Harar
Experience the ancient strongly wall-encircled city of Harar. The city is remarkable in historical places of eastern Ethiopia; a major trading crossroads and a center of Islamic learning and scholar ship. Its protective wall which is fortified against invaders, the wall or Jugol, is built between the 13th and the 16th centuries. It is about four meters high and pierced by five gates. The sixth gate was added at later date by Emperor Minilik II in 1889. The town is famous for the unique layout of its houses, its complex basketry, hyena feeding man and for the trade of Kat/Tchat/- a stimulant leaf that is chewed. The narrow, winding streets of Harar contain over 90 mosques and many consider it to be the fourth holiest city of Islam. Also the Jimma mosque dated back to the 17th century are among the other mosques. Near to the mosque is a house believed to be a residence for the famous French poet Arthur Rimbaud. The colorful Christian and Muslim markets are places of interest to spend time.
Awash National Park
Visit a reserve of arid and semi-arid woodland and savannah enclosing 827 square kilometers of the park area. It covers the semi-dormant Fantalle volcano as well as extensive areas of hot springs. The game viewing plains attract their visitors numerous number of animals and more than 400 birds specious.
Dankil Depression & Ertale
Scratching across the earth’s surface extended from the Middle East to Mozambique is the Great Rift Valley of East Africa passing through North-east to South-West direction right through Ethiopia providing the country with some spectacular sights range from hot, dry, and barren places to a string of beautiful lakes. It is one of Africa’s most terrific geographical features. This tremendous collapse occurred at the same time when the Arabia peninsula, geographically apart from Africa, was sundered from the rest of the continent. The Danakil, or Afar, depression, which is closely located to the eastern part of the Tigray region, is one of the Earth’s hottest and most inhospitable places, 120 meters (393 feet) below sea level and noon-time temperatures soaring above 50 degree Celsius (122 degree Fahrenheit). It is the sight of a dry salt lake.
Volcanic activity, which resulted to the formation of the Great East African Rift Valley, can be also witnessed appearing currently when some one found itself at the active volcano of Ertale where Earth vibrations are frequent with several still-active volcanoes in the area. The Danakil Depression with its other-worldly landscapes, active volcanoes and Afar nomads leading their camel caravans across this arid land, offers a rewarding experience for true adventure seekers.
Rift Valley Lakes
The Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia known as Africa’s amazing and most prominent geographical feature is a home to chain of sparkling lakes and hot springs placed in the valleys. The seven lakes in the region are habitats of wide varieties of Birds and indigenous animals. The landscape creates a very exciting moment for so many activities.