Ethiopia is the “Land of Thirteen Months”. It’s a magical country with ancient and spiritual roots, rich in significant religious history and that has a fabulous story to tell. The beauty of wild mountains is only surpassed by the awe-inspiring religious architecture that draws visitors to this amazing country. It’s where legends of the Ark of the Covenant live side by side and in harmony with ancient Islamic mosques. From thundering waterfalls to its vibrant and modern capital city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is a place you have to see to believe. Here are 10 of the best and most incredible places to visit in Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the fourth largest city in Africa and is the diplomatic home to the African Union. This vibrant city sits atop the Entoto Mountains and has both an African and international feel. Addis has a mystical aura that seems to act like a portal to the past. It’s a place where you can explore the beautiful orthodox churches and museums.

Make sure to check out the National Museum where you will find the 2.3 million-year-old fossilized hominid “Lucy”. Also visit the Merkato, which is the largest open-air market in Africa. Here you’ll have your senses awakened with the smell of pungent spices and roasting coffee.

At night, the city comes alive with a vibrant nightlife with restaurants serving exotic Ethiopian cuisine. Day trips from Addis should include the Entoto Mountains, the crater lakes at Debre Zeyit and the hot springs at Awash National Park.

Blue Nile Falls
Close to the city of Bahir Dar you will find the incredible Blue Nile Falls. The locals call it Tis- Isat Falls (translated as “Smoke of Fire”) and it is the most impressive sight on either the Blue or White Nile. The falls stretch a quarter-mile wide during the flood season and drops into a gorge of more than 150 feet deep. You can see how the falls got their name because it throws up a never-ending mist that drenches sightseers from half a mile away. The rainbows produced are awe-inspiring and creates an Eden-like perennial rainforest of lush verdant foliage. You will not be alone in this paradise; the forest is home to a wide variety of monkeys and exotically coloured birds.

Arba Minch
On the shores of Abaya Lake in Southern Ethiopia, Arba Minch is full of natural wonder and beauty. Arba Minch in Amharic means “forty springs,” and the area is rich in many tiny springs that bubble up from the ground. You can see many of them as you hike through Nechisar National Park.

The most incredible sight in Arba Minch is the cliff top holy spot of Abuna Yemata Church. This rock-hewn church is found only after a mildly challenging climb up the sheer cliff wall. It requires a bit of nerve and a lack of vertigo, but your effort will be greatly rewarded. Views from the church are remarkable and inside this ancient holy church, you will find beautiful and well-preserved frescoes that adorn two cupolas.

The People of the Lower Omo Valley
If you want a cultural experience that you will never forget, then plan a trip to the Lower Omo Valley. Here you can connect with one of more than a dozen indigenous peoples that live in the region.

The valley is dependent on the Omo River to live as it feeds the dry savannah that supports the local communities. Each of the villages has their own customs and language and have lived basically the same lifestyle for centuries. The Mursi and Hamar are proud people who adorn themselves in unusual body art and jewellery and cattle are vital to their existence. They are also very territorial and will fiercely defend their land and way of life. Even though the region is remote, many tour companies operate treks to the Lower Omo Valley and several of its villages. Just be prepared for a pricey and challenging trip–both logistically and physically.

From hiking and wildlife viewing to hot-air balloon trips and exploring museums, Ethiopia offers limitless possibilities to outdoor enthusiasts and curious traveller.

Cultural Experiences
From atmospheric rock-hewn churches to one of the world’s most singular cuisines, Ethiopia offers a wealth of different cultural experiences to interested visitors.

Nature Experiences
With its dramatic scenery, rich biodiversity and varied network of protected areas, Ethiopia is a nature lovers paradise, and well-known for its high number of endemics (species found nowhere else in the world).

Outdoor & Adventure
Ethiopia is already renowned as one of Africa’s top high altitude hiking and trekking destinations, but a range of other outdoor activities is on offer, from climbing the spectacular Erta Ale Volcano to ballooning above the Great Rift Valley.

Learning & Educational Travel
Ethiopia is a country of exceptional interest to educational and specialist groups. A tally of 9 world heritage sites underlines its remarkable wealth of fascinating and often unique cultural, historical, ethnographic and palaeontological sites.

