Ethiopia

Cloud-curtained highlands, exotic beasts, cuisine of the highest caliber, and a fascinating spectrum of human history and society: These are some of the prodigious attractions of Ethiopia, one of Africa’s great geographic and cultural crossroads.

It’s impossible to convey Ethiopia in broad strokes: The country’s about three times the size of Germany, harbors Africa’s second-largest population spread over 80-odd ethnic groups, and claims a history that extends back at least 200,000 years to the dawn of modern human beings. Suffice it to say, there’s much to explore here—and much to lament, given endemic poverty, malnutrition, ethnic and religious unrest, and other troubling maladies. (As of this writing, the U.K. and U.S. both have active travel alerts concerning Ethiopia; check your government’s current advisories when planning a trip to the country.)

Few places in the world combine such monumental scenery with such monumental human heritage. For instance, there are the famed 12th-century churches of Lalibela, magnificently rendered out of titanic rock monoliths; the centuries-old terraces, walled villages, and grave effigies (or waka) amid the rough, arid hills of the Konso Cultural Landscape; and the incredible diversity of early hominids—including the oldest-known remains of Homo sapiens—identified in the fossil beds of the Omo Valley badlands in the southwest. (All UNESCO World Heritage Sites.)

The looming plateaus and escarpments of the Ethiopian Highlands compose some of Africa’s most striking topography. They’re also one of the oldest breadbaskets on Earth, famous for teff grains and the world’s most voluminous production of coffee. The Highlands are also major bastions of biodiversity, with quite a lineup of endemic creatures. Semien Mountains National Park—another one of those World Heritage Sites—is one of the great destinations on the continent for nature enthusiasts, given it provides critical habitat for such charismatic animals as the Ethiopian wolf, the walia ibex, and the gelada baboon—all in a dreamlike landscape of mountain top moors, plunging cliffs, and bizarre gardens of giant lobelias.

You could ignore the beautiful landscapes, the unusual animals, and the historical antiquities, and still Ethiopia would bowl you over: The culture is staggeringly rich, its diverse cuisine and music both famed the world over.

In short, Ethiopia is like a continent unto itself. While travel here can be challenging, if you’re the sort that embraces the world with open arms—shying away neither from beauty nor tragedy—you’ll find some of its most heart-stirring expressions here in the Horn of Africa.