Northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia's historic heartland: the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, Gondar's castles, the obelisks of Axum and the Simien Mountains, with the Danakil Depression to the east.
This region is defined by whole regional states and includes the Amhara, Tigray and Afar regions, which corresponds to what travelers call the "Historic Route" of the north, and also takes in the Danakil Depression (Afar), which is often visited alongside it.
Highlights: Lalibela's 11 medieval churches carved from single blocks of rock (the Church of St. George is the most iconic); Gondar's Fasil Ghebbi royal castle compound; Bahir Dar and the monasteries on Lake Tana, and the Blue Nile Falls; the ancient kingdom's obelisks and the Church of St. Mary of Zion in Axum; the cliff-side rock churches of Tigray's Gheralta area; the gelada baboons, Walia ibex and deep gorges of Simien Mountains National Park; and in the Danakil, the colorful sulfur springs of Dallol, the Erta Ale lava lake and the salt-lake camel caravans.
Classic itinerary: starting from Addis Ababa, link Bahir Dar – Gondar – Axum – Lalibela by domestic flights in about 8–10 days; a Simien Mountains trek takes 2–4 days; Danakil tours of 3–4 days leave from Mekelle.
Getting around: Ethiopian Airlines domestic flights serve every city. Note: parts of Tigray and Amhara have seen conflict in recent years, so be sure to verify the security situation before traveling; the highlands lie at 2,000–3,000 m, and the Danakil is extremely hot.