The Awash National Park is located in the lowlands at the heart of the rift valley, east of Addis Ababa (approx. 250 km) adjacent to the Awash River. It is one of the finest nature reserves in Ethiopia. The Awash River is one of the major rivers of the Horn of Africa and waters important agricultural lands in the northeastern parts of Ethiopia. The Awash National Park, surrounding the dormant volcano of Fentale, is a reserve of arid and semi-arid woodland and savannah, with riverine forests along the Awash River. Forty-six species of animals have been identified, including Beisa Oryx gazelles, wild pigs, dik-dik, baboons, kudus, giant tortoise, hippos, aardvarks, hyrax, and Colobus monkeys. Bird life is prolific, particularly along the river and in forest area, 392 species have been recorded.

Bale Mountains National Park
The Bale Mountains with their vast moorlands and extensive heath land, virgin woodlands, pristine mountain streams and alpine climate remain an untouched and beautiful world. Rising to a height of more than 4000 meters above sea level, the range borders Ethiopia’s southern highlands, whose highest peak, Mount Tullu Dimtu, the second highest peak in Ethiopia, stands at 4377 m.

The establishment of the 2470 km2 Bale Mountains National Park was crucial to the survival of the four endemic mammals; Mountain Nyala, Menelik’s Bushbuck, Ethiopian Wolf and Giant Mole Rat as well as to different endemic species of birds, 220 bird species in total.

Simien Mountains National Park
The Simien Mountains National Park covers 400 km2 of highland area at an average elevation of 3300m above sea level. Ras Dashen at 4620m, the highest peak in Ethiopia, stands adjacent to the park. Within this spectacular splendor, five endemic mammals can be visited here; Walia Ibex, Ethiopian Wolf and Gelada Baboon as well as Klipspringer and Bushbuck. The temperature regularly falls below freezing at night. Daytime temperature normally range from 11°C to 18°C (53 to 640F).

Mago National Park
The Mago National Park is located adjacent to the Omo River and covers an area of 2162 km2. The broad grasslands teem with herds of buffalo, giraffe, elephant and kudu, while sometimes it is also possible to find lion, leopard and Burchell’s zebra. The park rises in the north to Mount Mago (2528 m) and is home to 56 species of mammals. The park is mainly covered by savannah and grassland, with some forested areas around the Neri and Mago rivers.

Danakil Depression
The Danakil / Dallol depression located in the northeastern part of the Ethiopian Great Rift Valley roof with several points below sea level has a reputation as one of the earth’s most inhospitable and yet most outstanding places. Temperatures can hit above 50°C, and with violent volcanoes, blistering air temperatures, gases and land masses being ripped apart by enormous planetary forces this natural wonder, both magnificent and terrifying, is not suited for the faint-hearted! The area is peppered with countless colorful sulphurous springs as well as an astonishing quarter of Africa’s active volcanoes. Among these, Erte Ale certainly stands out, hosting several crater lakes and spitting out bubbling molten rock from the earth’s core.

As a continually erupting volcano Erte Ale casts a spectacular image across the sky looking like a scene of biblical destruction. This is the reason why one of its pits is popularly known as the ‘gateway to hell’. Another destination in this so called Afar region allows sightseers to take in a massive sulphuric lake, nicknamed Yellow Lake because of its striking color. The phenomenon is caused by high sulphur in the volcanically active region. Nearby Yellow Lake are huge salt plains. With almost no life there – because the salt kills vegetation – it makes the Danakil seem even more extra-terrestrial.

Ethiopia is an incredibly diverse nation with infinite tourist attractions and stunningly hospitable people. This wealth gives it great potential for cultural and educational tourism, photo safaris, bird watching, water sports including river rafting, desert and mountain trekking as well as ecotourism. Home to” Lucy”, the oldest stone tools, the first fossils of modern humans and many other discoveries are enough reasons why even internationally renowned archeologists argue that Ethiopia deserves the title “Cradle of Humankind”. As a travel destination, Ethiopia is different in many ways from its African counterparts. The paintings and crafts found in ancient churches and monasteries are especially unique, and are characterized by the North African and Middle Eastern traditional influences coupled with ancient Christian culture. The 11 rock-cut churches of Lalibela are an important world heritage and just one part of the Afro-Mediterranean civilization that can only be experienced in Ethiopia. All together Ethiopia is the proud owner of 9 remarkable cultural and natural monuments registered by the UNESCO as world heritage sites.

