Tigray is a region of northern Ethiopia rather than a specific location and just happens to be the last area I’m exploring on this trip. So why explore this region aside from the vast and stunning mountainous landscape? Tigray is famous for its rock hewn churches, most of which are anywhere from 500 to 1500 years old. Ethiopians liked to build their churches in caves or carve them high up the mountains right out of the rock in order to…
Ever wondered what it’s like to walk around on another planet? The Danakil Depression in the Afar region of Ethiopia is probably as close as one can get. Endless sandy deserts, endless expanses of ancient and recent lava flows, endless salt flats, active volcanoes, and geysers filled with boiling, highly acidic water. It sits at 410ft below sea level and it’s the hottest place on earth when it comes to average year round temperatures in the 105-120°F range. It’s harsh,…
Continuing on my way north through Ethiopia, I made a long day trip into the Simien Mountains. Doing a three day trek is an option, but due to time constraints, I settled for the day trip and it turned out to be just right. Any excursion into the Simiens has to start in the little town of Debark, where the park headquarters are located and where you sign in and get an armed ranger. Why we need an armed ranger…
From the chaos of Addis Ababa straight to what is arguably the most popular tourist destination in all of Ethiopia, Lalibela. The town sits at almost 7800ft above sea level and the green hills and mountains all around are just stunning! You need to be in shape to be here because every street and walkway is on a definite tilt. Most of the history of Lalibela is steeped in mystery. It apparently rose to prominence with the Zagwe empire when…
Mt Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free standing mountain in the world. There are several routes to the summit and several options as to how many days you want to do it in ranging from 5-8. I chose the 7 day Machame route and talked my great friend and occasional travel buddy, Rachel, into flying out here to climb it with me. Our week on the mountain is a story of extremes. Days one through…
Greetings, everyone, and welcome to the inaugural blog post of my new website. Even though I’ve been traveling quite a while, this is my first trip to Africa and I’m really excited about it so let’s dive in… There’s really not much to Arusha itself other than being a jumping off point for the famous northern safari circuit. It’s a bustling market town with some hotels and restaurants and LOTS of safari companies. The parking lot at the Kilimanjaro airport…