Ethiopia travel guide

There are few rivers more iconic than the mighty Nile. But what most people don't realise is the Nile River is actually two rivers in one. While the White Nile starts somewhere in the Great Lakes region of central Africa, it is the Blue Nile that will be of interest to visitors in Ethiopia. Born from the waters of Tana Lake, the nearby Blue Nile falls make for an excellent day trip out of Bahir Dar. Somewhat sadly these days, with a nearby dam, the falls may be a mighty torrent one day and then a tiny trickle the next. It's a bit of the luck of the draw what you're going to get. Even still, the pleasant walk, including a suspension bridge, a 17th-century Portuguese bridge and fun river taxi are worthwhile in themselves.

Ethiopia has a long history of empires coming and empires going. But during the 16th and 17th centuries, one of the mightiest empires placed their capital in Gondar. The result is the UNESCO-listed walled fortress of Fasil Ghebbi. With palaces, churches, monasteries and various other buildings all crammed into a square kilometre, the old fortress has tremendous bang for the buck. Wandering the grounds from building to building, you might think you're in some scene from Lord of the Rings. The buildings run anything from expertly restored to crumbling to the ground. Although the actual town of Gondar ain't much, Fasil Ghebbi is a major highlight, not only of the country, but of the entire region.

Every evening, Yusuf Pepe feeds wild hyenas, just outside the city of Harar. This tradition started a long time ago, to prevent the hyenas from feeding on the local cattle. And, according to Yusuf, it really works. Therefore, every night - year round - he feeds a flock of wild hyenas, believed to live nearby, with raw meat given to him from the city's slaughterhouses. About 20 hyenas come to feed under his single light bulb. You can't see more than a few at a time, but you can hear them in the dark - fighting and "laughing".
Anyone who cares to watch can just appear in front of his house just after the sun sets. But remember, there are no fences here - and these animals are wild. Yusuf himself treats them like tame dogs. At first, he feeds them with his hands, then he puts the meat on a stick, which he puts in his mouth. If you're up to it, you can try too (but make sure your travel insurance will cover the damage if your face is chewed off). To find him, just ask anyone in Harar.

They come from miles around, clad in the simplest garb. There is no secret that many (over half) Ethiopians are devoutly Christian. They can be seen praying at a plethora of churches and religious sites around the world. But Orthodox Christmas (January 7th) is an amazing opportunity to see them en masse, particularly in the village of Lalibela. A seemingly endless parade of cane toting, bare-footed, faithful faces worn with a life of hardship fill the village and its famous rock-hewn churches. Early morning chants fill the air with a magical mysticism. It is a spectacular gathering not to be missed (although accommodation can be hard to come by on these dates).

There are few sites on Earth like the rock-hewn churches of the UNESCO listed Lalibela. The magnificent religious buildings were actually carved into the stone, almost like a negative impression. Arguably the biggest attraction in the country, this is one of those sites that does NOT disappoint. But beyond the magnificent churches, including the iconic St. George's with its cross roof, the brilliance of Lalibela is the way the whole area is managed. Actually a collection of 7 villages (of which only 1 has the churches), revenues are shared among them all. Guides must be licensed by local authorities and anyone trying to scam tourists is quickly chased off. It is a surprisingly stress-free visit so one can actually enjoy the spiritual sensation the place was built for.