Lalibela
When you think of Lalibela, you're thinking of Bet Giyorgis. Resting off on its own, St George’s Church is Lalibela’s masterpiece. Representing the apogee…
Must-see attractions in Ethiopia
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Simien Mountains National Park
Northern Ethiopia
No matter how you look at it, the Unesco World Heritage–listed Simien Mountains National Park is one of Africa’s most beautiful ranges. This massive…
Addis Ababa
Set within Haile Selassie’s former palace, and surrounded by the beautiful gardens and fountains of the university’s main campus, is the enthralling…
Northern Ethiopia
Debre Damo is one of Ethiopia's most important monasteries and is thought to date back to Aksumite times and the 6th-century reign of King Gebre Meskel…
Addis Ababa
The collection on show at the National Museum is ranked among the most important in sub-Saharan Africa, but sadly many of its exhibits are poorly labelled…
Lalibela
Connected to Bet Medhane Alem by a tunnel is a large courtyard containing three churches. The first, Bet Maryam, is small, yet designed and decorated to…
'Red Terror' Martyrs Memorial Museum
Addis Ababa
‘As if I bore them all in one night, they slew them in a single night.’ These were the words spoken by the mother of four teenage children all killed on…
Lalibela
Resembling a massive Greek temple more than a traditional Ethiopian church, Bet Medhane Alem is impressive for its size and majesty. Said to be the…
Lalibela
Free-standing and monolithic, Bet Amanuel is Lalibela’s most finely carved church. Some have suggested it was the royal family’s private chapel. It…
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Lalibela
Despite Yemrehanna Kristos being one of Ethiopia’s best-preserved late-Aksumite buildings, few people reward themselves with a visit. And a reward it is…
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Southern Ethiopia
The main settlement in this area is the colourful village of Kibish. Set in a bowl in the forested hills, it is a fascinating place populated by the…
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Southern Ethiopia
More than any other park in Ethiopia, this national park is known for its wildlife, but it’s a very beautiful place, too. As you approach from Dodola,…
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Lalibela
Set at 3150m, atop Abune Yosef mountain, is this monastery where the local priests believe they’re ‘closer to heaven and God’, and it’s easy to see why…
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Southern Ethiopia
With its mountainous backdrop, Lake Awasa is a lovely sight. You could easily spend a few pleasant hours strolling the lakeshore trail at the end of town,…
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Lalibela
Two to three hours’ walk from Geneta Maryam and six hours’ walk from Lalibela, this remote church was, according to Ethiopian tradition, constructed by…
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Eastern Ethiopia
If you’re travelling east of Harar on a Monday or Thursday, don’t miss the super-atmospheric livestock market in the village of Babille – it's one of…
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Northern Ethiopia
Attracting up to 10,000 Afar, Oromo and Amhara, and even some traders from Djibouti, this market is epic. It’s Ethiopia’s largest after Addis Ababa’s…
Addis Ababa
Commissioned by Emperor Menelik II to commemorate his stunning 1896 defeat of the Italians in Adwa, and dedicated to St George (Ethiopia’s patron saint),…
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Eastern Ethiopia
With its superb architecture and dramatic setting, the clifftop village of Koremi, 19km southeast of Harar above the Erer Valley, is a definite must-see…
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Southern Ethiopia
Lake Awasa’s fishermen head out in their little wooden boats in the afternoon and return the next morning laden with tilapia and catfish. The men are…
Northern Ethiopia
The Blue Nile looks like a sluggish beast as it meanders out of Lake Tana, but not far out of Bahir Dar you’ll see the Nile in a very different mood. The…
Addis Ababa
This massive and ornate cathedral is the second-most important place of worship in Ethiopia (ranking behind the Old Church of St Mary of Zion in Aksum)…
Lalibela
Reached via a series of trenches and tunnels (one is long, narrow and pitch-black) that starts from Bet Gabriel-Rufael, this church may have started as…
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Southern Ethiopia
Omo National Park has long been one of the most remote parks in Ethiopia and travelling here can be incredibly tough – but never less than fascinating…
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Eastern Ethiopia
The little-explored territory and salt lakes scattered around Asaita are something of a holy grail for serious adventurers. This area remains one of the…
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Northern Ethiopia
Although no trace of the 13th-century monastery remains (a casualty of the Muslim–Christian Wars), the modern site is impressively set beneath a waterfall…
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Lalibela
Its entrance flanked by a sloping sliver of rock known as the ‘Way to Heaven’, this imposing twin-church marks the main entrance to the southeastern group…
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Lalibela
A trench at the southern end of the Bet Maryam courtyard connects it to the twin churches of Bet Golgotha and Bet Mikael (also known as Bet Debre Sina)…
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Northern Ethiopia
The most interesting relic of Gorgora’s former days as a short-lived capital is the attractive Debre Sina church. Built in 1608 by Emperor Susenyos’ son…
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Addis Ababa
The Washa Mikael Church is a few kilometres east of Addis Ababa's town centre. Though local priests date it back to the 3rd century AD, it most probably…
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Lalibela
Geneta Maryam is thought to have been built around 1270 by Yekuno Amlak, who restored the Solomonic line. With its rectangular shape and 20 massive…
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Lalibela
Lying west of Arbatu Ensessa, around 32km from Lalibela, Bilbila Giyorgis is attributed to King Kaleb. It resembles Bet Abba Libanos in design. According…
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Lalibela
Hewn into a rock face, Bet Abba Libanos is unique among Lalibela’s churches because only the roof and floor remain attached to the strata. Many of its…
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Northern Ethiopia
Around 200km from Addis Ababa, one of Ethiopia’s most dramatic stretches of road begins its serpentine descent to the bottom of the Blue Nile Gorge, 1km…
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Simien Mountains National Park
The 15-minute walk from the roadside to the lookout across the chasm to Jinbar Waterfall is well worth taking. The views are vertiginous and they're at…
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Northern Ethiopia
Yeha is considered the birthplace of Ethiopia’s earliest known civilisation nearly three millennia ago. Many features here, such as the immense,…
Addis Ababa
Wading into the market chaos known as Merkato, just west of Addis' centre, can be as rewarding as it is exasperating. You may find the most eloquent aroma…
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Eastern Ethiopia
Easily accessible from Addis Ababa, 756-sq-km Awash National Park is one of Ethiopia’s most visited parks. However, if you’re here for the thrill of…
Southern Ethiopia
The main wildlife-watching circuit crosses the Bridge of God to the park’s namesake savannah, but the road is so atrocious that many tour companies prefer…
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Southern Ethiopia
Around 100km east of Robe, the fast-flowing Web River runs through a deep gorge and then cuts straight through a limestone hill. Though underground for…
