Tour

Its international image may be that of a country paralysed by famine and poverty but Ethiopia is one of the most rapidly changing and influential countries in Africa. In 2010 The Economist ranked it as the world’s fifth fastest growing economy. Ethiopia sees itself as a major strategic player in Africa.

Led by the BBC’s former Executive Editor, World Current Affairs, Keith Bowers, this tour examines the rapid pace of change and tensions that come with it, as well as Ethiopia’s relations with its neighbours and role in the region.

The tour is based mainly in the lively capital, Addis Ababa. There will be the opportunity to explore Ethiopia’s internal political framework by meeting influential government figures as well as leading analysts, local journalists and non-governmental organisations. Key thinkers from the international diplomatic community help to explain the strategic context.

Among the key themes we examine the following:

We look at the role played the Ethiopia People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, which is led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, that came to power after overthrowing the communist regime of President Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991.

Participants will have the chance to analyse the economic progress by meeting leading figures from the business community, including coffee exporters and other commodity traders. The tour will travel outside of the capital to look at agriculture, and Ethiopia’s role in international food security. We will also see some of the spectacular African highland landscape and experience some of Ethiopia’s ethnic, musical, culinary and artistic traditions.

Overall this tour provides a fascinating opportunity to challenge western pre-conceptions of Ethiopia and take a look behind the scenes in a rapidly changing and important part of the world.

Participants normally number between 8 and 18 people. If we do not reach the minimum required number of passengers on a tour it may be cancelled and you will be fully refunded.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival and Introduction to Addis. Arrive about 8am if coming on overnight flight from Europe. Taken to hotel to rest. Lunch followed by briefing about the tour by organisers at the Ethiopian Film Initiative House. “Growth and transformation of 21st century Addis” – brief tour of changing Addis, a city of shopping malls and roads amid a construction boom fuelled by disapora money and Chinese investment. Evening; drinks, coffee ceremony and dinner at an Ethiopian cultural restaurant. Chance to see ethnic dancing, musical diversity and sample local food, injerra.

Day 2 Ethiopia in the 20th Century and Today. Leave hotel for history tour of Addis accompanied by Solomon Hailemariam of Panos Institute, followed by lunch with international journalists. Briefing on current political, economic and social developments in Ethiopia. Trip to Entoto mountain, site of former Ethiopian capital, and visit to the Menelik museum to view how the Emperor created modern Ethiopia. Dinner joined by experts on Ethiopia’s history.

Day 3 Media, Ethnic Diversity and the Region. Visit to Ethiopia’s English-language newspapers for briefing on big issues of modern Ethiopia such as ethnic diversity, the mixed economy and the role of the state and private enterprise. Plus the role of the media in Amharic, English and Oromiffa. Lunch joined by Ethiopian journalists followed by a visit to a key western embassy for briefing on the region. Dinner with invited guests to talk about the international role of Ethiopia.

Day 4 Economy and Civil Society. Visit to Merkato, one of Africa’s biggest open-air markets, see commerce in action, followed by a tour of Ethiopia’s Commodities Exchange in Lideta. Gain insight into how Ethiopia’s modern economy works and understand its key exports. Lunch with a range of prominent business leaders, followed by a briefing with Ethiopian government officials on their priorities and the government’s five-year growth and transformation plan. Evening reception at Ethiopian Film Initiative House. Guests to include local music and cultural experts, film-directors and members of NGOs/civil society.

Day 5 Agriculture and Food Security. Leave for tour of flower farm in Sebeta guided by Solomon Hailemariam to gain insight into international investments and key exports, and Ethiopia’s emerging role amid increasing interest in international food security. The visit is followed by a visit to nearby villages where subsistence farming still dominates. Followed by packed lunch and walk in nearby forest. Dinner in Addis with invited guests from agricultural and food security sector.

Day 6 Culture, Diplomacy, and the Region. Visit to UN ECA headquarters to find out about the role of the UN in Ethiopia. Visit to ethnological museum, examining Ethiopia’s role as the cradle of civilisation. Lunch with invited guests on Ethiopia’s cultural history. The afternoon is spent at the African Union. Tour and meetings with diplomatic contacts to examine Ethiopia’s role in Africa and dominant issues in the region. Dinner with African, UN and other diplomats.

Day 7 Haile Selassie, India and China in Ethiopia. Tour of Addis Ababa University, former palace of Haile Selassie. Followed by a walk round the grounds and tour of the Emperor’s Musuem. Lunch at Ethiopian Film Initiative House and an informal briefing about Ethiopia’s international image, followed by an opportunity to visit local arts and crafts stalls around EFI house. Dinner and visit to Asmari Bet, an underground dancehall in Kazanches to experience some of Ethiopia’s best dance and music.

Day 8 The Rift Valley. Trip to Debre Libanos church at edge of Rift Valley, one of the key Christian centres in Ethiopia to see one of Ethiopia’s most important religious centres and also visit cave of ancient mystic, Tekle Haymainot. Dinner at Castellis in Piazza, one of the city’s best restaurants.

Day 9 Farewell Reception. Free time in morning followed by a visit to a reception and art gallery. Free time for packing, and early dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel before European-bound overnight flights.

Essential information

How to make your booking.

You can make a booking by contacting Political Tours directly by phone on 0834 289 2349 or by filling the booking form on the Book Tour button.

To reserve a place on a tour please complete the booking form and send it to Political Tours Ltd together with your non-refundable deposit of 15% of the total holiday cost or £250 per person (whichever is the greater) made payable to Political Tours Limited.

If you are booking less than 8 weeks prior to departure the full cost of the tour is payable.

If you would like to contact Political Tours’ Director, Nicholas Wood, he can be reached by email at nicholaswood@politicatours.com or by mobile phone on +44 7855 266 151.

