Ethiopia’s Historic Route is a circuit of the country’s great cultural sites in the northern highlands. Thanks to Ethiopian Airlines’ domestic network, it can be explored comfortably in a week.
The sites
- Lake Tana & Bahir Dar — island monasteries and the Blue Nile Falls.
- Gondar — the royal castles of the 17th-century emperors.
- Axum — giant stelae and the Ark of the Covenant tradition.
- Lalibela — eleven monolithic churches carved from rock.
Festivals
Meskel (late September) celebrates the finding of the True Cross with bonfires; Genna (Ethiopian Christmas, 7 January) is magical in Lalibela; Timkat (Epiphany, 19–20 January) is best experienced in Gondar or Lalibela. Hotels book out months ahead.
Etiquette
Dress modestly when visiting churches, remove your shoes and ask before photographing priests or worshippers. A small fee is sometimes charged for cameras.
Browse our Ethiopia tours, including the 7-Day Historic Ethiopia.
