Things not to miss

written by Andy Turner

updated 7/19/2019

#01 Addis Ababa

Catch live music, shop for traditional crafts, or just hang out eating and drinking in Ethiopia’s modern capital.

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#07 Rift Valley lakes
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Injera © MagicBones/Shutterstock

#02 South Omo

This thrillingly remote area by the Kenyan border is home to some of Africa’s most staunchly traditionalist animist tribes.

© hecke61/Shutterstock

#03 Aksum

Mysterious ruined palaces and skyscraping stelae scatter the two-thousand year-old capital of a trade empire that thrived alongside Ancient Greece and Rome.

© Anton_Ivanov/Shutterstock

#04 Simien Mountains National Park

Protecting the highest range in Ethiopia, this national park offers opportunities for great hiking and spotting endemic wildlife aplenty.

© zlikovec/Shutterstock

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#05 Harar

This walled city in the eastern highlands is rich in Islamic shrines and home to the famed hyena men of Harar.

© Suthasinee K/Shutterstock

#06 Lalibela

Still in active use, the medieval complex of churches carved into the rocks of Lalibela is as architecturally impressive as it is spiritually affecting.

© LouFrance/Shutterstock

#07 Rift Valley lakes

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In-depth, easy-to-use travel guides filled with expert advice.

The seven natural lakes that stud Ethiopia’s southern Rift Valley form prime birdwatching and chill-out territory.

#08 Gondar

The beautifully painted church of Debre Birhan Selassie and commanding stone castle built by Emperor Fasil are highlights of Ethiopia’s seventeenth-century capital.