NATIONAL PARKS SAFARIS ETHIOPIA

HIGHLIGHTS, WHERE THEY ARE AND HOW TO VISIT

BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HUMAN FOSSIL LUCY FAMOUS? 10 FACTS & AGE

BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HUMAN FOSSIL LUCY SO FAMOUS? 10 FACTS & AGE: Our Conservation Professional takes you to the National Park where found.

Facts & Age

In Ethiopia, Lucy fossil refers to a female hominid skeleton found at Hadar - about 300 km north of Addis Ababa - in the Awash valley of Ethiopia's Danakil Depression in the Afar Triangle, that was discovered in 1974 by Donald Johanson. Officially named AL 288-1, and classified at the species Australopithecus afarensis, it was soon dubbed “Lucy”, after the Beatle's song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” which was frequently played at the archaeologists' camp. The age of fossil Lucy has been dated to 3,200,000 years. In Ethiopia, the skeleton is called "dinknesh," meaning “the wondrous one”.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Most of our hundreds of pictures are favored in Google! Why? Because no other website has so many beautiful high resolution pictures, taken by ourselves. Our pictures not only show you the beauty of Ethiopia, but they also show that we go everywhere, photographing wildlife, plants, people and culture. They show our professionalism, our keen eye for detail and our passion for the culture and nature of Ethiopia. So why consider booking our our Ethiopia Culture & National Parks modules? Because we don't mislead you like many tour operators do. When the Blue Nile falls are dry.... we tell you. When fog clouds the lava lake of Erte Ale? We let you know. Just drop us a mail and we will check it out for you.

Our tours take you to ALL famous cultural places of Ethiopia, and on top of that, you get to see up to 12 large nature reserves accompanied by a conservation forester. There is nothing similar on the market.

As Ethiopia can be combined with other East African countries, we organize tours in modules. Destinations Overview: Historical Circuit; Danakil Depression; Eastern Route; Simien Mountains; Bale Mountains; Southern Parks Safari; Gambella; Addis Ababa. BUT WAIT: if you buy your international ticket with Ethiopia Airlines, they will sell the internal flights at a price that you can't even ride the bus for. But you MUST plan it all in one package and making changes may be very costly. So let us help you plan your entire trip and book your local flights for an incredibly low price after you booked your international flight with Ethiopian Airlines!

Facts about Human Fossil Lucy

The Lucy Australopithecus afarensis fossil was about 1.1m tall and must have weighed some 29kg, looking somewhat like a chimpanzee. The pelvis and leg bones were very similar to those of humans, by which it was determined that these primates walked erect, the primary characteristic of homonid primates. The skeleton was dated by applying the argon-argon radiometric dating method to the volcanic ash surrounding it.

From 2007 - 2013, the fossil toured the USA; part of the proceeds were for improving museums in Ethiopia. The skeleton is preserved at the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, where a plastic replica is on permanent display. Other casts and reconstructions can be seen at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Field Museum in Chicago. A diorama of Australopithecus afarensis and other homonid species is displayed in the Hall of Human Biology and Evolution at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City as well as in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington.

The National Museum in Addis Ababa dedicates a whole floor to the evolution of homonids.

The skeleton fragments of  Lucy on display at the National Museum in Addis Ababa. This is a reproduction. The actual skeleton is guarded at a safe place.

The reconstructed skeleton of Lucy at the National Museum in Addis Ababa.

Many museums in the USA have made copies of the skull and skeleton of Lucy. A detailed skull reconstruction of Lucy, in Salt Lake City.

An artist's impression of Lucy.

Where Lucy was Found

Located in the Afar Triangle, the discovery "dig" - as archaeologists and paleontologists call a research site - of Lucy was located in the Yangudi Rassa National Park, near a small town named Hadar. The park has a brutally hot climate. Excavations at Hadar resumed in 1990 and continue today; thus far, some 400 homid bone fragments have been found, most of which belonging to A. afarensis. Some stone flakes suggest that Hadar may also be home to some of the earliest hominine stone tools.

Because of What is Human Fossil Lucy so Famous?

The importance of the hills in Yangudi Rassa National Park lies in the discovery of human evolution. Lucy was the first discoffery of an ancient homonid  species and knowledge continues to grow as more scientific findings take place. The site has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site that relates to the history of Ethiopian Lucy as it is located in the Yangudi Rassa National Park. The Lucy discovery site can be added as a special module in addition to the Danakil Expedition.

The landscape of the Yangudi Hassa National Park near Hadar, in the Awash Valley where Lucy was found.

A visit to the Lucy discovery site can be added to this module:

Ethiopia modernizes and changes more rapidly than any other country in Africa. Many features may not be there anymore in the near future. If you want to see it the way it was for thousands of years, see it now before it has changed forever! Compose your own once-in-a-lifetime Ethiopia-Africa-Adventure from our affordable modules:

Famous Ethiopia Historical Circuit

Simien Mountains trek or car visit

Danakil Depression and Erte Ale Volcano Expedition

Awash Babile Harar Safari Tour

Ethiopia Central and Southern Parks & Tribes Safari Tour

Bale Mountains National Park and Sof Omar Caves Tour

Gambella National Park Safari

Addis Ababa City Tour & Airport Transfer

All Ethiopia modules and prices together

We designed our itineraries in such a way that you can compose a 1 to 4 weeks journey from different modules that can show you the entire country or just the parts that interest you, all depending on your personal preferences, available time and budget. Email us on your interests and we can discuss a custom program with you by phone (we have phone lines from the USA and Europe) or skype. So, weather you have a great ethnic affinity, are a birdwatcher or want to go on safari, contact us and we work out a customized program that focuses on YOUR interests.

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is home of Ethiopian Airlines, featuring Africa's youngest fleet of the latest intercontinental jet airplanes - including 2 Dreamliners - as well as short-distance Bombardier turboprops for affordable and reliable in-country flights servicing all major cities of Ethiopia. The best airline of Africa, will fly you non-stop from the USA and Europe to Addis Ababa. Take our 1-week Ethiopia Cultural Monuments Tour and then continue for your Kenya or Tanzania safari - or any other East African capital - thus completing your journey. IF YOU BUY YOUR INTERNATIONAL TICKET FROM ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES, YOU WILL GET MOST INTERNAL FLIGHTS FOR $40 - $70 PER LEG! BUT CHANGING AFTERWARDS IS EXPENSIVE, SO WORK OUT A SCHEDULE WITH US TO GET A FABULOUS DEAL FOR FLYING THROUGH THE COUNTRY IN STEAD OF SPENDING ENDLESS TIME ON THE ROAD!!!

BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HUMAN FOSSIL LUCY FAMOUS? 10 FACTS & AGE