5 Incredible Ethiopia tourist attractions
Ethiopia is a vast and varied country in the Horn of Africa and offers a wealth of both man-made and natural tourist attractions. Some of the best Ethiopia tourist attractions are outside the capital city Addis Ababa, off the beaten path, and can range from feeding wild animals to visiting traditional tribal villages. Before you travel to Ethiopia, however, it’s important to check travel requirements as most nationalities require an Ethiopia visa to enter the country. The only nationality that can enter Ethiopia without visa is its neighbor, Kenya.
5 Incredible Ethiopia tourist attractions
1. Take a tour of Ethiopia’s coffee plantations
Ethiopia is the birthplace of something many of us need to wake up in the morning but often take for granted, the coffee bean. A local legend suggests Ethiopians discovered the properties of coffee when an ancient shepherd noticed his goat seemed hyperactive after eating some unknown berries. The shepherd sampled them for himself, and the rest is (a long) history. Accordingly, Ethiopians still take their coffee very seriously, and tourists can discover this for themselves by taking a coffee tour around Ethiopia. Each of the country’s regions grow different coffee varieties, and if you have time you can take a 10-day tour of Ethiopia coffee plantations and taste them all!
Ethiopian coffee roasted in the traditional way
2. Feed hyenas in Ethiopia
If you venture outside the ancient city walls of Harar in eastern Ethiopia, you can get up close and personal to some local wild animals that most people only know as the evil sidekicks from The Lion King. However, the inhabitants of Harar think of hyenas more as pets. One local known as ‘Hyena man’ welcomes groups of tourists to watch his nightly ritual of feeding the animals. He even feeds the hyenas directly from his own mouth to encourage visitors to trust the animals. Definitely one of the craziest things to do in Ethiopia.
Spotted hyenas waiting for their meal
3. Visit Ethiopia’s fantastical ancient architecture
There is plenty of impressive ancient ruins to explore in Ethiopia. Gondar may sound like a mystical city from Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, but that’s not actually far off. This city in the North of Ethiopia is nicknamed ‘the Camelot of Ethiopia’ because it’s littered with the remains of various royal castles in the unique Nubian style.
Maybe even more impressive is the holy city of Lalibela in the North of Ethiopia. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, it’s home to a series of incredible monolithic churches carved directly into rock and dating back to the 12th or 13th century. Don’t forget to visit St. George’s Cathedral, the best-preserved church, which was apparently built upon orders from God himself.
4. Explore the longest cave in Ethiopia
One of the most striking Ethiopia tourist attractions are the 15 kilometer-long Sof Omar caves in Southeast Ethiopia. Long considered a holy site in Ethiopia, it’s common to see pilgrims praying inside the vast caverns. The cave system is a labyrinth of rocky corridors and includes the unique features of the ‘Chamber of Columns’, as well as Batshit Passage, named for the knee-deep guano (bat poo) that lines the floor.
5. Visit the Omo Valley indigenous tribes
Ever dreamed about leaving the modern world behind and going back to basics? Many indigenous tribes in Southwest Ethiopia have never known anything else. Tourists can take a tour through the Omo Valley and experience a very different kind of culture to the Western world. In the Omo Valley, it’s also possible to take an African safari in Ethiopia and see crocodiles, hippos, and venomous snakes in their natural habitat.
if you’re eager to visit Africa and explore Ethiopia tourism, don’t plan your trip to Ethiopia without visa and remember to check visa requirements before your trip!
Hamar people in the Turmi market
Steve Kutay
| #
Great Post. My wife and I traveled to Ethiopia in 2018 and enjoyed it :)
caroline
| #
Hey, have you visited Ethiopia or are you planning for the future?
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
| #
Hey I will definitely go there one day :) Have you been there already?