Ethiopia, the ancient Christian kingdom, richest historical and cultural heritage in sub-Saharan Africa, is a unique experience for travelers, different from anywhere anyone has been. Its 3000 years old history, interwoven with timeless legends, religious practices, festivals, rimiest of Biblical items, fascinating historical monuments indigenous Arts, unspoiled multi ethnographic culture and way of living, remarkable and endless mountain ranges have all attracted and captivated the imagination of visitors through out the ages.

What makes Abyssinia a unique sub-Saharan destination?
Language and Script Beyond that Ethiopia is the only African country having its own script in syllabic writing system, Julian calendar is still in use when the rest of the Christian world adopted Gregorian calendar in 1582.
Religion
Ethiopia is the first African country to adopt Orthodox Christianity and make a state religion of the Axumite Empire in 330A.D.
The Origin of Humankind
The 4.4 million years old Australoputicus Ramidus is the oldest hominid remain ever discovered anywhere but in Ethiopia.

3000 Years of Independence
The only independent African country since the time of the legendary queen Sheba and king Solomon, there has been no occasion when Ethiopians complacently observed the transgression of their county’s territorial confines, their rights and independence. The victory of Adwa in 1896 is one of the glorious exploits, which renders the special significance to Ethiopia through out African history of independence.
Ethnic Diversity
More than 80 ethnic groups, with different languages, untouched cultures and way of livings enables Ethiopia a live ethnological museum and a fascinating destiny to experience wilderness.

Altitude
Ethiopia ranges from 116m. below sea level at Danakil depression to 4620m in Northern Ethiopia highest plateau at mount Ras Dashen.
Galaxy Express Services, The travel and tour specialists, is always ready to offer you a unique travel experience in Ethiopia by planning trips which shall meet your every requirement along with pleasure and recreation that you desire.The tour department is rich in experienced drivers, in professional guides and administrative stuff working as fingers of one hand providing visitors with a memorable trip at competitive rate

Axum
The old city of Axum was established before 2000 years in the northern trip highlands of Ethiopia. Once the capital and considered to be a centre of civilization and Christianity. The archeological findings incredibly designed huge monalitic steleas which still stands since 2000 years before, the ruins of the palace of the legendary Queen of Sheba, the first Christian church St. Mary of zion dated around 350 A.D. which resides original are of the convenant as well as several historical evidences makes Axum one of the best tourist attractions.Axum in its day was one of the four powerful kingdoms like Persian, Roma and Egypt. It was also a great commercial centre, issuing its own currency and trading with Egypt, Arabia, Persia, India and even Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). After its conversion to Christianity, early in the fourth century, Axum also emerged as an important religious centre, site of the country's most important and revered church of St. Mary of Zion, which according to Ethiopian tradion, and is the repository of the Biblical Ark of the covenant.

The 16th century cathedral of St. Mary of Zion was probably built on an earlier 4th century church, and is the holiest church in Ethiopia. Axum is also famous for its mysterious monolithic stelle, hewn from single pieces of solid granite. The largest obelisk, which was 35 meters long and weighted. 500 tones, is the biggest piece of stone even cut by humanity any where in the world but today it lies broken on the ground. Near it stands a smaller but nevertheless most impressive 24 meters high obelisk the prids of Ethiopia. Axum is also well known for its ruins of the palace of the legendary Queen of Sheba who reigned about 1000 B.C. The beautifully worked tombs of several ancient Axumite rulers and the local archeological museum are also worth a visit.

Yeha
Yeha is an hour and half drive from the ancient city of Axum the site of the country's most ancient temple, a remarkable huge stone structure, and of a fine and richly endowed Ethiopian church of modern times. The ancient city of Yeha was first described in the early sixteenth century by the intrepid. Portuguose traveler Francisco Alores, who was struck, like so many foreign visitors of term him, by the age-old temple. He described it as a very longe and hand some tower, both for its height and the good workmanship of its walls. This fine old building, according to the nineteenth century German Scholor Heinrich Miiller, probably dates back to about seven or eight hundred years before the birth of christ. The temple stands on a small hill, at the foot of a nearby mountain, with a reasonable sized village of traditional Tigray 0style houses nearby. The temple, which is reminiscent of those in Yemen and other parts of south Arabia, consists of large smoothly plished stone blocks, some as much as three hundred centimeters long, neatly placed one above or beside another, without any apparent use of mortar. The roof and the west wall are both missing, but several square holes in the remaining walls toward the east of the structure indicate where partitions, probably of wood, once stood.

