Located in the highlands fringing the Great Rift Valley, Addis Ababa serves as the political, cultural and commercial centre of Ethiopia. This sprawling city rests in the foothills of the Entoto Mountains and features a mix of traditional homes, elegant villas, and tall office buildings. Visitors can look forward to a selection of wonderful activities including: visiting the National Museum, displaying local art, traditional crafts and prehistoric fossils; exploring the copper-domed Holy Trinity Cathedral, a Neo-Baroque architectural landmark; and sampling rich Ethiopian coffee as well as the memorable cuisine featuring spicy stews and Ethiopia’s signature Injera bread.
Situated in northern Ethiopia, the Simien Mountains National Park is one of the very first natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It has been compared to the Grand Canyon with its spectacular landscape featuring rugged peaks, deep valleys and plunging waterfalls. Renowned as Ethiopia’s highest Peaks, the Simien Mountains reach up to 4000 metres high. This area is home to remote local communities as well as rare and endangered fauna and flora. Some of these rare species include: gelada baboon, the Simien fox and the only walia ibex population in the world. Don’t miss the panoramic views from Ras Dejen, the highest point in Ethiopia.
Situated in northern Ethiopia, the town of Lalibela is named after King Lalibela of the Zagwe Dynasty. The town is considered Ethiopia’s cultural capital and one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities, it serves as a centre of pilgrimage. The undeniable highlight of this ancient capital is dubbed the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ and includes eleven rock-hewn churches dating back to the 13th century. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is carved out of solid rock and includes subterranean monoliths, a network of interconnected tunnels, and chambers featuring magnificent frescoes. Lalibela also plays host to some of the most famous church festivals in Ethiopia.
The beautiful high country of the Bale Mountains is an absolute highlight of Ethiopia. With Plateaus above 4000 meters where the endangered Ethiopian Wolves roam, to mountain tarns and trout filled streams.
This area is a ramblers dream, but even if walking is not a highlight, horse trails, mountain biking and game drives, are activities on offer here.
The park has one of the highest concentrations of endemic species in the world. The Harenna forest is home to the rare endemic Bale Monkey and excursions into this fern laden forest can produce sightings of Black-Mane Lion and Leopard.
Resting in southwestern Ethiopia, the Omo Valley, fed by the Omo River and dotted with savannah, is famous for its large number of unique traditional tribes. More than a dozen different tribes live along the banks, each with its own customs, languages and religions. Some are settled here, while others are nomadic or semi-nomadic. The people are generally friendly and open to interacting with tourists. Visitors can take boat trips along Lake Chamo, one of the best spots in Ethiopia for bird and wildlife watching, to see crocodiles, hippos, and numerous birds, especially African fish eagle.
One of the most culturally diverse regions in the world today, the Omo Valley blends a journey of understanding of the many tribal ceremonies with the languid flow of one of Africa’s most important waterways.
The Omo Valley provides an insight into incredible lifestyles, simplistic yet so emotionally powerful to leave all visitors in awe.
