The country is home to some of the most amazing scenic sites in Africa. It also has one of the richest historical heritage in Africa, one that probably rivals that of ancient Egypt. Relics of this rich history are today some of Ethiopia’s main attractions.

Interesting Places and Events You Must See in Ethiopia

1. The Historical Sites
These are definitely the main tourist attractions in Ethiopia. I do not mention all of them in this post, but the ones below are particularly popular

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  The Obelisks at Axum

  Axum (or Aksum to some people): The oldest city in Ethiopia, and also the seat of the ancient Ethiopian civilization. Some of the attractions you will find here include ruins of an ancient palace believed to have been that of the famous queen of Sheba. You will also see huge monolithic stone carvings called obelisks, and the church of St. Mary of Zion – the oldest and perhaps most sacred shrine in Ethiopia. Some people believe that the biblical Ark of the Covenant is secretly stored in the Treasury Chapel, near the church of St Mary of Zion in Axum.

• Lalibela: An equally important historical city in Ethiopia. Its main attractions today are the huge rock-hewn churches sculpted directly from earth’s bedrock. Inside these churches, you will find some beautiful biblical paintings.
• Gondar: Famous for its many ancient castles, relics from the era in the past when it was the capital city of Ethiopia.

2. The Mountain Ranges and National Parks
If you love adventure travel and trekking expeditions, you will fall in love with the Ethiopian mountain ranges, especially Bale Mountains and Simien Mountains national parks. Travelers who have been there describe them as some of the most enchanting trekking routes in Africa. Since the two mountain ranges are also national parks, they give you the unique experience of a wildlife safari and adventure travel all in one place. Some of the animals you get to see in these parks are not found anywhere else in the world.

3. The Cultural Festivities
Religion, especially orthodox Christianity, has a very strong influence on Ethiopian culture. Which is why Timkat and Meskel festivities are the most popular cultural events in Ethiopia.

• Timkat is the biggest and most important of the two. It commemorates the the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the river Jordan, often known as the Epiphany. Although Timkat is celebrated throughout Ethiopia, Lalibela is the place to be during the festivities. You will enjoy the spectacular sight of the big crowd, all dressed in white as they dance and sing along the streets. The priests, dressed in beautifully bedecked ceremonial robes, carry the Tabot  – a replica of the Ark of the covenant – during this grand procession.
• Meskel is a celebration of the discovery of the true cross on which Jesus was crucified. It is a less colorful event than Timkat, but very interesting in its own right.

4. Other Natural Land Features

The entire landscape of Ethiopia is very magnificent and you can enjoy adventure in many places. If you want extreme adventure however, you may want to take a tour to the Danakil depression region. This region in Northern Ethiopia is very inhospitable because of the extremely high temperatures. The key features here are the Danakil desert, the Afar Depression (one of the lowest surface points in Africa lying at 125 meters below sea level), Erta Ale (a volcanic mountain with a lava lake), and the salt canyons near the Dallol volcano.

Lake Tana is one other interesting place to see. Besides just being the source of the blue Nile, Lake Tana is dotted by over 30 islands, many of which harbor some very old monasteries. Inside these monastery buildings are amazing paintings and other historical objects.

How To Travel To Ethiopia and also within the country

If you are coming from outside Eastern Africa, a flight is the best way to get to Ethiopia. Your point of entry would thus be Addis Ababa, the capital city. Ethiopian airlines, Ethiopia’s national carrier, operates many scheduled flights from many worldwide cities to Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. Other airlines that fly to Ethiopia include Turkish Airlines, Kenya Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Emirates, and Delta. You can conduct a flight search for your trip to Ethiopia here.

Some people find it adventurous to enter Ethiopia by road either through Moyale in Kenya, or through Metema in Sudan. This may be an adventure and fun, but before you do that, you should find out the security situation in these sometimes volatile areas.

Within the country, you can use public buses or privately hired cars to travel from one point to another. Flying is also possible through the many domestic flights operated by Ethiopian airlines. There’s also a train service from Dire Dawa to Addis Ababa.

If you are first-time visitor, you should use the services of an tour company to travel around. If you are looking for Ethiopia tour packages, the Africa guide website is a good place to start. Click here for holidays in Ethiopia from the Africa Guide website.