Debre Damo
Some tour hours drive from Axum lies the monastery of Debre Damo (closed to women) situated on a clif top in one of the wildest pasts of Tigray. Debre Damo was founded or so the legends tell us by a sixth century saint Abba Aregawi, one of the famous Nine Saints who came to Ethiopia and spread Christianity in the countryside. The monastery of Debre damo can only be reached by rope pilley. Reached after some 24 meters later, the top of the summit offers a spectacular view. The axumite style church is decorated with carved wood panels depicting different kinds of wild life. The monastery’s treasures include an extensive collection of illuminated manuscripts and the intricate carvings on the beams and celling of the ancient church around which the monastery is built.

Lalibella
Lalibella situated at about 2,630 m. above sea level in the rugged mountains in the northern end of Wollo, is one of the worlds most incredible man-made creation. It was the capital of Ethiopia in the 12th century and extra ordinarily rich in history especially in Christianity.In about 1137 a new dynasty, known to historians as the Zagwe, took over the government of Ethiopia. They originated from Bugna in the Lsta region. The name Zagwe is an Ethiopian term of uncertain meaning, perhaps linked to the Agaw ethnic origins of the dynasty. The best known Zagwe monarch, king Lalibella, ruled in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. He is the one who supposed to have been the creator of Ethiopia's greatest archotectural wonder, the rock-hewn churches of Roha, in the district of Last, now called Lalibella after him.

At Lalibella, there are eleven churches, cut in most cases completely out of the solid rock, designed according to legend after a vision by the Zagwe emperor of the Heavenly Jerusalem. Indeed, it has been suggested that the monuments may have been intended to represent a 'New Axum' as well as 'New Jerusalem', to replace or duplicate the formen imperial capital’s preeminent holiness in Ethiopia. The churches are not cave-sanctuaries, such as exist in Goereme in Turkey, Petra in Jordan, and other places in the Near East, and they are not monolithic temples hewn out from the rock and standing free in the land scape, like those at Ellora in India. The Ethiopian monolithic rock churches have the peculiarity of being hewn into the natural rock from its flat surface. The ground level of the churches in separated from the surrounding rock by a trench. They could be described as sanken into the ground according to a very elaborate plan, and the workmanship is extremely fine. Francisco Alvarez, who visited Lalibella in 1520, described them as "edifices, the like of which and so many can not be found anywhere else in the world. They are churches entirely excavated in the rock, very well hewn.... It wearies me to write more of these works, because it seems to me that they will not believe me, if I write more.

Gonder
The 17th century capital of Ethiopia established by Emperor Fasilidas around 1635 is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches. Majestically built five different castles in 70,000 m2 compound, the famous church of Debre Berhan Selassie for wall and ceiling paintings, the Bath of king Fasil which is still in active use for 'Timket' or Baptism makes Gondar one of the world heritages Flanked by twin mountain streams at an altitude of more than 2,300 meters, Gondar commarch spectacular views over farm lands to the gleaming waters of Lake Tana thirty-five kilometers to the south. Gondar is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches.

An extensive compound, near its centre, contains the hulking ruins of a group of imposing castles like some African Camelst. The main castle was built in the late 1630 and early 1640 by king Fasilids. The Emperor, who was greatly interested in architecture – St Mary in Axum was another of his works was also responsible for seven churches, a number of ridges, and a three – storey stone pavilion next to a large, sunken bathing place, rectangular in shape, which is still filled during the 'Timkat' or Epiphany season with water from the nearby Qaha River. After Emperor Fasil's death, some of his successors constructed castles next to his in the same compound. Gondar is a city rich in fibulas history and ancient monuments. For many centuries it was the centre of fine arts, music, science, religion, trade and administration. Other treasures of Gondar include the 18th century place of Ras Bet and the ruined palace of Kusquam.

Bahir Dar
Bahir Dar is a town set on the south eastern shore of Lake Tana. It is the starting point of any visit to the Blue Nile falls or the the islands of Lake Tana. The colorful markets and a variety of handicrafts and wearing. Centres also make it a comfortable base for excursion by land or water. Bahir dar provides access by boat to a number of historic lakes – side churches and monasteries near and far. Most of these churches and monastries dated back to 12th to 20th century and have beautifully painted walls & fasainatings museums, at which the visitor can see priceless illustrated manuscripts, historical crowrs & fine royal and ecclesiastical However, it should be noted that most of the religious houses are not open to women.

The most interesting island churches are Kebran Gabriel and Ura Kidane Mehret, Birgida Mariam, Dega Estefanons, De Narga Silasse, Tana Cherkos etc. Visitors to Bahir Dar can also see the fascinating Blue Nile Falls or "Tissisat Falls" situated 35 km south-east of the town.