5 things you probably didn't know about Ethiopia:

1. Ethiopia is green. The central part of the country sits on a high plateau with rich farmlands and stunning mountain vistas. The national grain is the highly-nutritious teff, the main ingredient in injera, a flat, spongy, pancake-like bread that serves as both plate and utensil in Ethiopian cuisine.

2. You are seven years younger in Ethiopia! While most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar, which dates from the 16th century, Ethiopia stuck with its traditional calendar, which has 13 months and New Years day in September. Until September 11th, it is 2002 in Ethiopia.

3. Ethiopia is the Cradle of Mankind. Many people are familiar with Lucy, the early hominid skeleton found in Ethiopia’s Afar region in 1974. Since then there have been even earlier hominid discoveries. In 2009 Ethiopia reclaimed the title when details were published about Ardi, a female skeleton dating back some 4.4 million years.

4. Ethiopia is diverse. There are more than eighty different ethnic groups in Ethiopia, some with fewer than 10,000 members. The national language is Amharic, which is the native language of the Amhara people. The Oromo people make up the largest ethnic group, and the Tigrinya people in the north are also influential.

5. Ethiopia has castles. The town of Gondar is the famed site of the Fasil Ghebbi, a royal enclosure of castles dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. During this period each successive ruler built his own castle next to that of his predecessor. The castle designs reflect Hindu and Arab influences, as well as Baroque elements brought to Gondar by Jesuit missionaries.

Our Historial Ethiopian Tour is just one of many itineraries we offer. For more information give us a call at 866-778-1089.