Lying south-east of Ethiopia, Bale Mountains National Park covers 2400 square kilometers (1488 square miles) covering wide range of habitats and ranging in altitude from 1500 to 4377 meters (4920 to 14357 feet) at Tulu Dimtu, the highest point in the southern Ethiopia. The spectacular Harenna escarpment running from east to west divides the area into two major parts. To the north is a high altitude plateau area known as the Sanetti Plateau (4000m) formed of ancient volcanic rocks and dissected by many rivers and streams that have cut deep gorges into the edges. In some places this has resulted in scenic waterfalls and alpine lakes.
The vegetation here varies according to altitude.

The park can be divided into three main zones. Around Dinsho, in the north, there are grass riverine plains, bordered by bands of bushes, particularly sagebrush and St. John’s Wort. Wild flowers, such as Giant Lobelia, Geraniums, ‘red-hot pokers’ and Alcheilla, form carpets of color. Higher up the mountains heather appears either as small bushes or as mature trees.
The second zone, the Sanetti Plateau, is home to typical Afro-Alpine plants, some coping with the extreme temperatures by either remaining very small or becoming large. The best example of the latter is the curious looking Giant Lobelia, whose stems stand high against the skyline. Wild flowers are many and various, the dominant plant being the Helichrysum, or ’everlasting’ flowers that can be seen in many forms. Keep an eye on the indigenous Abyssinia rose, with its lovely subtle scent.

The Bale Mountains National Park in central Ethiopia remains relatively undiscovered by even the most adventurous travellers, who tend to explore the Simien Mountains in the north and the Rift Valley Lakes in the south. This is in part due to poor access and limited accommodation. Now, a new road has cut the journey time from the Rift Valley Road from 10 hours to one, and at the end of it the first high-end lodge has open.

The stream also brings rich wildlife watching: 240 species of bird, mountain nyala (antelope), warthogs and Bale monkeys are in abundance. There’s a research centre with a naturalist and ornithologist who spends the day studying the park’s endemic species, and gives talks to guests in the evenings. Not far away is the Sanetti Plateau, where endangered Ethiopian wolves – 300 of the 500 left in the wild – can sometimes be spotted hunting rodents in the snow.

Cultural tours of Ethiopia enable onto understand the harmonious diversity of the nation. There are 83 languages and 200 dialects spoken throughout Ethiopia. The culture in Ethiopia is truly exotic, untouched and authentic. Far from the modern life, the people in far field are with natural and rustic life style that feels our origin.

Ethiopia is a mosaic of cultures for cultural tourists. The Lower Omo Valley in the South of Ethiopia is perhaps one of the most ethnographically diverse regions in the world. It served as an ancient meeting point as tribes migrated from all corners of Africa and now plays host to many different tribes each with unique and fascinating customs. If you can handle the challenges of travelling in this remote region, then the rewards are immense. Whether you are watching the traditional ceremony of Hamer people jumping the Bulls or gazing incredulously at the site of a Mursi’s lip plates, this is a place unlike anywhere else on Earth.

The landscape and wildlife of the Lower Omo Valley is an attraction in itself, terraced richly vegetated areas contrast with open savannah and despite widespread poaching, hippo (Lake Chomo) and dik dik, kudu, guinea fowl, gerenuk and various birds are frequently seen. The real reason for the journey though is in the contrast of cultures and learning about the traditional customs of peoples far removed from your own lifestyle.

Hamer:- The Hamer who number around 50,000, are subsistence agro-pastoralists. They cultivate sorghum, vegetables, millet, tobacco and cotton, as well as rearing cattle and goats. Wild honey is an important part of their diet.–The people are known particularly for their remarkable hairstyles. The women mix together ochre, water and a binding resin, rub the mixture into their hair, then twist strands again and again to create coppery-colored tresses known as goscha. These are a sign of health and welfare.–If they have recently killed an enemy or a dangerous animal, the men are permitted to don clay hair buns that sometimes support magnificent ostrich feathers. The buns — with the help of special headdress (borkotos) for sleeping — last from three to six months, and can be ‘redone’ for up to one year.The Hamer are also considered masters of body decoration. Every adornment has an important symbolic significance; earrings for example, denote the number of wives a man has.

