Read our Ethiopia travel guide for our must-see sites and sights... Go back to the very beginning and retrace the origins of humankind (must-see: Lucy, the 3.2 million-year-old hominid and 'grandmother of humanity' at the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa). Experience a Mass underground in the fabulous rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. Explore an ancient kingdom in the middle of the desert and wander the magical ruins of Sheba, believed to be the palace of the Queen of Sheba. In the holy city of Aksum, admire the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, where the Ark of Covenant is kept (however, only the guardian of the Ark is allowed to see it). Cross the Blue Nile Gorge. Eat an 'injera' (a traditional Ethiopian crepe) and attend a coffee ceremony.
Defy vertigo to discover the breathtaking frescoes of the rock-hewn churches in Tigray. Wander the dirt streets of Harar, Islam's fourth holiest city, and look at the bustling city through the multicoloured windows of French poet Arthur Rimbaud's house, take a papyrus boat on Lake Tana, encounter gelada baboons on a trek in the highlands (in the Simien Mountains National Park, you must be accompanied by a guide). Discover the people of the Omo Valley. Include an extreme trip to Danakil – one of the hottest places on Earth – in your itinerary. Before you go, here's some information to plan your trip.