Must-see attractions in Ethiopia

  • Ethnological Museum

    Addis Ababa

    Set within Haile Selassie’s former palace, and surrounded by the beautiful gardens and fountains of the university’s main campus, is the enthralling…

  • Orthodox Christian pilgrim men being hauled up a 15m cliff face by monks to reach the mountain-top church and monastery of Debre Damo, Northern Tigray province, Ethiopia.

    Debre Damo

    Northern Ethiopia

    Debre Damo is one of Ethiopia's most important monasteries and is thought to date back to Aksumite times and the 6th-century reign of King Gebre Meskel…

  • National Museum of Ethiopia.

    National Museum

    Addis Ababa

    The collection on show at the National Museum is ranked among the most important in sub-Saharan Africa, but sadly many of its exhibits are poorly labelled…

  • Saint George Church

    St George Cathedral & Museum

    Addis Ababa

    Commissioned by Emperor Menelik II to commemorate his stunning 1896 defeat of the Italians in Adwa, and dedicated to St George (Ethiopia’s patron saint),…

  • Bet Maryam, rock-cut church in Lalibela, Ethiopia.

    Bet Maryam

    Lalibela

    Connected to Bet Medhane Alem by a tunnel is a large courtyard containing three churches. The first, Bet Maryam, is small, yet designed and decorated to…

  • Coffins filled with possessions of victims of Derg, Red Terror Martyrs Memorial Museum.

    'Red Terror' Martyrs Memorial Museum

    Addis Ababa

    ‘As if I bore them all in one night, they slew them in a single night.’ These were the words spoken by the mother of four teenage children all killed on…

  • The Sunken Rock Hewn church of Bet Giyorgis (St  George), Lalibela, Northern Ethiopia, Ethiopia, Africa

    Bet Giyorgis

    Lalibela

    When you think of Lalibela, you're thinking of Bet Giyorgis. Resting off on its own, St George’s Church is Lalibela’s masterpiece. Representing the apogee…

  • Bet Medhane Alem, rock-cut church in Lalibela, Ethiopia.

    Bet Medhane Alem

    Lalibela

    Resembling a massive Greek temple more than a traditional Ethiopian church, Bet Medhane Alem is impressive for its size and majesty. Said to be the…

  • Bet Amanuel rock-hewn church in Lalibela, Ethiopia.

    Bet Amanuel

    Lalibela

    Free-standing and monolithic, Bet Amanuel is Lalibela’s most finely carved church. Some have suggested it was the royal family’s private chapel. It…

  • Yemrehanna Kristos

    Lalibela

    Despite Yemrehanna Kristos being one of Ethiopia’s best-preserved late-Aksumite buildings, few people reward themselves with a visit. And a reward it is…

  • Kibish

    Southern Ethiopia

    The main settlement in this area is the colourful village of Kibish. Set in a bowl in the forested hills, it is a fascinating place populated by the…

  • Bale Mountains National Park

    Southern Ethiopia

    More than any other park in Ethiopia, this national park is known for its wildlife, but it’s a very beautiful place, too. As you approach from Dodola,…

  • Simien Mountains National Park

    Northern Ethiopia

    No matter how you look at it, the Unesco World Heritage–listed Simien Mountains National Park is one of Africa’s most beautiful ranges. This massive…

  • Ashetan Maryam

    Lalibela

    Set at 3150m, atop Abune Yosef mountain, is this monastery where the local priests believe they’re ‘closer to heaven and God’, and it’s easy to see why…

  • Koremi

    Eastern Ethiopia

    With its superb architecture and dramatic setting, the clifftop village of Koremi, 19km southeast of Harar above the Erer Valley, is a definite must-see…

  • Lake Awasa

    Southern Ethiopia

    With its mountainous backdrop, Lake Awasa is a lovely sight. You could easily spend a few pleasant hours strolling the lakeshore trail at the end of town,…

  • Mekina Medane Alem

    Lalibela

    Two to three hours’ walk from Geneta Maryam and six hours’ walk from Lalibela, this remote church was, according to Ethiopian tradition, constructed by…

  • Fish Market

    Southern Ethiopia

    Lake Awasa’s fishermen head out in their little wooden boats in the afternoon and return the next morning laden with tilapia and catfish. The men are…

  • Babille Market

    Eastern Ethiopia

    If you’re travelling east of Harar on a Monday or Thursday, don’t miss the super-atmospheric livestock market in the village of Babille – it's one of…

  • Monday Market

    Northern Ethiopia

    Attracting up to 10,000 Afar, Oromo and Amhara, and even some traders from Djibouti, this market is epic. It’s Ethiopia’s largest after Addis Ababa’s…

  • Portuguese Cathedral

    Northern Ethiopia

    Near Susenyos’ palace is the Portuguese Cathedral he funded. The decrepit state (due largely to a 1995 earthquake) evokes his failed attempt to force…

  • Tis Abay Waterfall, The Blue Nile, Ethiopia, Africa

    Blue Nile Falls (Tis Abay)

    Northern Ethiopia

    The Blue Nile looks like a sluggish beast as it meanders out of Lake Tana, but not far out of Bahir Dar you’ll see the Nile in a very different mood. The…

  • Holy Trinity Cathedral, Arat Kilo.

