The history of Aksum centres on a powerful kingdom in modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea that flourished from approximately the 1st to the 8th centuries AD. Aksum was a central commercial hub controlling trade routes connecting the Roman Empire, India, and the Red Sea, and its port of Adulis...
We took a branch road to reach an ancient pre-Aksumite temple dedicated to the South Arabian moon god Almaqah. The temple dates to around the 7th century BC and is known for its remarkably well-preserved, mortise-and-tenon construction using dressed stone blocks without mortar. The temple...
Early in the morning, we drove from Hawzen towards Aksum, mostly on tarmac, with a few photo stops and a visit to the Temple of the Moon in Yeha. The road is marked by dramatic, breathtaking scenery of rugged mountains, deep valleys, and expansive green landscapes, contrasted by the...
After challenging climbing in the morning, we visited the Maryam Papasetti Church in a valley south of Hawzen, in a serene spot below the cliff, surrounded by greenery. It is a semi-monolithic church (meaning the “Holy of Holies” is hewn from the rock, while the main sanctuary...
Abune Yemata Guh is a 5th-century rock-hewn church in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, famous for its perilous, steep climb up a cliff face and its well-preserved 5th-century frescoes and murals. These paintings depict religious scenes, saints, and biblical imagery, with colours that...
The Church of Abraha wa-Atsbeha (🎟️1,000 ETB) is a 10th-century rock-hewn church in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, located in the Gheralta Mountains, approximately 15 kilometres west of the town of Wukro. Tradition says it was built in the 4th century by two kings, twin brothers Abreha...
Wukro Chirkos Church (🎟️600 ETB, local guide 1,250 ETB) is a historic rock-hewn church in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, notable for being one of the country’s oldest, dating back to the 4th century. It has been in continuous use for over 1,600 years. It’s a semi-monolithic...
After the overnight in Mekele, where we enjoyed some nightlife after a long time, we continued towards Hawzen. The road from Mekele to Hawzen is paved, offering dramatic scenery of the Tigrayan highlands, including mountain views and, in some parts, deep valleys and cliffs. As we...
After a visit to the Dallol Pools, we start our long drive. The road climbed steeply out of the low-lying depression toward Mekele, which is situated at an elevation of around 2,100 meters. The road shifted from sandy tracks to more mountainous terrain, and the scenery changed from the...
After the second overnight under the stars, we drove very early in the morning to the Dallol pools, a unique and extremely harsh hydrothermal system in Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression. It lies in one of the lowest land points on Earth, over 100 meters below sea level, and holds the...