Ethiopia: Bradt Travel Guide

by Philip Briggs

While the world taps its feet, Ethiopia breakdances with its shoulders. This is an uplifting, inspirational country which confounds expectations. It’s no featureless desert but a land of majestic landscapes surrounding a vast, fertile plateau. The rock-hewn churches in its medieval capital, Lalibela, are regarded by many as the eighth wonder of the world. Its people are welcoming, proud and besotted by their own culture and history. Bradt’s Ethiopia is the most thorough guide available to this country rich in culture, history and dramatic scenery, and has been highly praised by both travel press and readers.

‘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 (UK)

Genres: Travel, Ethiopia, Africa, Nonfiction, Adoption

614 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

Reviews

[Jake Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know, I know, putting a travel guide on Goodreads is just bizarre, but the first few chapters of this gem -- on Ethiopian customs, Ethiopian food and history, how to be a respectful traveler, the shock of visiting developing nations -- are the best I've seen in a travel guide.

[Ricardo Ribeiro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another crapy guide book from Bradt, which only survives as a publisher because it fills gaps. It has been a while since I decided to avoid Bradt guides but this time I decided to go ahead and buy to the positive reviews.

Bad idea. I was tricked. This is as bad as the other Bradt. To give just two examples: a selection of itineraries, which is one of the most valuable of a book of this kind is nowhere to be seen, for some mysterious reason. The volume has about 800 pages and still, a meager eight pages are dedicated to Adis, apart from the listings. The same number as the pages containing maps of the city. By the way, dont expect hints on how to get to the few places considered good enough to be mentioned in these pages.

[David Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, Bradt guide books are worth reading just like a regular history or current events book. Lots of great information on this fascinating yet complex country. I was stuck in quarantine in Addis Ababa for two months and quickly ran out of books to read. When another traveler left this in the hotel, I quickly devoured it and learned even more about this country.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly thorough read about everything Ethiopia. It is getting us very excited about our travel there sometime this spring or summer. I like that the author spent 5 months there going to every region, every hotel, every camp site, taking every form of transportation. I like that he grew up in South Africa and has written guides for Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and a few other African countries, and is able to draw from his experiences as a well-African-traveled person. I appreciated his reflections on how to bridge cultural gaps, deal with feelings of "guilt" when faced with extreme poverty, how he thinks about giving money to beggars, on how tourism affects the culture, how to think about haggling (sometimes it's ok, sometimes it's disrespectful. He admits that everyone has as different perspective but offered his own.

I like that he included snippets of other travelers letters about things they experienced there that shed light on things they learned in their travels. Like what inconveniences they had to deal with, and things that made their trip better, etc.

I am sad that this one was published in 2005, and since there has been an even more updated version and I didn't realize that when I bought this. Wish I had the 2008 version.

I would recommend this to anyone thinking about traveling in Ethiopia.

[Skyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I primarily read novels so it seems odd to be rating a travel guide, but this was fabulous.

I have a WIP set in Ethiopia for half of the book and research online could get a little overwhelming. Enter a travel guide, which has been utterly invaluable, covering not only customs, languages, wildlife, and locations, but details about hotels, costs, etc. My copy is covered in mini Post It notes and I've referred back to it many times during revisions.

I will definitely be keeping in mind Bradt guides for future international settings when writing (or certainly if travelling is ever in the cards for me).

[Bobbettylou · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than a tourist guide book, about half of this book is devoted to background information about Ethiopia: geography, history, climate, government and politics, economy, culture, language, religion. There is a mini-guide book on natural history followed by another 500+ pages of traditional travel guide book complete with maps and color pictures and journal excerpts from historic travel writers. Not your usual pocket guide. Makes me want to return to see where I lived and worked for two tumultuous years, 1975-77.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethiopia is a huge and lovely place that can be confusing to a first time visitor. This books provides valuable background to approaching the language, history and day-to-day culture from a Euro-American perspective.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of info in this book

[Filipa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, amazing country told on a useful and interesting book.