HISTORICAL

Yeha

Yeha, the center of the ethio -sabaean kingdom of Di’amat is the oldest major settlement in Ethiopia and it is the site of the country’s most ancient great Temple. The entrance of this temple was equipped originally with 6single stone pillars and 14metre high wall were made of limestone without any mortar. Probably this great temple was built in the 7^th century BC and dedicated to the highest deity of saba, the god almoqah .

The monumental building grat beal gebri ”administrative center of yeha” is the largest building on the northern horn of Africa erected in a singular timber framework technique in the early 1^st millennium BC.

The ancient cemeteries of Abiy addi cut up to a depth of 3metres in to the natural rock date back to 1^st millennium BC is a fascinating attraction in the site, this tombs were used for multiple burials.

The ritual object, old altar stone inscriptions and other antic object are kept in the museum near the 6^th century AD churches of abaaftse in yeha.

 Axum

The ethiopian ancient city of Axum, the country's oldest urban settlement considered as the cradle of Ethiopian culture and Christianity. The Axumite kingdom emerged as the most powerful Red Sea state between the eastern Roman Empire and Persia, a great commercial power trade. Axum was the center of one of the world's most powerful kingdoms from 200BC to 700AD converting to Christianity in the 4th century. And the capital of the historic Axumite state is the site of a number of remarkable monolithic stone steles, or obelisks each carved from a single piece of granite rock with identical decorations. Ethiopia's most ancient city of Axum grew importance in classical antiquities. The ruins of the ancient city is still clearly visible comprising some 200 enormous monolithic obelisks some of which raised in to the sky, representing huge tomb stones. The biggest of them is 33 meters high and weighs over 500 tones. It was the world's largest monolith ever erected by man but fell at some time in the past. Some are also believed to have been used in ancient forms of pagan sun worship. The stele ranges from simple slabs to intricately carved and decorated obelisks. Important stone inscriptions, the remains of spectacular ruined palaces, and graves, rock engravings, inscribed tablets and special gold- silver and bronze currencies pays collective testament to the endeavor and complexity of what is perhaps the most mysterious of all the ancient civilizations of the world. The town is also the legendary birth place of the queen of Sheba, and the St. Mary of Zion church is believed to be house for the original Biblical Ark of the Covenant. These days Axum is considered the holiest city of Ethiopia and is destination of many pilgrims.

Gerealta

The unique landscape of gherealta Chain Mountain offers both visit to the hidden treasure of rock hewn churches and sportive trek. Some of the churches are so difficult to access even using a robe.

Its altitude range of the place is varies between 1700m-2450m

The best time to visit this area is starting end of September up to end of May.

There are more than 80 undiscovered rock hewn churches of gherelta which is now open for all visitors and a new trekking rout is inaugurated.

see our trekking program

Lalibela (African Jerusalem)

A medieval city in the northern part of Ethiopia lalibela is located about 645km north of Addis abeba the present capital city of Ethiopia .

Lalibela is famous for the eleven rock hewn churches believed to have been built more than 800 years ago by a king and saint lalibela.

Some of the rock hewn churches of lalibela are monolithic in structure completely separated from the main rock just only attached to the rock at the base .some are semi monolithic which are partially separated from the main rock

The 11 rock hewn churches of Lalibela was registered as world heritage site in September 1978 and sometimes called the 8th wonder of the world next to the table mountain in Cape Town in South Africa.

It is true that during the King and saint lalibela in 12th century this eleven churches where curved out from single solid rock.

Lalibela area is also best place for community trekking special in the high land plateau of lasta till the abune yesf mountain which is located an altitude of 4200masl provides to discover the oldest build up monasteries and cave churches

see our trekking program

 Gonder (city of Castles )

Gonder is a city surrounded by mountains and located at a distance of 748km north- west of addis abeba, its imperial castles and impressive grandeur of Ethiopia .Emperor fasiledes castle is the most impressive castle in Africa. The medieval castles, palaces and churches are some of the tourist attraction in gonder. The timiket (epiphany) celebration is very special occasion in Gonder

Timiket festival is one of the biggest and most fascinating annual holiday celebrations of the year in Ethiopia.

The royal compounds with its six castles were ascribed By UNESCO as world heritage site in 1979.

Lake tana

The largest highland natural lake in Ethiopia with 3600km2 and the third in size in Africa next lake Victoria and Tanganika. There are more than 30 islands in the Lake Tana. Most of them is home of churches and monasteries dated back to 14th and 17th century. Blue Nile continues its journey to Khartoum not too far from the lake Tana, it forms a big water falls 40metres deep and 400 meters wide ,it was the biggest falls in Africa after Victoria falls but now a day the falls is not as such attractive because of new dam was constructed and 80% of the water was diverted just before the falls to the dam. It highly recommended to visit this falls in between September and November. And on June, July and august will be more attractive.

Sofomer cave

The biggest cave in Africa carved out of the limestone by Web River for about 1.5km. This extraordinary natural underground cave system is now open for visitors.

Harar

A mosquito attacks free city that enjoys a mild climate throughout the year.

Harer is considered the fourth most –sacred muslim city. The holiest city of harer was a capital of the hareri kingdom between 1520 and 1568

The defensive wall of Jugal built by nur, the nephew of imam Ahmed Gragn warmly confined with a 48 hectares and 362 narrow ways with a circumference of 3348 meters posse five traditional gates, namely : Asadin beri, Asum beri,Argoba beri ,Bedro beri and Suktat beri. Even today the city is still an important Muslim city with its more than 99mosques, the colorful market and The walled city of Harar, the babille elephant sanctuary and when a man who feeds wild hyenas by hand adds a special occasion for visitors .

The ancient walled city of Harer was registered in the world heritage by UNSCO in 2006.

Danakil depression

Afar is the place where LUCY was discovered 1974 by an American archeologist. AFAR is a volcanic birth day, the Danakil Depression is the product of a tectonic triple junction, at the meeting place where the spreading ridges that the red sea and the Gulf of Aden emerge on land and meet the east African rift. These three pieces of the earth crust meet at Lake Abbe, a mid-ocean ridge on land.

Salt and volcano in the lowlands of the depression are dominated by heat and drought. It is one of the hottest places on earth in a summer month with endless salt and sulphur, a place where the earth’s crust is slowly moving apart.

Dallol located at 120 below sea level) is one of the lowest place in African continent and the place where you can see the small tables ,mushroom like gypsum, having different color yellow, white, bubbling springs of sulphur salt ,yellow green, hot, clammy, needle stalactites, ghostly. Now a day afar are nomadic pastoralists living in light, simple hut which is easy to transport from one location to another on a camel back depending the seasons of the year. A techno colored landscape, incredible mineral deposits, sulfur lakes and bubbling sulfur springs, are fascinating sight for all visitors

In the middle of the desert, at 616masl you will see other site fantastic a mountain that smokes (Erta Ale) active volcano shows you an exciting spectacle ,

One must walk for about 2 and half hours to reach at the edge of the crater.

Erta Ale is one of the most active volcanic centers in the world, the active shield volcano has a diameter of 30 km and is only 500 m high, there are two pit craters at the top of the Erta Ale caldera, the larger one with diameter of     350 m in the northern part which is in active.

The central one has still very active Lava Lake with 60 m wide and 100 m long, its depth varies between 60 to 90 m with 140m in diameter.