- Topography and Sceneries of Ethiopia
Ethiopia has an abundant range of natural habitats, ranging from the extraordinary peaks and ambas (flat-topped summits) of the Simien Mountains at over 4,000 meters to the Danakil Depression, 120 meters below sea-level which is one of the lowest points as well as the hottest place on Earth. There are many more attractive natural sceneries including Afro-Alpine highlands, moors, and mountains, deep gorges, the Sof Omar caves (the most extensive in Africa), the Great Rift Valley and its many lakes, tropical rain forests, white-water rivers, and rock-climbing faces, savannahs, waterfalls, volcanic hot springs and volcanos.
These are supplemented by a wealth of historic, cultural, religious, archaeological, and anthropological sites, including the northern “historic route” which incorporates Fasil Castle, the former capitals of Gondar (17and 18th centuries), Axum (1st-8th centuries), and Lalibela (12th-13th centuries) with its spectacular rock-hewn churches, as well as the monasteries on Lake Tana, the Blue Nile falls, and the numerous rock churches of Tigray region, many dating back to the 14-16th centuries, or even earlier.
The National Museum of Ethiopia holds the earliest hominid skeletons of Lucy (3.4 million years old) and Ramidus (4.4 million years old), as well as jewellery, costumes, paintings, and sculptures. The Ethnographic Museum of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies is on the site of the former imperial palace of Emperor Haile Selassie and is now part of Addis Ababa University. The Zoological Natural History Museum has displays of Ethiopia’s wealth of wildlife, including many examples of the country’s endemic species of rodents, bats, carnivores, primates, birds, snakes, lizards, amphibians, fishes, and invertebrates. There are a number of church museums in the city with fascinating wall paintings.
The Ethiopian Postal Museum has a collection of the country’s stamps, the Addis Ababa Museum in the former palace of Ras Biru built at the turn of the 19th century has a collection of photographs depicting the development of the city, and the nearby Red Terror Museum contains details of the disastrous Red Terror conducted from 1977-78. The city has a number of parks including the Lion Park with its rare Black-maned Lions near Addis Ababa University, the country’s oldest University at Sedist Kilo.
Ethiopia has been expanding its offerings for tourists, blending its rich historical heritage with new attractions that cater to both local and international visitors. Several tourist destination development programs have been initiated by His Excellency Dr. Abiy Ahmed (PhD), the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, both in Addis Ababa and across the regions. In Addis Ababa, some key projects include Unity Park, Entoto Park, Friendship Park I, Friendship Park II, the Ethiopian Science Museum, and the Adwa Victory Memorial. In the Amhara region, the Gorgora Eco Resort is a significant development, while the Southwest Region boasts the Halala Kella Eco Lodge and Chebera Elephant Paw Lodge, and the Oromia region features the Wanchi Ija Eco Lodge. These are just a few examples, as many more destinations are under construction in regions such as Somali, Tigray, and Sidama, further enhancing Ethiopia’s tourism infrastructure.
World Heritage Sites
Ethiopia now has twelve UNESCO recognized World Heritage Sites, reflecting the country’s rich historical, cultural and natural heritage potential. With 12 UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ethiopia is among the countries with the most recognised sites in Africa. These sites span a wide range of interests, from ancient civilizations and religious significance to unique landscape and biodiversity.
Some Cultural and Natural Tourist sites (Tangible Heritages) include:
• Aksum (1980)
• Simien National Park (1978)
• Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (1979)
• Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town (2006)
• Konso Cultural Landscape (2011)
• Lower Valley of the Awash (1980)
• Lower Valley of the Omo (1980)
• Melka Kunture and Balchit: Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in the Highland Area of Ethiopia (2024)
• Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela (1978)
• The Gedeo Cultural Landscape (2023)
• Tiya (1980)
• Bale Mountains National Park (2023)
There are a lot of intangible heritages recognized by UNESCO, like:
• Fichee-Chambalaalla, New Year festival of the Sidama people (2015)
• Ethiopian epiphany (Timket) (2019)
• Commemoration feast of the finding of the True Holy Cross of Christ (Meskel) (2013)
• Gada system, an indigenous democratic socio-political system of the Oromo (2016)
• Shuwalid festival (2023)
