If you want to see a side of Ethiopia that goes far beyond the country’s famous historic cities, Southern Ethiopia is where the journey becomes especially diverse. Southern Ethiopia brings together extraordinary cultural traditions, highland landscapes, lakes, wildlife, rural communities, traditional markets, and some of the most fascinating destinations in the country. A journey can…

There is a side of Ethiopia that many travelers never see. Beyond the ancient churches, historic cities, and highland villages lies a landscape of open plains, volcanic mountains, deep gorges, wildlife, waterfalls, hot springs, and the powerful Awash River. Awash National Park is one of the best places to experience this side of Ethiopia. Located…

Stretching through central and southern Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Rift Valley is one of the country’s most diverse travel regions. The landscape changes constantly. Volcanic hills give way to open plains. Highlands descend toward lakes. Birds gather around wetlands. Roads pass through farmland and rural communities. And large freshwater and saline lakes create some of the…

Northern Ethiopia is one of the country’s richest regions for history, culture, religion, architecture, and mountain landscapes. This is the Ethiopia of ancient kingdoms and medieval churches. It is the land of Aksum’s monumental stelae, Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches, Gondar’s castles, Tigray’s extraordinary churches, and the dramatic mountains of Simien. For travelers interested in Ethiopian history…

There are landscapes that look beautiful. There are landscapes that look ancient. And then there are landscapes that look as though they belong to another planet. The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of them. Located in the Afar region of northeastern Ethiopia, the Danakil is one of the lowest-lying areas on Earth and one…

There are few places in Ethiopia—and very few places anywhere in the world—where architecture, history, faith, and landscape come together as dramatically as Lalibela. Hidden in the Ethiopian highlands are eleven medieval monolithic churches carved directly from the living rock. These extraordinary churches form the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Rock-Hewn Churches of…

If you want to experience a side of Ethiopia that feels completely different from the country’s historic northern cities, the Omo Valley should be high on your list. Located in southwestern Ethiopia, the Lower Omo region is one of the country’s most culturally and archaeologically significant areas. The Lower Valley of the Omo is recognized…

Addis Ababa is more than the capital of Ethiopia. It is the country’s political and cultural center, a gateway to some of Africa’s most extraordinary destinations, and a fascinating destination in its own right. For travelers arriving in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa is often the first introduction to the country. But spending time here reveals much…