Leaving Aksum behind us to continue the historical Northern circuit of Ethiopia, it wasn’t long before the road ahead started climbing. What awaited us around the next bend was only the beginning of one of the most spectacular drive I ever took as we slowly made our way into the heart of the Ethiopian Highlands…

Our destination, which we would reach after a full day of driving, made stunning apparitions between hills and valleys. The jagged peaks of the Simien Mountains were finally coming into focus for a first and certainly not last panoramic photo stop. This was the very moment that we all acknowledged the world had been missing out on one of the most beautiful mountain scenery there was – and so few knew about it!

Jiggling with excitement, we kept going. The landscape leveled up for a while as we passed by large refugee camps – semi-permanent settlements for nearby Eritreans who fled to escape the compulsory military service in their home country.

A quick stop for lunch in a sunny village gave us an occasion to stretch our legs and catch a few more glimpses of the mountains…

… as well as the local life.

The afternoon saw the road turn to dirt and us climbing steeply through the clouds. A fine drizzle only accentuated the dramatic landscape and our arrival on “the Roof of Africa”.

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached the small village of Debark, the official gateway to the Simien Mountains National Park. Everyone must stop by the park’s headquarters here to pay a fee and hire local guides who will take you into the park and lead your hikes and treks.

Then it was a further 45 min drive up to reach our destination, passing tiny villages and this bucolic setting with a lovely Orthodox church surrounded by farm animals.

We finally arrived just before sundown at Simien Lodge, our home for the night which also happens to be the highest hotel in all of Africa at 3,260 m!!

Twenty traditional Tukul (the typical round houses seen in parts of eastern Africa) hug the side of a cliff during the gorgeous golden hour. We’re told to walk up slowly as the altitude is already being felt on our tired bodies.

Our cozy quarters include a decent hot shower and piles of blankets for those crisp mountain nights.

We hurried outside to catch the last few rays and contemplate the surreal pastoral scene right outside our doors. Have we been transported to Tuscany? Rolling hills with farmsteads, grazing cattle and lush pasture as far as the eyes can see…not the Ethiopia we’ve been told about for sure!

Watching the sun sets while standing tall on the Roof of Africa is a treat as much as was the journey to get here.

How cozy the night will be…

Evenings are spent inside the round bar which always has a roaring fire going on (I forgot to take a pic at night) and an impressive menu of wine and cocktails while hearty food is served in the dining room next door. A much better option than camping!

Mornings here are glorious, and hopefully you’ve gotten a good night of sleep as the altitude can make some sleepers pretty restless… Nevertheless, the views greeting us from the highest hotel in Africa were worth getting out of bed for.

After a solid breakfast, we set off on foot from the lodge to go explore Ethiopia’s highest mountain range with the hopes of stumbling upon some of its incredible flora and fauna.

A few minutes later, we were facing the first of many stunning views from right behind the lodge. It’s like nowhere else on earth. I wasn’t surprised to later find out that the Simien Mountains were one of the first sites to be made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978. Millions of years of erosion of the Ethiopian plateau have created stunning serrated mountain peaks, deep valleys and sheer cliffs which today are still home to unique flowers and rare creatures – the biggest draw for visitors coming all the way here.

As if by magic, it wasn’t long before we saw our first such creatures appearing at the top of the hill and coming towards us: Geladas!!

I had been dreaming of that day after seeing their striking features gracing the pages of National Geographic magazines and African tours brochures so imagine my excitement on this bright and cool morning…

Geladas are baboon-like monkeys that are only found in the Ethiopian Highlands. Also known as the “bleeding heart monkey” for the bright pink patch of skin on their chest, they can be seen in large groups fairly easily around here.

As the world’s only grass-eating monkeys, there are truly no other animals left like them as they are the last surviving species of ancient grazing primates that were once numerous. 

That lion-like mane is almost as characteristic as their colorful chest and shines brightly in the morning light. I stood there for a while observing them plucking and munching on grass and herbs, something they’ll be spending most of the day doing!

Mother and child are inseparable, at least until the baby has learned to feed himself.

Obviously curious by nature, they kept me at close watch with their heavily wrinkled face that seemed to belong to a 95 years old man. I just couldn’t help but make a Benjamin Button reference whenever I stared at one!

Can you think of a better morning hike than to hang out with these incredible creatures against such a beautiful backdrop?

Geladas are not known to be good tree climbers since they spend about 99% of their time on the ground, so at most you’ll see them sit comfortably on the lowest branch just a few feet up.

