It is a large city with more than 200,000 inhabitants living in the west of the country. It is an important trading centre in Ethiopia which holds little interest for tourists.

Africa

Welcome to Ethiopia, a land like nowhere else that you will never forget. Ethiopia isn’t a country that can be described; it has to be experienced. Every traveller has their own perception by discovering historical sites, and by following in the footsteps of the Queen of Sheba and the Emperor Haile Selassie. This land has a lot to offer in the diversity of its landscapes and animals from North to South and from East to West. The kindness and the openness of the Ethiopian people will make you feel at home and enrich your life.

Ethiopia

Jimma

Bebeka

Tulgit

Meaning "New Flower" in Amharic, the capital of Ethiopia bears witness to its name: an huge city undergoing constant change.

Addis Ababa

Hawzen is a Tigrayan village situated between Mekele and Aksoum) that, along with Wukro, has the best selection of accommodation. It's conveniently close to Tigray's most spectacular churches, including Mariam Korkor, Abouna Yemata and Debre Damo.

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Visiting Tigray's churches was a highlight of my trip to Ethiopia. I stayed in a superb ecolodge in Hawzen, before scaling the rocky outcrops that lead to the various churches. According to local priests, some date back to the 5th Century, although historians claim they were built between the 9th and 15th Centuries. 
Accompanied by the obligatory scout, guide and priest, the Abouna Yemata Church was the most impressive of them all. I ended up going barefoot in order to scramble up the cliff, with only the scout to support me. This was followed by a hair-raising, narrow path set in the rocks, which ran along the length of the cliff.
The paintings inside these orthodox churches are amazing and depict the religion's most famous saints. Abouna Yemata and its paintings are dedicated to the nine Syrian saints who were at the helm of Ethiopia's evangelisation. I was also extremely impressed by the Mariam Korkor, Abuna Daniel, Medhane Alem and Petros and Paulos churches.

Hawzen is a Tigrayan village situated between <a href="/ethiopia/">Mekele</a> and <a href="/ethiopia/">Aksoum</a>) that, along with Wukro, has the best selection of accommodation. It's conveniently close to Tigray's most spectacular churches, including Mariam Korkor, Abouna Yemata and Debre Damo.

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