Namibia's fish river canyon: great trekking destination

Among all popular travel destinations in the world, Africa is most renowned for the “safari” concept. The idea of an African safari is almost inseparable from game (wildlife) viewing and birdwatching. This is undoubtedly the reason why Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania are favored by most people wishing to travel to Africa. Outside these wildlife safari destinations, the other top places in Africa travel are Egypt – because of its many historical sites, and the Seychelles and Mauritius Islands – being ideally suited for luxury vacations in their exotic beaches.

What many people do not know is that there are many other African countries that offer travelers a safari experience as good as (and in some cases even better than) that in the countries mentioned above. Travelers seeking the ideal African wildlife safari, cultural or historical tour, adventure travel, and luxury beach holiday will find perfect alternatives in countries like Namibia, Ethiopia, and Mozambique among others.

1. Namibia: African Wildlife Safaris and Adventure travel at their best

Situated in Africa’s southwest, the scarcely populated Namibia offers you a nice blend of wildlife safari and adventure travel opportunities. The Etosha national park ranks among the greatest game reserves in Africa, and is the star attraction in Namibia travel. African animal species found in Etosha include elephants, rhinos, lions, buffaloes, leopards (i.e all the big five), giraffes, wildebeests, and many many more. The springbok are particularly abundant here, alongside other Southern Africa antelopes like the black faced impala, and the Damara dik dik. See these pictures from Etosha National Park at boncherry.com blog

Antelope in Etosha national park

Etosha has an amazingly good road network, making it easy for travelers seeking self-drive safaris in Nambia. The park also has good accommodation facilities ranging from budget camping resorts to more upmarket resorts and lodges. Okaukuejo and Namutoni are the oldest camps in Etosha.

Perhaps the most astounding sights in Namibia are the Sossusvlei sand dunes deep in the Namib desert. Some of these giant sand hills stand at heights above 300 meters, the highest in the world. On the rare occasions that it rains in the Sossusvlei, a turquoise lake forms in the clay pan (vlei) and remains for quite some time because of the low infiltration rate. Getting to Sossusvlei is an adventure worth taking, and so is the experience of climbing up the sand dunes barefoot.

The Fish River Canyon, one other key attraction, is very popular for adventure travel in Namibia. Hiking expeditions in the canyon is however a preserve for the physically fit, and is only possible during the winter months (May through September). Some reports dispute the claim that Fish River Canyon is the second largest in the world after the Grand Canyon in the US. Still, it is undeniably one of the top adventure travel destinations in Africa.

There are several other attractions in Namibia including the Skeleton Coast, Swakopmund, and Naukluft park. You can find more information about Namibia travel on the Namibia online travel guide.

2. Ethiopia: Cultural Tours and Safaris
Apart from Egypt, arguably, no other country in Africa can rival Ethiopia’s rich historical and cultural heritage. According to the Ancient Web site Ethiopia “…can lay claim to having the oldest continuos Kingdom in the world, starting over four thousand years ago with the Kingdom of Axum..”

One of the Monolithic Churches in Lalibela Ethiopia

Relics of this rich past are the main highlights of Ethiopian cultural tours. The historical monuments in the city of Axum and Lalibela include the Queen of Sheba’s palace ruins, the 11 monolithic churches in Lalibela, and the Obelisk at Axum. Gondar and Harar cities are the other sites of cultural significance. Gondar is home to several medieval castles from the 1600′s AD, when it was the capital city of Ethiopia. The walled city of Harar is sacred for Muslims, and is also very fascinating to visit.

The ancient Meroe Pyramids in Sudan were built during the kingdom of Kush, which extended from Northern Ethiopia into Sudan and beyond. They are therefore an extension of Ethiopia’s cultural heritage. You may find it interesting that there are more pyramids in Meroe Sudan (actually twice as many) than there are in Egypt.

There is more to Ethiopia than cultural safaris. The Simien mountains and other Ethiopian highlands are excellent destinations for trekking, adventure travel and mountain climbing expeditions. You can also see wildlife in Ethiopia national parks like Awash National Park and Bale Mountains National Park.

3. Mozambique: Romantic Beach Vacations
With a coastline stretching more than 1000km, Mozambique on the southeastern coast of Africa is an alternative travel destination for romantic beach vacations, and sea sports travel. Mozambique’s pristine and untouched white sand beaches offer the exclusivity and seclusion ideal for high-end travelers, especially at the Quirimbas archipelago. A beach holiday in the Islands off the coast of Mozambique rivals any luxury beach vacation in Africa.

Tofo beach on the Southern coast is a marvelous destination for scuba diving, surfing, swimming, and deep sea fishing among other sea sports. Tofo is a haven for backpackers and other budget travelers.