After a little while enjoying their company we continued on our way, tracing the contour of the cliff and taking in the sights and sounds of the Simiens.

Feather-like trees, lichen-covered trunks, endemic flowery bushes and bird songs accompany our gentle hike.

Some more jaw-dropping scenery of the park keeps appearing around every turn.

Soon, another form appears ahead – a single gelada grazing by himself, in the mist.

The morning mist sure hides some great views but it does add a mysterious and artistic quality to nature photography…

Eventually making our way back to the lodge, who do you think was there to welcome us?

Yes, a big old group of Geladas hanging right by our rooms. That is to say that if you stay at Simien Lodge, not only your chances of seeing these precious monkeys are pretty high, you might not even need to leave your bed to enjoy their company!

More time with them meant observing even more closely their behaviors to my greatest joy. From babies feeding…

… to a little one perhaps foraging for the first time…

…to family disputes? One thing’s for sure, these are not quiet animals. Geladas possess one of the most varied vocal repertoires of all primates and are known to be very noisy, fact we can confirm after being surrounded by 50 of them for a while.

Alas, it was time to depart and I sure was glad they were checking us out as we took our leave.

More breathtaking vistas awaited on the road and only gave me the craving to come back for multiple days of trekking. The forces of nature have created such a vast and stunning landscape here with cascading waterfalls and escarpments that give views for days.

A lot more to be discovered from the Roof of Africa, but for now we’ll be making our way down slightly to our next destination…

It was fitting that we would start our historical tour of northern Ethiopia in Aksum (also called Axum) which is considered the cradle of Ethiopian civilization. The World Heritage Site sits on thousands of years of mysteries, legends and ancient biblical culture and is considered one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities. Landing at the modern airport after a short flight from Addis Ababa is a stark contrast to the archaeological relics it is known for, and a sure indication the old stories are starting to attract the believers and skeptics alike.

The pleasant town center has a wide cobbled main street flanked on both sides by flowering trees and shops. A beautiful and antique backdrop for all the processions and pilgrimages the town attracts which leads you straight to the main cluster of attractions all visitors come here for.

Aksum’s most iconic site is the Stelae Park which dates back at least 1,700 years. A field of monolithic obelisks shrouded in mystery with very little known as to how they were erected and when.

It is believed though that three of them are probably the tallest obelisks ever erected in ancient times with a height between 23m and 33m (that’s like a 10-story building!). How were they able to erect such massive blocks of stones? One theory involves elephants and pulleys, another one supernatural powers from a biblical source…

The carvings of windows and doors combined with their location near tombs would lead us to believe they were meant as symbolic portals to the afterlife for the elite rulers.

The largest one has shattered into several pieces right by the entrance of a subterranean tomb open to visitors.

One flight of stairs down, a corridor leads to twelve underground vaults tall enough to walk through.

The last one still contains the sealed stone coffin of Remhai, Ethiopia’s king in the 3rd century. The excavations were abandoned following the 1974 revolution.

Other tombs are slowly being discovered but a lot of work remains – 90% of Aksum has yet to be excavated so imagine what else is hiding underneath it all!

In the meantime, vervet monkeys are enjoying the piles of granite blocks and cooling shade of the sites.

Local craft is a pleasure to look at (and shop for) as it varies greatly between regions and is always so beautiful.

The Tigray region is especially known for its super colorful tableware, the likes of which I didn’t see in any other parts of the country.

From the stelae park, you don’t have far to go for the next big destination which you can see right across the street behind the trees.

The Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion is Ethiopia’s first church dating back to the 4th century. The original church has been destroyed and a new, modern cathedral was built in the 1960s under Haile Selassie.

Renovation work prevented us from entering though we could glimpse at the large scale and a few paintings from the steps.

What brings most people to this compound though is not the imposing church, but a small chapel located at the back of the cathedral. The square building to the right in the below photo is said to hold Axum’s most famous religious artefact – The Ark of the Covenant. For those who need a little brush up on the Christian tradition, the Ark of the Covenant is a casket God had asked Moses to make, according to the Hebrew Bible, to hold the Ten Commandments. Locals assert that both the Ark and its commandments still reside in Aksum.

A very precious relic indeed and don’t even think of going in to see it as millions would like to do – the chapel is off-limits to all but a few members of the Ethiopian Christian church hierarchy. A commonly held belief is that the son of King Solomon and Queen of Sheba captured the Ark of the Covenant and brought it to Aksum nearly 3,000 years ago. It has since been guarded by a succession of virgin monks who, once anointed, are forbidden to set foot outside the chapel grounds until they die.

