OUR DESTINATIONS
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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, check out some of our holiday offers below.
- Destinations
- Africa
- Ethiopia
- Addis Ababa
- Harar
Harar
Harar is a fascinating, exotic town of considerable interest to
visitors willing to make the 320 miles (520km) journey east from
Addis Ababa. Harar is the fourth holiest city in Islam, forbidden
to outsiders until 1887 when it became part of the Ethiopian
empire.
An enduring reputation for having the most beautiful women in
Africa, and possibly Ethiopia's best coffee, adds to the allure of
this intriguing destination. The city is perched on the eastern
wall of the Great Rift Valley, affording it a cool climate and
wonderful views of the soaring mountains to the east. The main
attractions are inside the Walled City, a fascinating warren of
medieval mosques, houses and markets. Another popular attraction is
the nocturnal Hyena Man, who feeds wild hyenas strips of raw meat
suspended from his mouth.
Harar's two most famous western inhabitants were Richard Burton,
and Arthur Rimbaud, who lived here for a decade in the 1880s,
writing poetry and running guns for the sultan. Shoppers should
look for the highly regarded hand-crafted silverware, and the
locally brewed Harar beer.
Information & Facts
Language
Amharic is the official language, although over 80 local
languages are also spoken. English and Arabic are widely spoken as
well as some French and Italian.
Money
The official currency is the Ethiopian Birr (ETB), which is
divided into 100 cents. Foreign currency can be exchanged at banks
and authorised hotels. Credit cards have limited usage outside of
Addis Ababa, and even in the capital they are only accepted by
major establishments. Visitors should carry a supply of travellers
cheques or hard currency with them, preferably in US dollars. ATMs
are sparse, but banks are usually open every day except Sundays
from 8am to 11am and 1pm till 4pm.
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