Axum
Axum is considered as one of the holiest cities for Ethiopian Orthodox devotees. The 1st and 13th century A.D ruins of the ancient city mark the location of the heart of ancient Ethiopia, when the kingdom of Axum was the most powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia. The city is located 982km north of Addis Ababa and according to church traditions still home to the “The Biblical Ark of the Covenant”. Another impressive site in Axum is its trademark Stele Field. The Obelisks are believed to date back 1700 years. Axum was registered by the UNESCO as a world heritage site in 1980.

Gondar
The city of Gondar is the place where the tale of the “the Gonderian period” was initiated. The 16th and 17th centuries fortress city of Fasil Ghebbi, the then residence of the Ethiopian emperor Fasilades and his successors is surrounded by a 900m long wall. The city contains churches, monasteries and unique public and private buildings marked by Hindu and Arab influences, subsequently transformed to a Baroque style brought to Gondar by the Jesuits missionaries. Gonder is a UNESCO world heritage site since 1979.

Harar Jugol
The fortified historic town, said to be the fourth holiest city of Islam is located in the Eastern part of the country on a plateau with deep gorges surrounded by deserts and savannah. The walls surrounding this sacred Muslim city were built between the 13th and 16th centuries. Time seems to have stood still in this town, which numbers 82 mosques in the old part of the city, three of which date from the 10th century, and 102 shrines. Harar is a UNESCO world heritage site since 2006.

Lalibela
Situated amongst the breathtaking landscapes are the 11 medieval monolithic, rock-cut churches of Lalibela. The 13th century “New Jerusalem” is often called the 8th wonder of the world and is still today a place of pilgrimage and devotion for Ethiopian Christians. The Lalibela rock hewn churches are physically carved from the rock on which they stand. These towering edifices seem to be a superhuman creation in scale, workmanship and concept. Some are sculptured out of a solid volcanic rock, others are enlarged caves connected by long underground tunnels and mazes. Lalibela is a UNESCO world heritage site since 1978.

Coffee is said to have its origins in Ethiopia and is the favorite drink of many Ethiopians. It is drunk in a unique and traditional way, the coffee ceremony. The coffee beans are roasted over charcoal then ground and placed in a jebena (coffee pot) with boiling water. When ready it is served in small cups, up to three per ceremony. The first cup is called Abool, the second Tona, and the third Bereka. This is a social ceremony and lasts at least for half an hour.

Cuisine
Ethiopian cuisine is nothing to ignore either. Not only is the food extremely unique and flavorful, but the food culture that makes up Ethiopia is also something a visitor could find truly fascinating. One might happen to watch numerous times local Ethiopians feeding each other with a bite of food, which is seen as a very respectable way or a loving thing to do. Injera, which would be accompanied by stews, curries, meats or vegetables is the staple diet for most Ethiopians. It is made from an endemic grain known as teff, which is ground into flour, made into batter, slightly fermented, and then fried on a heavy skillet into giant circular pancakes. The texture is soft and spongy and the flavor is slightly sour.

However, for those who cannot acquire a taste for traditional Ethiopian food, a range Italian and other Western dishes is available almost everywhere.

Festivals
The prominent festivals in Ethiopia have been one of the most important factors contributing to the increasing number of visitors. Ethiopian Christmas, the joy of giving and sharing, extends beyond religious beliefs and spreads the spirit of peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind throughout the world. It is popularly celebrated on the 7th of January as Ethiopians follow the Julian Calendar. The Feast of Epiphany, on the 19th of January, Meskel, the Finding of the True Cross (an old Christian festival that has been celebrated in Ethiopia for over 1600 years), on 27th of September are also among the highly popular festivities that have already attracted many tourists from across the world.