It’s a lot to cram into one morning and lunch break felt like a necessary pause to process thousands of years of stupefying events and engineering feats. For once we skipped the traditional Ethiopian meal in favor of a healthy dose of vegetables at the excellent Kuda Juice and Pizzeria downtown Aksum. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many avocados in one sitting…

Afterwards, we took to the streets before hitting more archaeological sites to get a better feel for Aksum. All roads seem to lead to Daero Square, the hub of city life, and the perfect place to people watch.

A giant fig tree reigns in the middle of it all and provides shelter on top of great photographic opportunities.

I kept going back to the main street which is now called ‘Denver Street’ since Aksum became a ‘sister city’ of Denver in Colorado in 1995.

At midday, sidewalks were filled with mini coffee shops with the aroma of roasting coffee in the air and plastic stools waiting for passersby under tree canopies.

A few feet away, the brand new tourist office hints at the increased popularity of this ancient kingdom.

Slightly out of town, Dongar Palace adds a few more mysterious pieces to Aksum’s puzzle, and it does so in charming surroundings.

Looking at this vast agricultural land and the ruins of what was the most impressive palace ever constructed in Aksum helps to see the city as it once was: The Kingdom of Aksum, one of the greatest powers on earth. Its central place made it a major trade city between Persia and Rome and it flourished between the early 4th century BC until the 10th century AD.

Many Ethiopians believe this palace was once the home of the Queen of Sheba (a fact archaeologists dispute) and they consider her the mother of the nation. She’s certainly one of the most mysterious female figures in all of history and I remember chasing her steps all the way to Oman on a previous trip.

There were over fifty rooms in here, a bakery and an elaborate drainage system, all of which can be seen albeit with a bit of imagination.

The throne room, facing the main entrance, makes you think “if only these walls could talk”. Oh the things they must have seen…

A look around the palace grounds and it seems things haven’t change that much with time in these parts. Farmers are seen everywhere plowing and harvesting fields of barley and teff by hand with not a single motorized tool or vehicle in sight.

Young children are looking after the cattle while their parents are in the field.

Back in town, we continue our legends exploration with a quick stop at the Queen of Sheba’s Pool. The reservoir probably wasn’t where the queen went to bathe but it does have a nice ring to it. Today it is used for major celebrations.

From the pool, an uphill climb soon reveals some more pastoral settings and gorgeous views.

The beauty of traveling when it’s harvest season is unparalleled. Come back in a few months and all would be dried and brown.

The scenery was nice enough for an emperor’s palace to be built here, although only his and his son’s tombs can still be seen these days. Going down into Kaleb and Gebre Meskel’s tombs feels very much like an Indiana Jones quest with light filtering in magical ways…

Back in town, the old part had yet to be explored so we set on foot to catch a glimpse of local life in the golden hour.

A packed day ending with a filling bowl of Shiro Wat – a thick stew made of powdered chickpeas and spices. Tomorrow, we start going even higher up in the mountains – stay tuned!

When I told people I was going to Ethiopia, the usual reply was a surprised “But…why?”. The Horn of Africa has been for a long time out of the tourism spotlight as it dealt with drought, famine and revolution. But things are rapidly changing. Ethiopia is seen as Africa’s “newest travel adventure” and I’m here to show you all the wonders we’ve been missing out on for so long.

Every trip to Ethiopia starts in its sprawling capital, Addis Ababa. Visitors usually breeze right through it on their way to the historical route to the north or the tribes in the south, but many rewards await those who spend a few days getting to know this city of 3.5 million people.

Addis enjoys almost never ending sunshine, warm and friendly locals who’ll want to make sure you have the best of times, and a rich culture that spans food, music, art and so many other facet of this intriguing capital. Walking around you’ll inevitably feel the pulse of this city on the rise (and the dust as well!) as the building boom to update its infrastructure can be seen everywhere. New high-rise hotels, shopping malls and superhighways coexist with cows and goats munching on newly planted grass in roundabouts.

Addis is also quite spread out with main attractions far from each other i.e. this is not a walking city. While there are many cabs everywhere and their own version of Uber in Zayride, taking a city tour is a great way to check the main sites off the list with a local guide and get some useful insights in the process. I did the full day tour of Addis with Go Addis Tours, one of the highest rated local tour companies, and highly recommend it to everyone. It makes for a packed day (9am – 7pm) and includes a lot of visits and a food tour.

