Things to do in Ethiopia

Stand at the edge of a dramatic escarpment with views of jagged peaks and endemic gelada baboons as the sun sets over Africa's Grand Canyon.

Trek across a desolate black lava field to peer into a permanent bubbling lava lake, one of only a few on Earth.

Walk to the thundering 45-metre cascade where the Blue Nile crashes into a deep gorge, creating rainbows in the mist.

Marvel at the cross-shaped monolith carved entirely out of volcanic rock, standing 12 metres deep within a carved trench.

Gaze up at the 24-metre granite stele, a towering reminder of the ancient Axumite civilisation’s architectural prowess.

Wander through a fortified compound of fairy-tale castles and banquet halls built by 17th-century emperor Fasilides.

After dark at the Fallana Gate, watch a local man call hyenas by name and hand-feed them scraps in a centuries-old ritual.

Sit among the scent of roasting beans and frankincense as a skilled host performs the elaborate ritual of brewing, pouring and serving coffee.

Dine in Ethiopia’s oldest hotel, where spicy chicken stew soaks into the spongy flatbread in a building dating back to 1907.

Trek across Africa’s highest moorland above 4,000 metres and spot the rare, red-furred Ethiopian wolf hunting giant mole-rats.

Paddle through deep gorges and past forested banks on one of Africa’s wildest rivers, far from roads and settlements.

During the Ethiopian Epiphany, witness a sea of white-clad pilgrims chanting and splashing at the sacred pool as priests carry replica tablets.

Ascend a cliff face using a traditional rope to reach a sixth-century monastery perched on a flat-topped mountain, off-limits to women.

Edge along a narrow ledge and up sheer rock to enter a tiny, frescoed church carved into a pinnacle high above the Gheralta plains.

Cross Lake Tana’s calm waters to a round thatched church on the Zege Peninsula filled with vivid saints’ murals.

Visit a village where women wear distinctive lip plates and body paint, and learn about a proud pastoralist way of life.

Scan the papyrus-fringed lake for great white pelicans, saddle-billed storks and colourful bee-eaters in this Rift Valley haven.

Come face-to-face with the 3.2-million-year-old hominid Australopithecus afarensis, one of humanity’s most famous ancestors.

Step inside this neoclassical cathedral where Emperor Haile Selassie was crowned, and view its museum of religious treasures.

In the garden of the Ghion Hotel, sway to hypnotic saxophone and traditional rhythms as the city’s best musicians jam late into the night.

Bite into finely minced raw beef marinated in spiced butter and mitmita chilli, served with homemade cheese at this legendary spot.

Walk through a vast underground network of echoing chambers and pillars carved by the Weyib River into pure white rock.

Join Afar traders leading a line of camels across a blinding-white salt plain where slabs are cut by hand, an ancient caravan route.

Walk among dozens of engraved standing stones, many carved with swords and symbols, marking a medieval burial ground.

Join thousands of worshippers around a blazing pyramid of wood in Addis Ababa to mark the finding of the True Cross with chanting and dancing.