Eritrea Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

As conflicts with Ethiopia, its neighbor, wind down, Eritrea may finally get a chance to put its proud nationalism into practice—in peace. And that would be very good news for adventurous travelers, because this country, for all its troubles, has a lot to offer.

Eritreans are among the friendliest people in the world, and their enthusiasm for their new nation is catching. (The country won its independence from Ethiopia in the early 1990s.) Storefront signs in Asmara, the lively capital, and elsewhere in the country still proclaim hard-won pride in Eritrea's nationhood, and the euphoria of rebuilding the country is still reflected in daily life: Eritrea has few of the beggars and pickpockets that plague Ethiopia. Although its population is divided between Christians and Muslims, Eritrea experiences little of the religious rivalry that has troubled neighboring Sudan.

Eritrea (pronounced er-uh-TRAY-uh, although many Eritreans pronounce it er-ih-TRAH, rolling the r) has a long way to go in some regards, but the delays, cancellations and uncertainty that once made travel very difficult are fading away. Your visit to this still undeveloped country could be the adventure of a lifetime.

Geography

History

Throughout its history, this coastal region along the Red Sea has experienced invasion after invasion—first by Abyssinians from the south, then by Muslims across the Red Sea, and finally by Italians in the late 19th century. Mussolini launched his invasions into Ethiopia from Eritrea in 1935 and held both countries until he was forced to surrender them to the Allies during World War II.

Although Ethiopia gained its independence immediately after the war, Eritrea's future remained less certain. The British initially administered the country, and then it was joined in a federation with Ethiopia in 1952. But 10 years later, Ethiopia forcibly annexed Eritrea and fighting erupted. The battle dragged on for more than a decade—it eventually toppled the U.S.-backed Ethiopian monarchy. A Soviet-backed military junta, called the Dergue, took power in Ethiopia, but this change of government did not bring Eritrea closer to independence. Instead, the Dergue instituted widespread crackdowns on any group that posed a threat to its power. Under the new regime, prisons quickly filled, and summary executions became a part of everyday life. As discontent continued to swell, an Ethiopian rebel group formed and united with the Eritreans. The two groups quickly racked up victories over the government: By 1990 they had taken the important port town of Massawa; within a year the Dergue had been driven from the country. Eritrea was then administered by a provisional government for two years. In April 1993, the population overwhelmingly voted for independence.

A border dispute broke out with Ethiopia in 1998, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. In 2000, the two Horn of Africa countries signed a peace agreement, and the U.N. established a temporary security zone. However, Eritrea and Ethiopia have yet to agree on a boundary, and in March 2005, Ethiopia deployed more than 30,000 troops to the border area. Ethiopia has characterized the troop build-up as a defensive measure, but Eritrea considers the move provocative. The U.N. has called on both sides to refrain from any threat against each other.

Snapshot

Eritrea's chief attractions are northeast African culture, historical sites, friendly people, beaches, diving, snorkeling, traditional markets and architecture.

Tourism is growing fast in Asmara and Massawa, but most of the rest of the country is only for well-traveled adventurers who are interested in regional culture and in the development of a new nation. Eritrea will not appeal to anyone who would be upset by inconveniences or last-minute changes.

Potpourri

The English-language newspaper, Eritrea Profile, is published by the Ministry of Information, but don't expect much insight into current events. All privately owned media is outlawed in Eritrea, and the press watchdog group Reporters Without Borders ranked Eritrea 163 out of 167 nations in its ranking of press freedom.

In an effort to beautify the country, as well as reduce the risk of malaria, protect animals and keep drains unclogged, Eritrea has banned one-time-use plastic shopping bags.

Don't be surprised to see a large number of disabled veterans from the two recent wars.

The road from Asmara to Massawa drops 7,600 ft/2,320 m in 75 mi/120 km.

After the war for independence ended, hundreds of exiles returned to Eritrea from the U.S. and Europe with money and technical skills to help rebuild the nation. Hundreds of thousands more, however, returned from Sudan with nothing.

Trained to ignore sexual, tribal and religious differences, female soldiers fought alongside men in the war with Ethiopia. This has led to a level of equality and opportunity for women that is greater than that of most other African countries, particularly in the capital.

In some rural areas of Eritrea, the land is owned communally. Every few years (varying from three to seven), the community gets together to divide arable land into equal plots, which has led to a bewildering mosaic of tiny farms. The government is encouraging farmers to convert to a system that will create larger, more efficient plots.

The name "Eritrea" comes from the ancient Greek for Red (Erythraean) Sea.

Eritrean names are based on the first name. For example, someone named Tom would be called Tom unless there were other Toms around. If there were, then that particular Tom would be called by his first name and his father's first name, Tom John. His grandfather's name would be added if there were other Tom Johns. This would continue until he ended up with a unique string of names (Tom John George). The process is similar for women: Tom's sister would be called by her first name (Susan), then by her father's name (Susan John), and so on until she had a unique name.