18 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Ethiopia - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Ethiopia

Lalibela, Ethiopia

Ben Abeba

An otherworldly restaurant perched on the edge of a jagged cliff next to a medieval holy city.

Lalibela, Ethiopia

Bete Giyorgis of Lalibela

An Ethiopian "Jerusalem" featuring a church hewn out of a single rock.

Afar Zone 2, Ethiopia

Dallol

The hottest place on the planet.

Afar Zone 2, Ethiopia

Erta Ale

Ethiopia's "smoking mountain" is in one of the hottest regions on the planet and is home to two lava lakes.

East Tigray, Ethiopia

Abuna Yemata Guh

Reaching the "Church in the Sky" requires scaling the cliff face of a sandstone pinnacle with a 650-foot drop.

Aksum, Ethiopia

Chapel of the Tablet

Supposedly this Ethiopian chapel holds the Ark of the Covenant, guarded by virgins who cannot leave the building.

Aksum, Ethiopia

Obelisk of Axum

Massive stele returned to Ethiopia after 70 years in Rome.

Afar Zone 1, Ethiopia

The Afar Rift

An ocean in the making, in the Ethiopian desert.

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Ethiopia

Lalibela, Ethiopia

Ben Abeba

An otherworldly restaurant perched on the edge of a jagged cliff next to a medieval holy city.

Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia

Manyate Coffee Village

An Ethiopian cloud forest protects some of the last wild arabica plants.

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The Urban Hyenas of Harar	1 March 1, 2019	659	March 1, 2019

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Stories About Ethiopia

Werehyenas could be proxies for all sorts of dangers—real and imagined.

The Myth of the Werehyena and the Fear of the Other in the Horn of Africa

Also known as "bouda," their scary stories could also be used to marginalize and dehumanize.

by Harry Spitzer

October 27, 2020

An Ethiopian collector picks coffee from a wild Arabica tree in the Mankira Forest, Kafa.

Inside Ethiopia's Endangered Wild-Coffee Forests

The demise of Arabica's birthplace would be a catastrophe for the industry.

by Jeff Koehler

A close-up of the coffee berry borer, guaranteed to haunt your dreams.

Solved: The Mysterious Origins of Your Coffee's Worst Nightmare

Researchers inspected 18,667 plant specimens to track down a caffeine-eating beetle.

by Reina Gattuso

October 14, 2019

The Fincha Habera rock shelter, the earliest high-altitude habitation site in Africa.

In Ethiopia, Ancient Humans Lived on Thin Air and Giant Mole-Rats

The earliest high-altitude settlement in Africa came as a surprise.

by Isaac Schultz

August 13, 2019

Trees being tapped for frankincense resin in Tigray, Ethiopia.

In 50 Years, Frankincense Could Be Snuffed Out

The ancient resin, used for everything from aromatherapy to Catholic ceremonies, is being overtapped.

by Evan Nicole Brown

Dallol's colorful volcanic landscape.

Ethiopia’s Strange Volcanic Landscapes Are Irresistible to Scientists (and Tourists)

Dallol can teach us a lot about Mars, and it needs to be protected.

Celebrants bearing a portrait of Tewodros at the handing-off ceremony.

Locks of an Ethiopian Emperor's Hair Are Returning Home From London

Years after having been taken from his dead body after a brutal defeat.

by Noor Al-Samarrai

The germplasm reserve at the Ejere Farming Community Seed Bank, one of many local facilities the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute works with.

This Seed Bank Preserves Biodiversity by Opening Its Doors to Farmers

The Ethiopian institution pioneered a new model.

by Eric J. Wallace

October 3, 2018

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