ETHIOPIA
EXPERT TIPS
Ethiopia has the highest number of Unesco World Heritage Sites in Africa. Lalibela is the jewel in the crown, but tour packages also take in the obelisks of Axum, supposed home of the Ark of the Covenant. Farther afield, and for the more
LOUISE STANION AFRICA PRODUCT MANAGER COX & KINGS
Ethiopia is a fascinating and rewarding destination. Welcoming people, diverse landscapes, incredible flora and fauna, and a unique culture more than compensate for long road journeys and, often, basic accommodation. Ethiopia is best known for the historical locations in the north of the country: Axum, Gondor and, of course, Lalibela. The rock-hewn churches are staggering: walking around them, watching the priests inside, really does transport you back in time. A new hotel, Bale Mountain Lodge, opened in the lesser-explored south of Ethiopia earlier this year, bringing a similar level of luxury accommodation to that found in other African countries. This part of the country is home to the endemic Ethiopian wolf and can be visited in conjunction with the Rift Valley lakes, an area of outstanding birdwatching, as well as the local villages dotted among the lakes and coffee plantations.
adventurous traveller, the Omo valley is home to a diverse array of ancient tribes and animals. The Rift Valley offers outstanding bird- watching as well as the chance to explore the villages dotted among the lakes and coffee plantations. When selling this destination to your clients, it is important to
do so with care and honesty, says Derek Schuurman, a senior travel specialist at Rainbow Tours. “It is a wonderful country but with a modest infrastructure and challenging geography,” he says. “Hotels and lodges of a high standard have started opening in recent years. “It is a very rewarding
destination, with unbeatable landscapes, fascinating culture and incomparably rich history, and a wide variety of endemic wildlife.” Schuurman says clients who visit Ethiopia tend to be very
A souvenir seller in Lalibela, famed for its rock-cut churches
92 — aspire september 2014
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