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Ethiopia - Culture, Nature and History


Botswanadreams

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Botswanadreams

Hello

I would like to invite you to come with us to Ethiopia. We traveled in September 2017 intensively to the East and North. Unfortunately I'm not able to write a whole trip report in English. It'll be in German on our homepage but you can translate via Google to this funny English or you only take a look to the pictures. It's your choice. 

Here I'll always post a few pics from the areas to whet your appetite.

The first part is ready. Lets go!

This is the link to part 1.


Awash National Park

 

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Awash Falls at the end of the rainy season

 

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Croc at the bottom of the falls

 

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 Beisa-Oryx  - East African Oryx (Oryx beisa) 

 

Harar

 

 

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Bartgeier - Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) - juvenile bird in the Eastern Highlands

 

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The hyena feeding man

 

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The new Harar oder Duke's Gate - Main entry to Harar Jugol - the old walled city 

 

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Edited by Botswanadreams
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Thanks for the invite @Botswanadreams I'm very happy to join.

 

Lovely start with the photos which are whetting my appetite and when I've got a bit more time I'll check your homepage (using Google translation).

 

I know I'm going to enjoy this ride.

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I'm coming @Botswanadreams  After last time I am kind of used to the English and enjoyed the first secton very much. Love all the photos too - you were very trusting of the hyena man! :o

 

 

 

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Botswanadreams

Welcome on board @Caracal and @pault and thanks so much for your kind words and your interest.

 

 

4 hours ago, pault said:

you were very trusting of the hyena man!

As far as I know never any kind of accident happened with the hyena and tourists in Harar. Of course you will stop breathing for a short moment when this animals are so close to you but as long as you say "yes" there is no way to escape. It was a very special experience. 

 

Lets continue with a few more pics from part 1 here.

 

 

Dire Dawa 

 

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Babile Stones or also named Valley of Marvel

 

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The biggest Khat Market in the world in Awoday

 

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Kefira Market in Dire Dawa

 

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The old railway station in Dire Dawa

 

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Bearded vulture in the Eastern Highlands   

 

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Erzrabe - Thick-billed Raven (Corvus crassirostris) - endemic to Äthiopien 

 

 

 

 

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Looking forward to get to know new Ethiopian areas through your report here. :)

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Excellent start.  I am really enjoying your trip report.  Thank you.

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Botswanadreams

@michael-ibk welcome on board too. Please be aware that our trip wasn't focused on wildlife. I hope you'll have fun too to visit colorful markets and historical places with us and of course the Danakil.

@kilopascal thanks for the flowers. 

 

There are a few pics from part I missing until now. 

 

 

Alledeghi Wildlife Reserve 

 

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Sömmerring Gazelle - Soemmerring's Gazelle (Nanger soemmerringii)

 

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Gelbkehl-Flughuhn - Yellow-Throated Sandgrouse (Pterocles gutturalis)

 

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Caralluma acutangula

 

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Hot springs Doha Lodge

 

Unfortunately we couldn't find the Somali Wild Ass in Alledeghi.

 

From Doha Lodge we visited a Afar village.  

 

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All this you'll find in part I from our Ethiopia trip.

 

Here is again the link to the full report and much more pics to part I.

 

 

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Edited by Botswanadreams
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Botswanadreams

@Caracal thanks so much. When I have finished Ethiopia I'll add a few pics to the topic "show us the tribes and people of africa". I think there are a few more on my PC from other countries. Please be patient it'll be a long way to the Danakil. 

 

So the East part of Ethiopia is over. Let us continue slowly to the North. 

 

Part II is ready. This is the link. Sorry again that you have to struggle with Google English. 

 

 

Ankober

 

 

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Market day in the tiny town Aliyu Amba 

 

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Ankober Palace Lodge

 

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The mountains around Ankober

 

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Weißringtaube - White-collared Pigeon (Columba albitorques) endemic to Ethiopia

 

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On the way to Dabre Birhan

 

It'll be continued with pics from the other captures in part. 

 

Edited by Botswanadreams
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Botswanadreams

Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area

 

We start with a view in a valley on the way to Guassa

 

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Guassa Plateau

 

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Geladas in Guassa

 

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Strichelbrustkiebitz - Spot-breasted Lapwing (Vanellus melanocephalus) 

It is another endemic bird to the highlands of Ethiopia

 

 

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The Ethiopian Wolf - so happy to find them in Guassa

 

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People from the Market in Mahal Meda

 

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A breathtaking  view in the Great Rift Valley close to the Community Lodge  

 

 

Edited by Botswanadreams
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@Botswanadreams I am enjoying this report very much and also just looked at part 1 of the German version (translated as I do not speak much German!) I am curious about the Alledeghi Game Reserve part of your trip: how much time did you spend there? It is a shame you could not find the wild ass but I am sure they are hard to find under the circumstances.

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@Botawanadreams I just love your photos of bird species endemic to Ethiopia, local people and the markets. I am looking forwards to visiting Ethiopia next year and in particular to visiting Ali Dege. 

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The photographs in part 2 are stunning and fascinating. I continue to thoroughly enjoy this report and can't wait for more. 

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Botswanadreams
On 30.10.2017 at 9:20 PM, SafariChick said:

I am curious about the Alledeghi Game Reserve part of your trip: how much time did you spend there? It is a shame you could not find the wild ass but I am sure they are hard to find under the circumstances.