What is Included in the Tour.

The price includes accommodation in 3-4 star hotels in Addis Ababa as well as all meals during the visit. All the accommodation includes private bathrooms. There is a single room supplement of 60 dollars.

Please be aware that Political Tours is a land only tour operator. Our clients travel from many countries and the costs of flights to and from the destination are not included in the price.

How to Reach the Destination.

A number of major international airlines have regular flights to Addis Ababa including Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa. There are daily flights between London Heathrow and Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines, which also flies to other European destinations including Rome, Paris and Frankfurt. Ethiopian Airlines also flies from Washington to Addis Ababa.

Climate and Clothing Suggestions

Although Addis Ababa is near the Equator its elevation (around 2,400 metres above sea level) means that the daytime temperatures in the dry season (October to March) peak at around 25 degrees and can be considerably less. However, the sun is powerful at this altitude so a hat and sun block are essential items. The evenings can be cool so it is advisable to bring some warm clothing.

Passports, Visa, and Health

All clients are personally responsible for ensuring that they have a valid passport, relevant visa/s and conform to the health regulations required by the country/s that will be visited during the tour.

Tourist visas are required for citizens of the European Union and the United States visiting Ethiopia.

Advice on health requirements may be obtained from your GP, or alternatively from the National Travel Health Network and Centre   http://www.nathnac.org/ds/c_pages/country_page_et.htm

The high altitude takes some time to get used to and travelers with heart problems or high blood pressure should seek advice from their doctor before travelling.

Hospital facilities in Addis Ababa are limited, though the Korean hospital is one institution which provides good care and arranges medivac facilities.

Personal Safety

Addis Ababa is generally safe for foreign tourists. However, in areas such as Piassa and the Mercato care has to be taken because of pickpockets.

In the past few years there have been some low level threats of terrorist attacks in Addis Ababa and security searches are in place at hotels and public buildings.

More information about safety and security in Ethiopia can be found at http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/sub-saharan-africa/ethiopia

Insurance

Appropriate and adequate travel insurance is essential and is a condition of travelling with us. Your policy must include comprehensive medical cover i.e. the costs of evacuation and repatriation from the remote destinations included in your tour in the event of illness or accident in addition to other medical requirements.

Please provide us with confirmation of the name of your insurance company, the policy number and the insurers’ emergency contact telephone number for use in a medical emergency no later than  8 weeks prior to the tour departure. If you fail to do so, we are entitled to cancel your booking and apply the cancellation charges shown below.

You must also ensure that the policy will protect you in the event that you travel to an area against the advice of the Foreign Office.

Harzards Inherant in Our Tours.

It is in the nature of the itineraries we offer that the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office may have issued advice against all travel or all but essential travel in relation to the country or parts of the country we are intending to visit prior to confirmation of your booking. Where the FCO issues such advice, we may as a result cancel your tour or make changes so as to avoid the area concerned (see clauses 10 and 12 of our Terms and Booking Conditions). Alternatively, we may ask you to sign a form confirming you wish to proceed with the tour notwithstanding the FCO advice.

Our Cancellation Charges

If you feel you need to cancel a tour before departure we reserve the right to make the following charges.

The periods before departure within which written notification of cancellation is received by us and the charges per person cancelling are listed as follows:

Up to 56 days                                                              Deposit

55 to 28 days                                                               50%

27 to 15 days                                                                75%

14 days or less                                                             100%

On receipt of your booking form and deposit we will confirm your booking in writing, then approximately 8 weeks before departure we shall send you further information relevant to your tour together with a final invoice.

Please pay the invoice within 10 days of the invoice date otherwise we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and apply the cancellation conditions as set out below. Your travel documents are dispatched about 7/10 days before the tour departs.

Booking Terms and Conditions

Full details of our terms and conditions can be viewed by clicking this link.

Further reading

Paul B. Henze has written a number of analytical books. These include:

Paul Henze Layers of Time -A History of Ethiopia 2000 Shama Books Ethiopia ISBN 1-931253-28-5 (there is meant to be a version for the Ethiopian millennium in 2007 but I could nto find this on Amazon)

Paul Henze Ethiopia in Mengistu's final years 978-99944-0-024-9

Paul Henze The Derg in Decline Volume 1 Shama books 2007 99944-0-009-6

Paul Henze Until the Last bullet Vol 2. Shama books 2007 978-99944-0-024-9

Other books

Notes from the Hyenea's belly Nega Mezlekia (memoir growing up in Ethiopia in the 70s and 80s.) ISB 0 -312- 26988- 9 (52400) 2000 New York Picador

Black Gold - A dark history of coffee Anthony Wild Harper Perennial 2005 London 1-84115 -656-6

Unfinished Business - Ethiopia and Eritrea at War Edited by Dominique Jacquin-Berdal and Martin Plaut The Red Sea Press, Trenton NJ ISBN 1-56902-217-8

Bahru Zewde, A History of Modern Ethiopia 1855-1991 (He is also a Professor of history at AAU and maybe another good person for group to see) (think I have read this book but is the only one not on my shelves so don't have the ISBN)

Pioneers of Change in Ethiopia - The reformist intellectuals of the early twentieth century Bahru Zewde Currey Oxford James Currey publisher 2002 ISBN 0-85255-452-4

Ethiopia -  The Challenge of Democracy from Below Edited by Bahru Zewde and Siegfried Pausewang 2002 Nordiska Afrikainstitutet and Forum for Social Studies 91-7106-501-6

Sylvia Pankhurst Counsel for Ethiopia (written by her son Richard Pankhurst) Tsehai publishers USA ISBN: 0-9723172-3-6 2003

The Sign and the Seal Graham Hancock A Quest for the Lost Ark of the Covenant Arrow books 1997 London 0-09-941635-2