5 COOL THINGS TO DO IN ETHIOPIA

The churches of Lalibela are called the Eighth Wonder of the World and it’s not hard to see why. These underground churches that were hewn out of rock where one of the first to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Believed to be built in the 12th and 13th century, the churches are believed to map out the city of Jerusalem.

Ethiopia has more than 50 tribes to discover. From the lipstretching people of Mursi, to the bull-jumping Hamer Village people, each tribe comes with their own dress, traditions and beliefs that have remained untouched for centuries.

This rare creature can still be found in Bale Mountain National Park. There are just 400 of these animals left in the world and they can be found scattered around the Ethiopian Highlands. The fact that the Bale Mountains National Park has so many endemic creatures it has been requested that it joins the World Heritage List.

Visit Chane’s Restaurant in Addis Ababa where the family of the late royal chef serve up traditional Ethiopian dishes. When Chane was in the kitchen he would serve food from 12pm to 1pm and then it would run out. Even after Chane’s passing, his clients are still continuing to queue out of the door for the traditional dishes.

Eco-friendly fashion lovers should snap up a pair of shoes from SoleRebels. This innovative brand from Addis Ababa uses hand-loomed materials and recycled tyres to create the comfiest shoes around.