) lifestyle, the village and agricultural terracing styles of the Konso, and the shoulder jerking dance of the Amhara.

With us you can witness something of the culture of at least a third of the peoples of Ethiopia. Tours can be arranged to all parts of the country but Paradise Ethiopia Travel specialises in visiting three distinct ethnic groups.

Nature
Apart from its historical sites, Ethiopia offers exceptional natural features and a rich bio-diversity. The country’s scenery varies from high mountain ranges with alpine flora and fauna, like the Simien and Bale Mountains, to deep gorges, wide valleys, volcanic lakes, savannahs, and semitropical forests, to the lowlands of the Omo Valley and the Danakil Depression (Dallol), one of the earth’s hottest places. Connected with Ethiopia’s extraordinary geography is their diverse ecosystem, placing the country among the foremost in the world for its numerous endemic mammals, birds and plants. While the Rift Valley Lakes are famous for bird-watching, the Awash and Nechisar National Parks are fine places for game drives. Not far from its origin in Lake Tana, on the outskirts of the city of Bahirdar, the Blue Nile River turns into the spectacular Blue Nile Falls. A paradise for birds and definitely a must for every ornithologist! Indulge in trekking or horse-back riding in the national parks, marvel at the fascinating endemic animals and revel in the breathtaking scenery!