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Bradt Guide Ethiopia
Ref: BRA030
Now into its fourth edition, for over a decade Ethiopia has become the definitive source of information on a country rich in culture, history and dramatic scenery. The particular strength of the guide lies in African-expert Philip Briggs’s personal writing style. With plenty of down-to-earth advice on etiquette and safe travelling and his enthusiasm for this little understood country this guide is an inspiration for those planning a trip. A recent research trip has also expanded the number of places covered countrywide, including detailed coverage of the Danakil Desert.
• The most thorough travel guide to Ethiopia on the market
• Highly praised by travel press and readers
• An ideal guide for first-time visitors, including plenty of tips on bridging the cultural gap
• Covers all Ethiopia’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries
• Heritage hotspots including rock-hewn churches and ancient palaces
Book Reviews
"Thorough and reassuring, it provides all the practical and background information to make readers leap from their armchairs and visit this vast, magical country."
-- The Daily Telegraph
"Essential reading for anyone with the remotest interest in Ethiopia ... a complete reference book to Ethiopia as well as an excellent travel guide."
-- Travel Africa
"Highly personal and informative guidebook ... his enthusiasm is reflected in every chapter."
-- Business in Africa
"An indispensable handbook for anyone wishing to visit Ethiopia."
-- The Guardian
Reader Reviews
"Briggs's travel guide for Ethiopia is absolutely fantastic and indispensable. I am currently a volunteer living in Ethiopia and it truly has been as important as my larium and sunscreen."
-- Anna Hammerick
“Thank you for your excellent guide, it enhances my pleasure every time I go to Ethiopia.”
Nora Wakim, The Netherlands
"I found myself turning the pages like a novel... for the adventures, comments and well-grounded opinions"
-- reader comment
"His enthusiasm and love for the country filled the whole book: sat at home reading the guide before my trip, he gave all the encouragement I needed to get out there and see Ethiopia."
reader comment
"Best of all though is Ethiopia itself -- the most beautiful scenery, fascinating history and people who are welcoming, generous, talkative and ready to laugh. Read the book and you too will want to see Ethiopia."
-- Martin Grinnell, Sheffield,
"Again my hearty congratulations on a well-done job. As far as I am concerned, your guidebook on Ethiopia is the best."
-- Harry Atkins, US
About this Destination
Contrary to Western myth, the elevated central plateau which covers half of Ethiopia's area is quite possibly the most extensive area of fertile land in eastern Africa. The medieval capital of Lalibela boasts a cluster of monolithic rock-hewn churches which is regarded by many as the unofficial eighth wonder of the world. There is also Gonder, the site of five 17th-century castles built by King Fasil and his successors. And all around the country are little-visited monasteries and churches, many of them over 1,000 years old and still in active use. Historic sites are the focal points of tourism in Ethiopia, but they threaten to be swamped by the breathtaking scenery which fills your peripheral vision, and whose different habitats host a range of species.
Ethiopia confounds every expectation. You arrive expecting a vast featureless desert and instead find yourself overwhelmed by majestic landscapes and climatic abundance. You expect a land which has been ravaged to the point of ruin by years of civil war, and instead you find close to the best civil amenities in Africa and almost no obvious signs that a war ever took place. You arrive expecting to see human degradation and abject poverty, and instead find yourself immersed in a culture besotted with itself and its history, and marked by a sense of unforced pride that is positively infectious.
Ethiopia is a true revelation. It is the most welcoming, enjoyable and uplifting country I have ever visited. For independent travellers, the combination of good, inexpensive facilities and practically limitless opportunities for off-the-beaten-track diversions makes Ethiopia among the most rewarding and attractive countries in Africa. When the world taps its feet, Ethiopia, I suspect, will always breakdance with its shoulders.'
Based in South Africa, Philip Briggs has travelled extensively throughout Africa for many years. He is the author of five other Bradt African guidebooks currently in print: Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda; and is the co-author of Rwanda.
£12.95
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