The Stella to the north of the town, perhaps 2000 years old are early examples of an art form that came in to its own in Ethiopia around the time of the time of the birth of Christ and that flourished until the 4th century A.D although found in all parts of Axum, the obelisk achieve their peak of perfection on a pleasant grassy site near the churches of St. Mary of Zion.
The Semien mountains are one of Africa’s largest ranges studded with at least a dozen of peaks topping the 4000M mark. These includes Ras Dashen, 4,543masl, the highest point in Ethiopia and possibly the fourth highest peak in Africa. The semien mountain national park is the only park in Ethiopia registered as world heritage site in 1979.
The churches of Lalibela are among the most extraordinary architectural creations of human civilization. Each church is sculpted, both inside and out, directly from the living bedrock of the earth. The churches have certain features in common, but at the same time differ widely from each other.
Gondar was the first capital to unite Ethiopians as an Orthodox nation, changing it from a Catholic nation, under their converted king following help he received from Portuguese. This king abdicated in favor of his son, Fasilledes, who began, in 1632, the castle/palace building. There are at least 6 castles within the defensive wall, built by a succession of kings, over a period of 236 years, so Gondar is called “the Camelot of Ethiopia”.
The Blue Nile Falls is a waterfall on the Blue Nile river in Ethiopia. It is known as Tis Abay in Amharic, meaning “great smoke”. It is situated on the upper course of the river, about 30 km downstream from the town of Bahir Dar and Lake Tana.
Interactions between water and lava at shield volcanoes can cause some eruptions to become hydro volcanic. These explosive eruptions are drastically different from the usual shield volcanic activity, and are especially prevalent at the water bound volcanoes of the Hawaiian Isles.
A massive hydroelectric dam and associated land grabs for plantations threaten the tribes of the Lower Omo River. The tribes have lived in this area for centuries and have developed techniques to survive in a challenging environment. They have not given their free, prior and informed consent for the dam or the plantations and have already started to lose their livelihoods based on the river’s natural flood cycle.
The Afar (Danakil) claim to be descendants of Ham (Noah’s son). They are located in the East African countries of Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. They prefer to be known as the Afar, since the Arabic word “danakil” is an offensive term to them. They are a proud people, emphasizing a man’s strength and bravery. Prestige comes from killing one’s enemies.

Explore the Land of Origin!

Ethiopia is located in the north-eastern part of Africa commonly known as the Horn of Africa. It is strategically proximate to the Middle East and Europe, together with its easy access to the major ports of the region, enhances its international trade. It is bordered by the Sudan in the west, Somalia and Djibouti in the east, Eritrea in the north and Kenya in the south.The country covers 1,112,000 square kilometres (472,000 sq. miles) making it roughly as large as France and Spain combined and is five times the size of the UK.

Why I Love Ethiopia
In a lifetime of travel in Africa, I’ve never been anywhere quite like Ethiopia. It has all the essential elements that call me back here time after time – wildlife you just don’t find elsewhere, epic landscapes of rare beauty, an endlessly fascinating historical tale that provides depth and context to any journey through the country. But there is something else at large in Ethiopia, a spiritual dimension that infuses every aspect of travel here and brings ancient stories and landscapes to life in a way that I’ve never encountered anywhere else on the continent.

Anthony
Outdoor Adventures
Welcome to Africa’s most underrated wildlife destination. The Ethiopian wolf, that charismatic canid from the high country around the Simein Mountains, Menz-Guassa and Bale Mountains, is the ultimate prize, the sighting of a lifetime. There are gelada monkeys across the high northern plateau as well as other primates, while watching the extravagantly horned and sure-footed walia ibex cling to a rocky precipice is one of the great sights in nature. The birdwatching, too, ranks among the best in Africa. And there are elephants at Babille, crocodiles in Nechisar and the hyenas of Harar. It’s quite a line-up, one that could add a whole new dimension to your trip.

John
Nature’s Bounty
Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most beautiful countries and its landscapes are epic in both scale and beauty. Here is a place where you can trek more than 3000m above sea level (the Simien and Bale mountains) or visit the lowest place on the African continent, the Danakil Depression. In between, there are lush highlands and stirring deserts, vertiginous canyons and sweeping savannah, vast lakes and high plateaus. If you look hard enough, you’ll also find landmarks of great significance, from the source of the Blue Nile to, again, the mesmerisingly desolate Danakil Depression, peppered with an astonishing 25% of Africa’s active volcanoes.

Lisa