Ethiopia: The Island of Africa

Highlights

• Explore from the urban capital to the Simien Mountains, where we study geladas with baboon researchers
• Meet tribal people in the entrancingly remote, aridly beautiful Lower Omo Valley
• Feast your eyes on Lalibela's famed monolithic churches and Gheralta's lesser-known cave-carved sanctuaries
• Opt to extend your trip in Harar or with a helicopter excursion to the otherworldly Danakil Depression

What's this trip about?

This newly updated journey takes us far and wide, north to south, in a madly interesting, scenically booming country. We explore its immense history, spanning religions as diverse as Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and discover its stunning landscapes and rare wildlife. Wandering far off the beaten path, we're privy to cultural and natural wonders that few travelers see.   After a good look at Addis Ababa, the multifaceted capital, we head north to the lofty and little-known Simien Mountains. Two nights there allow us to soak up the breathtakingly landscapes, commune with gelada baboons alongside field researchers, and watch for walia ibex. Next we delve into Lalibela, a pilgrimage site of 11 monolithic churches chiseled out of living rock, and Axum, a major center of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Our time in the off-the-radar Gheralta region, with its thousands of mysterious cliff- and cave-carved churches, may be the highlight of the trip.

Accommodation