A stop at the National Museum of Ethiopia is a must if only to see the palaeontological exhibition in the basement which stars the world-famous replica of “Lucy“. The discovery in 1974 of the 3.5-million-year-old skull in the northwestern region of Ethiopia changed our understanding of human origins forever. The exhibit is truly fascinating, and the standing cast of Lucy is a shocking revelation on how truly small our ancestors were with her height of 3 ft 7 in and a chimpanzee-like appearance…

Considered to be the birthplace of the coffee plant and of coffee culture, Ethiopia produces some of the best single-origin coffees in the world and during your stay here you should drink as many cups of it as you can handle! Whether you have one at your hotel, from a seller on the street or at a local chain, you’ll quickly notice the high quality although some places will literally blow your mind. The most famous coffee shop in Addis, Tomoca, has been around since the 1950s and is worth all the hype in the world. While it has since expanded into several branches around the capital, you should visit the original location on Wawel St.

They have excellent Italian-style espresso and the Italian counter coffee culture (thanks to Mussolini’s failed 1935 invasion of Ethiopia). Their roasted blend is incredible, and thankfully you’ll be able to buy a bag of beans to bring home.

Go for a creamy, unctuous macchiato which is likely to change every past and future cups of brew you’ll ever drink. It was that good. And I’ve been to Italy many times. I’m still dreaming of that cup of coffee weeks after being back home.

Breakfasts in Ethiopia are varied, often spicy with bread and eggs in many of them. You’ll easily find omelettes and scrambled eggs but try some local specialties like Chechebsa (pictured below) – it consists of a flatbread that is torn into small pieces and fried with berbere and spiced butter until soft and moist. I had mine served with honey and the sweet-spicy combo was delicious!

When traveling through Ethiopia, one will visit many beautiful churches, some very old, offering a glimpse into many episodes of the country’s history. Did you know that nearly half the population of Ethiopia are Orthodox Christians (the second highest number after Russia) followed by Muslims and Catholic or Protestant?

The large Holy Trinity Cathedral is fairly recent (1931) and is the final resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie and his wife. It was built to commemorate Ethiopia’s liberation from Italian occupation and is the second most important place of worship in Ethiopia.

The interior is lavishly decorated with modern and medieval style paintings and you can see the granite crypts of the emperor and his wife near the front as well as two beautifully carved imperial thrones, each made of white ebony, ivory and marble.

Near the southeast of the cathedral you’ll find the circular Be’ale Wold church which used to be the original Holy Trinity Church before the cathedral was built.

If you’ve ever eaten Ethiopian food before you know it’s quite a special and very flavorful cuisine and there are tons of marvelous places to sample it all across town. Central to every meal is the spongey and sour bread ‘injera‘ which you use like silverware by tearing up pieces to scoop up any of the spicy stews and cooked vegetables on the tray. Injera is made with teff flour, the staple grain of Ethiopia, which is packed with protein, calcium and iron, and also happens to be gluten-free!

The meal pictured below has a mix of meat-based and vegetarian stews with the famous Doro Wat in the middle (a spicy chicken and egg stew) but it’s worth noting that in Ethiopia, every Wednesdays and Fridays are “fasting days,” meaning most people don’t eat meat.

A visit to a market is another must do, whether you want to brave the craziness of the famous Merkato – known as the largest market in Africa at 1km square – or opt for the smaller and more picturesque Shola Market as I did.

There’s no hassle from the vendors so you can leisurely stroll around the maze of stalls to look at all the merchandise and see how the locals shop.

It certainly gives a good insight into what Ethiopians eat, with lots of chilies, lentils, beans, onions and tomatoes for all the vegetarian stews they cook every day.

If you’d like to bring one culinary souvenir from your trip though, make it a bag of berbere – a unique spice mix that is used in almost every local dish and freshly roasted here. While the recipe might change from one vendor to the next, the mixture usually contains chili peppers, garlic, ginger, basil, korarima, rue, ajwain or radhuni, nigella, and fenugreek. I’ll use it to spice up my eggs, marinate meat before grilling, and maybe give some punch to stewed vegetables…

Butter is also an ingredient integral to Ethiopian cuisine – I’ve actually never seen another culture using so much of it in their cooking! Most dishes call for Niter Kibbeh (Nit’ir Qibe) which is clarified butter that has been infused with herbs and spices.

