Addis Ababa to Harar excursion covers a distance of approximately 500 kilometers. It is located on a hilltop on the eastern side of Ethiopia. The old town area that is the Feres Magala square has a large number of shrines and mosques. In 1989, this city has been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of the major tourist attractions of Harar are:
- Harrar Bira Stadium
- Kondudo
- Ras Mekonnen House
- Medhane Alem Cathedral
- Amba
- Jami Mosque
On a trip from Addis Ababa to Harar, the tourists will also get to see lines of cypress trees, magnolias, acacias, hibiscus, roses and other beautiful flowers. To the north of Harar is the Danakil desert, to the south is the Ogaden plains and to the west is the Harar Mountains.
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This city is considered as the fourth holy city as per Islam after Mecca, Medina and Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The 3,342 meters long encircling wall known as 'Jogal' is a thing to watch at in Harar. It was built by Nur ibn-Mujahid in the 16th century.
One can get a picture of the life of the city in its early days on visiting the Community Museum. Medhane Alem church is an example of the marvelous traditional local art. The Grand Mosque with its minaret and twin towers is another major tourist attraction of Harar. One will get to taste the excellent coffee of this city on visiting the Ahmar Mountain region.
There are a group of people who feed the hyenas at the end of the day. These people are known as 'Hyena Men' who collect bones for the wild hyenas. The tourists can view it on paying a certain amount of money. Harar is known for silver items. One can shop beautiful bracelets and necklaces from the markets. There are good accommodation option for the tourists at the Academy, Ras and Belayneh Hotel.
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