15 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.

Afar Zone 1, Ethiopia

The Afar Rift

An ocean in the making, in the Ethiopian desert.

Aksum, Ethiopia

Obelisk of Axum

Massive stele returned to Ethiopia after 70 years in Rome.

Aksum, Ethiopia

Chapel of the Tablet

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

See All 15 Things to Do in Ethiopia See All 15 Places

Unique Food & Drink in Ethiopia

T’ej

Ethiopian honey wine is sweet, funky, and perfect with injera.

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

The birthplace of coffee celebrates community with a sensory feast.

Harenna Honey

In an Ethiopian forest, a dying breed of beekeepers scales dangerously tall trees to harvest nectar from handmade hives.

Injera with Spaghetti

The fusion dish dates back to Italy's occupation of Ethiopia in the 1930s.

See all 8 things to eat in Ethiopia See all 8 things to eat in Ethiopia

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Top Discussions in the Ethiopia Travel Forum

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Kitfo	1 May 10, 2019	1130	May 10, 2019
Can't miss restaurants/coffee shops/street vendors in Ethiopia?	1 January 30, 2019	457	January 30, 2019
The Urban Hyenas of Harar	1 March 1, 2019	659	March 1, 2019

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Stories About Ethiopia

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