An ancient land of fertile well-watered mountains that form the main source of the Blue Nile, northern Ethiopia has long stood at the cultural crossroads of Africa, Arabia and the Mediterranean. These divergent influences have bequeathed the region a unique cultural and historical heritage epitomized by a quartet of unique and magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Aksum, Lalibela, Gondar and the Simien Mountains National Park – as well as a vast array of lesser-known but equally fascinating historical sites.
- Three thousand year old Aksum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where obelisks as tall as ten-storey buildings overlook mysterious ruined palaces once inhabited by the Queen of Sheba and a temple that is said to house the Biblical Ark of the Covenant.
. - Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the atmospheric 12th-century complex of rock-hewn churches at Lalibela, still active shrines of worship today, has been dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World”.
. - The Camelot of Africa, Gondar is best known for the magnificent 17th century castles that adorn its Fasil Ghebbi UNESCO World Heritage Site.
. - The spectacular hiking trails that traverse Simien Mountains National Park, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, provide an opportunity to see Walia ibex and other endemic wildlife, or to ascend the country’s highest peak, the 4,533m Ras Dejen.
The towering sandstone outcrops of the Gheralta Escarpment are incised with around two-dozen isolated rock-hewn churches reached along challenging but wonderfully scenic footpaths.
Getting There
Northern Ethiopia covers a vast area so many visitors fly between main centres. Daily flights with Ethiopian Airlines connect Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar, Gondar, Aksum, Lalibela and Mekele. There are also connecting flights between most of these towns. Privately owned local airline companies can also arrange non-scheduled or chartered flights upon request.
Most trunk roads in the region are asphalt, but some minor routes remain unsurfaced. Road transport can be arranged.