 

@SafariChick Thanks so much of following us through Ethiopia. As I started planning this trip I was searching about the Somali Wild Ass. From the website of  "IUCN SSC Equid Specialist Group" I found out that Yangudi-Rassa N.P. and Mile Serdo Wildlife Reserve should be the place to get a little chance to see them. As I asked our Guide Firew Ayele about this the answer was: no way to go there because of security reasons. There are always clashes between the tribes and I don't want you to get in the middle of this conflicts. Later I read from a French Lady that she saw a few Somali Wild Ass in January 2017 on a Game Drive in Alledeghi. To be honest I never heard of this before. So I asked our Guide again to include Alledeghi in our trip. We only had one Game Drive of about 4 to 5 hours in the reserve. We used two different roads both starting on the tarred road to the right side and as far as it was possible we drove off road too. I don't know if there are more roads to cover other areas in the reserve. What our ranger told us is that say see wild ass in average two times a month on game drives. It was clear for us that there is only a very little chance and you need big luck. 

 

@optig welcome on board too. 

 

@kilopascal Thank you very much for the flowers. Ethiopia is a land of wonders - extreme landscapes, the urban live especially on the colorful markets and the rich history.

 

 

Senbete Market

 

It is a place where Oromo, Amhara and Afar every Sunday come together.

 

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@Botswanadreams I know that the Somali Wild Ass is highly endangered. There are thought to be no more than 700-1000 animals remaining The Ethiopian government  has one of the worst records in Africa in regard to conservation. It still permits hunting of the mountain nyala even though there are belived to be only 2000-4,500 remaining, the Abyssinian lion, and other endangered species. 

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Botswanadreams

Maybe a short addition to the Wild Ass. We think there is also interaction between Wild Ass and domestic donkeys. 

The following pic is from Senbete Market. You can see the little donkey in the front and another one on the left side. I think the strips on the legs are not normal for domestic donkeys. 

 

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@optig You are absolutely right. To me it seems that Ethiopia until now is happy with the tourists on the historical route. Wildlife is not really in their focus. Our Guide agreed with this. One of his good friends is the Game Warden from Nech Sar NP. Firew talked with him over the phone. He said: "The short time with African Parks was the best time the park ever had. If he could contact them he really would like to get them back tomorrow". I think it says very much about the problems in Ethiopia to protect special places for the future.   

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Your photos from the markets are great. I love this trip. 

 

And how did you visit so many markets? Was this planned? You seem to be arriving everywhere on market day! But I love it!

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Botswanadreams

@pault Thanks for your nice reply. Yes, most of the visits to the markets were planned and Firew build up the trip exactly around this days. We were flexible with our starting day. I hope you saw the two little videos from Senbete and Bati Market too at the end of both captures. 

 

Bati Market 

 

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Camel Parking in Bati

 

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The typical hairstyle of an Oromo man

 

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Henna is used to color the grey beard or hear

 

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A old KrAZ from Russia

 

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 On the way back in the Highlands

 

This all you can find in part II.

 

Here is the link again to our homepage with lots of more pictures.

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Loving this report and after finishing part 2 I started reading about your Uganda adventure which is is equally entertaining. 

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Botswanadreams

@kilopascal Oh Uganda was before I found ST. It's very nice that you like to follow us through Africa. Thanks for that. 

 

Welcome in Lalibela - World Heritage Site since 1978. The next part is finished. If you like you can come with us to the Rock-hewn Churches.

 

Lalibela

 

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The Ethiopian Highlands with fantastic views 

 

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Mt. Abune Yoseph

 

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Bete Medhane Alem

 

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A priest coming out of the tunnel between Bete Medhane Alem zur Bete Maryam

 

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Bete Maryam

 

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Bete Maryam inside

 

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In the north compound 

 

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Sunset in the mountains around Lalibela

 

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Bete Gabriel-Rafael

 

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Acanthocercus cyanogaster

 

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Bete Emanuel

 

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Bete Abba Libanos

 

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A funeral

 

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Bete Giyorgis

 

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Details from Bete Giyorgis

 

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Senegalamarant - Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala)

 

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traditional weaver in Lalibela

 

 

This all and much more pics from in and outside the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela you can find in the new part.

 

This is the link to part III.

 

Edited by Botswanadreams
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Google translating today less effectively is, :o  but the photos more than make up for it. 

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Botswanadreams

Im sorry @pault for the inconvenience with Google translate in this part. Maybe it's because of all the names in between. 

 

From part III I would like to add a few more pics. 

 

Bahir Dar and the Blue Nile Falls  

 

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In the Ethiopian highlands

 

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Zumra, the founder of the Awra Amba Community

 

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Kuriftu Resort in Bahir Dar

 

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Bindenlärmvogel - Eastern Grey Plantain-eater (Crinifer zonurus)

 

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Blue Nile Falls

 

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Höckerglanzgans - Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos)

 

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@Botswanadreams I just love all your photos of birdlife which is endemic to Ethiopia. I hope that I have as much luck when I go next year,

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  • 3 weeks later...
Botswanadreams

Lets continue with the next destinations. Welcome to do a boot ride with us from Bahir Dar in the South to Gorgora in the North of Lake Tana. Part 4 is mostly about Ethiopien rich culture and history.

 

This is the link to part 4.

 

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Ferry on Lake Tana

 

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Ura Kidane Mihret Monastery on Zege peninsula

 

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Nagar Selassie Monastery on Dek Island

 

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Wedding Debre Sinai Monastery in Gorgora

 

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Wall paintings from Debre Sinai Monastery (early Gondar styl)

 

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Market between Gorgora and Gondar

 

 

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Fascinating to see all the differing, characterful architecture and of course the people. Thanks @Botswanadreams

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