There was a curious group of travellers on board BMI Flight BD913 from Heathrow to Addis Ababa, writes Andy Richardson.

The well-appointed aircraft contained backpackers, Ethiopian ex-pats, non-government workers and well-heeled tourists looking for a cultural experience par excellence.

The Ethiopian national flag flutters in the breeze

The West’s perception of the East African nation has become clichéd. Most associate the proud and historic nation with two incidents: The 1984-85 famine and the Eritrean-Ethiopian War. It’s an absurdly out-of-date view that neglects to consider the rich heritage, culture, archaeology and natural beauty of one of the world’s most fascinating destinations.

Make no mistake, though its reputation was trashed by events of the Eighties and late Nineties, Ethiopia is one of the most exciting, energising and invigorating nations on the planet. Packed with beautiful wildlife, incredible history, people whose smiles are as wide as the moon and landscapes that rival the better-known Serengeti topographies of its not-too-distant neighbour Tanzania, it is an incredible and stunning country.

It’s not just cliché that has historically put off travellers from the West. There are other jaundiced views: potential visitors have been concerned about an absence of infrastructure and a lack of easy connections with the UK. Though Ethiopia remains one of the world’s poorest nations, with a vast number of people eking out a rural subsistence living, the nation is increasingly well-equipped to cope with pioneering visitors.

Luxury downtown hotels in Addis Ababa, like the Sheraton, are being joined by others of similar ilk as parts of the rambling, hustle-bustle city resemble a building site. Investors from around the world are rushing to cash in, with five-star hotels under construction. BMI’s easy in-and-out route from Heathrow also provides a convenient connection for visitors to and from the UK.

Bride Eden Alemayehu

I spent a week in Ethiopia, initially basing myself in Addis Ababa, a city rich in tourist attractions, before joining friends at a wedding in Nazret, exploring rural areas further north and finally enjoying Epiphany celebrations.

Addis Ababa is a delightfully intoxicating city and, happily, entirely safe. I walked through the city’s side streets and suburbs without fear and was greeted by many curious faces, who wondered what this Westerner was doing among them. A guided bus tour of the city was a snip at a paltry 15 US dollars – imagine trying to get a similar deal in, say, Venice or Barcelona – and made for a fascinating four hours.

We took in the sights of Addis Ababa Stadium, passed the Imperial Palace, drove through the vast expanse of Meskel Square and spent time at the National Museum of Ethiopia, which houses the 3.5 million-year-old skeleton of Lucy, the oldest hominid ever found. Archaeologists named her after the Beatles song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which played often in the celebrations that followed her discovery by Donald Johanson and Tom Gray on November 24, 1974, at Hadar.

We also visited Mount Entoto, one of the highest points in Addis Ababa, which affords a remarkable, panoramic view of the city. Mount Entoto is the home of the first church of Addis Ababa and the home of the Palace of Menelik II, the emperor who defeated the Italians. We enjoyed a mesmerising hour, visiting the Entoto church, marvelling at historic artefacts and ephemera, drinking in the fresh, unpolluted air and taking photographs of children who asked for 1 burr – about 4p – in exchange. It seemed not unreasonable.

The bride and groom at this Ethiopian wedding were surrounded by around 1,000 guests as they danced away their cares

Soon it was time to head to the wedding of my friends Eden Alemayehu and Kamau Crawford. Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer enormity of the spectacle. The event started with a party for family and close friends on the eve of the wedding. Traditional dancing and music lasted late into the night and set the tone for a four-day celebration.

Wedding vows were exchanged the following morning in a beautiful park, before the party moved 90-minutes north to Nazret, where more than 1,000 – yes, more than 1,000 – guests had gathered. Video crews, cameramen, chefs, florists and many more had prepared the party of a lifetime; it was more like a rock concert than a wedding.

These nomadic tribesmen roam the plains of Ethiopia, herding camel

So many workers from nearby buildings heard the commotion that security guards were called to rope off an area outside the reception venue. It was electrifying, wild.

The celebration moved to the 2,000-acre farm of Eden’s father, where partying continued well into the night and live rounds of ammunition were fired into the air in celebration.

All too soon, dizzy from our travels, it was time to return to the UK. Some members of the group stayed on, presumably they’d had such a good time that they didn’t ever want to return.

* Return flights from BMI between London and Addis Ababa cost £450 to £500 and further details are available by telephoning 0844 8484 888 or visiting www.flybmi.com