    Holy Trinity Cathedral

    Addis Ababa

    This massive and ornate cathedral is the second-most important place of worship in Ethiopia (ranking behind the Old Church of St Mary of Zion in Aksum)…

  • Yeha

    Northern Ethiopia

    Yeha is considered the birthplace of Ethiopia’s earliest known civilisation nearly three millennia ago. Many features here, such as the immense,…

  • Cross shapped windows in Bet Merkorios

    Bet Merkorios

    Lalibela

    Reached via a series of trenches and tunnels (one is long, narrow and pitch-black) that starts from Bet Gabriel-Rufael, this church may have started as…

  • Shoppers in Merkato (market).

    Merkato

    Addis Ababa

    Wading into the market chaos known as Merkato, just west of Addis' centre, can be as rewarding as it is exasperating. You may find the most eloquent aroma…

  • Awash National Park

    Eastern Ethiopia

    Easily accessible from Addis Ababa, 756-sq-km Awash National Park is one of Ethiopia’s most visited parks. However, if you’re here for the thrill of…

  • Omo National Park

    Southern Ethiopia

    Omo National Park has long been one of the most remote parks in Ethiopia and travelling here can be incredibly tough – but never less than fascinating…

  • Interior of  Africa Hall, the seat of the Organisation of African Unity, and home to one of the largest stained-glass window in the world, designed by local artist Afewerk Tekle

    Africa Hall

    Addis Ababa

    Built in 1961 by Emperor Haile Selassie, Africa Hall (near Meskal Sq) is the seat of the UN’s Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The Italian-designed…

  • Plains zebra (Equus burchellii), Nechisar National Park.

    Nechisar Plain

    Southern Ethiopia

    The main wildlife-watching circuit crosses the Bridge of God to the park’s namesake savannah, but the road is so atrocious that many tour companies prefer…

  • Lakes Afambo & Gumare

    Eastern Ethiopia

    The little-explored territory and salt lakes scattered around Asaita are something of a holy grail for serious adventurers. This area remains one of the…

  • Sof Omar Cave

    Southern Ethiopia

    Around 100km east of Robe, the fast-flowing Web River runs through a deep gorge and then cuts straight through a limestone hill. Though underground for…

  • Abiata-Shala Lakes National Park

    Southern Ethiopia

    West of Lake Langano lie the twin lakes of Abiata and Shala, which form part of the national park. Identical twins these lakes are not: Shala’s 410-sq-km…

  • Debre Libanos Monastery

    Northern Ethiopia

    Although no trace of the 13th-century monastery remains (a casualty of the Muslim–Christian Wars), the modern site is impressively set beneath a waterfall…

  • Yekatit 12 Martyrs Square, Sidist Kilo.

    Yekatit 12 Monument

    Addis Ababa

    Rising dramatically from the roundabout Siddist Kilo is this moving monument, dedicated to the thousands of innocent Ethiopians killed by the Italians as…

  • Babille Elephant Sanctuary

    Eastern Ethiopia

    Despite considerable tree cutting, livestock grazing and land encroachment, Babille is better protected than many of Ethiopia’s national parks, and the…

  • Hayzo

    Southern Ethiopia

    Hayzo is one of the few Southern Nations’ villages that has succeeded in turning the influx of tourists into a positive experience for all concerned. You…

  • Lion of Judah Monument

    Addis Ababa

    Long the symbol of Ethiopia’s monarchy, the Lion of Judah is ubiquitous throughout the country – and although images of the almighty animal abound in…

  • Senkelle Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary

    Southern Ethiopia

    Senkelle was established to protect Ethiopia’s endemic Swayne’s hartebeest, and though the population of around 700 is a far cry from the huge herds of…

  • Bete Maryam Mausoleum

    Addis Ababa

    The Bete Maryam Mausoleum is located just south of Menelik’s palace and offers what could be an enchantingly eerie experience for travellers (were it not…

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