One peculiar ingredient which you might not have seen elsewhere is enset, most commonly known as “false banana tree”. The plant looks like a banana tree but isn’t grown for its fruit. Instead, they harvest the pulp of the roots and leaf sheaths and let it ferment underground from four months to a year. The result is a slightly sour-tasting substance that is used in dough to make bread or in soups and porridges. It has been cultivated for tens of thousands of years, exclusively in Ethiopia, becoming a staple crop for 20 million people.

Live chickens are reserved for special occasions with beef being the most common source of meat in the Ethiopian diet.

Grass on sale… it might seems strange or thought as feed for animals, but grass is heavily used in homes for the coffee ceremony. It is spread on the floor to symbolize abundance and welcome guests into the home.

The vastness of Addis Ababa is best appreciated from high up and there’s no better views than the ones from Entoto Hill. The mountain reaches 3,200m at its summit (Addis is actually one of the highest capitals in the world at 2,355m altitude) and is densely covered by eucalyptus trees. You’ll feel the cool fresh air up here on top of enjoying panoramic vistas.

Ethiopia has a long tradition of beautiful handicrafts including high-quality hand-woven and embroidered textiles and baskets. If you want a serene and beautiful shopping experience, stop by Salem’s Ethiopia.

The fair trade workshop and boutique is located in a charming courtyard away from the bustle of the city and will let you browse at your own leisure – a more relaxed experience if you found the market overwhelming.

Colorful scarves, baskets, jewelry, housewares and other handicrafts are available to purchase at reasonable prices and the quality is exquisite.

The beauty of stopping here is the ability to watch the artisans at work, from the weavers…

…to the basket makers.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I had unsurprisingly booked a food tour which would bring me to four different establishments where I would sample some culinary specialties. My big lunch wasn’t too far behind when I met my guide at a local cafe for our first meal – a scrumptious vegetarian spread.

Next stop was a whole fried fish, so good I almost ate it all despite my being already full.

Third stop was the meat course at Yilma Restaurant, a place famous for its tibs (finely chopped and cooked meat) and for having been visited by Anthony Bourdain as part of its No Reservation TV show. Raw beef is also really popular, served with a spicy sauce and injera, but I skipped that one to stay on the safe side.

The beef tibs were delicious though, tender chunks of beef cooked with onions and lightly seasoned. Washed down with a cold local beer (go for Habesha!), we were now fully satiated.

It wasn’t the end though as there was one final stop for a coffee ceremony. Many shops and restaurants recreate what it would be like to be invited into someone’s home for coffee, which in Ethiopia means a 2 hour ritual. It’s an integral part of social and cultural life here and you’ll enjoy every moment of it.

Coffee lovers will love this true feast for the senses as fresh green coffee beans are slowly roasted over charcoal, then the host soaks each guests in the aroma created by the coffee’s smoke. Next they manually grind the beans into a fine powder and pour them into a black clay coffee pot that has been boiling over hot coals. After it comes to boiling again, the coffee is finally ready and poured into tiny ceramic cups with sugar on the side (milk is never offered). Frankincense is lighted up and the incense fills the air for one more olfactory pleasure while you sip this incredibly strong and silky brew.

If you have more than a day or two in Addis and would like to try something other than Ethiopian food, there’s a wide array of international restaurants to suit your fancy. My vote would go for a similarly exotic cuisine though which you can find at Bait Al Mandi, a wonderful Yemenite restaurant.

I’m a huge fan of Middle Eastern cuisine and don’t think I’ve ever had food from Yemen so I was particularly excited about this meal and it didn’t disappoint! A flavorful broth was first brought up, I would guess made of lamb and local herbs.

I ordered as my main dish saltah – a hearty vegan stew of tomatoes and rice topped with a thick fenugreek froth. Healthy comfort food just the way I like it.

My last recommendation for Addis is for a bar near the airport if you have a long wait time before your flight or simply need a good cocktail on a night out in town. The Black Rose Bar (2nd floor of the Boston building) is a dimly-lit, classy and atmospheric lounge with jazz playing in the background and a long list of drinks to fuel tomorrow’s travel plan or take the sting out of the long flight back home.

So whether at the beginning or the end of your Ethiopian adventure, make sure you give its capital a chance to infect you with its energy, fascinating culture and incredible food. It’s not yet mobbed by tourists but looking at how quickly it’s expanding it won’t stay under the radar forever!