The women wear bead necklaces, iron coils around their arms, and decorate their skin with cowry shells. The iron torques around their necks are known as ensente and are worn by married or engaged women only. They indicate the wealth and prestige of the woman’s husband. Young, unmarried girls wear a metal plate in their hair that looks a bit like a platypus’ bill.–The iron bracelets and armlets are an indication of the wealth and social standing of the young girl’s family. When she gets married, she must remove the jewellery; it is the first gift she makes to her new family.–The Hamer territory stretches across the plains of the Lower Omo to Chew Bahir in the east, almost to the Kenyan border in the south, and to the territory of the Benna in the north.

The Karo:- The Karo people thought to be one of the most endangered groups the Omo, with a population of about 1500 people. They inhabit the eastern bank of the Omo. They were formerly pastoralists, but many of their cattle have been wiped out by disease, and many have turned to agriculture.In appearance, language and tradition, they slightly resemble the Hamer, to whom they are related. The Karo are considered masters of body painting, in which they engage when preparing for a dance, feast or celebration. Most famously, chalk is used to imitate the spotted plumage of the guinea fowl.The Karo are also great improvisers: Bic biros, nails, sweets wrappers and cartridges are all incorporated into jewellery and decoration. Yellow mineral rock, black charcoal and pulverized red iron ore are traditionally used.

The Mursi :Perhaps the best known of the Omo peoples are the Mursi, thought to number around 6500, are mainly pastoralists who move according to the seasons between the lower Tama Steppe and the Mursi Hills in Mago National Park.––Some Mursi practice flood retreat cultivation, particularly in the areas where the tse tse fly prohibits cattle rearing. Honey is collected from beehives made with bark and dung. The Mursi language is Nilo-Saharan in origin.–The most famous Mursi traditions include the fierce stick fighting between the men, and the lip plate worn by the women which is made of clay and often quite large, the plates are inserted into slits in their lower lips. Anthropologists offer several theories to explain the practice: to deter slavers looking for unblemished girls; to prevent evil from entering the body by way of the mouth; or to indicate social status by showing the number of cattle required by the wearer’s family for her hand in marriage.

Cultural tours of Ethiopia enable onto understand the harmonious diversity of the nation. There are 83 languages and 200 dialects spoken throughout Ethiopia. The culture in Ethiopia is truly exotic, untouched and authentic. Far from the modern life, the people in far field are with natural and rustic life style that feels our origin.

Ethiopia is a mosaic of cultures for cultural tourists. The Lower Omo Valley in the South of Ethiopia is perhaps one of the most ethnographically diverse regions in the world. It served as an ancient meeting point as tribes migrated from all corners of Africa and now plays host to many different tribes each with unique and fascinating customs. If you can handle the challenges of travelling in this remote region, then the rewards are immense. Whether you are watching the traditional ceremony of Hamer people jumping the Bulls or gazing incredulously at the site of a Mursi’s lip plates, this is a place unlike anywhere else on Earth.

The landscape and wildlife of the Lower Omo Valley is an attraction in itself, terraced richly vegetated areas contrast with open savannah and despite widespread poaching, hippo (Lake Chomo) and dik dik, kudu, guinea fowl, gerenuk and various birds are frequently seen. The real reason for the journey though is in the contrast of cultures and learning about the traditional customs of peoples far removed from your own lifestyle.

Hamer:- The Hamer who number around 50,000, are subsistence agro-pastoralists. They cultivate sorghum, vegetables, millet, tobacco and cotton, as well as rearing cattle and goats. Wild honey is an important part of their diet.–The people are known particularly for their remarkable hairstyles. The women mix together ochre, water and a binding resin, rub the mixture into their hair, then twist strands again and again to create coppery-colored tresses known as goscha. These are a sign of health and welfare.–If they have recently killed an enemy or a dangerous animal, the men are permitted to don clay hair buns that sometimes support magnificent ostrich feathers. The buns — with the help of special headdress (borkotos) for sleeping — last from three to six months, and can be ‘redone’ for up to one year.The Hamer are also considered masters of body decoration. Every adornment has an important symbolic significance; earrings for example, denote the number of wives a man has.

The women wear bead necklaces, iron coils around their arms, and decorate their skin with cowry shells. The iron torques around their necks are known as ensente and are worn by married or engaged women only. They indicate the wealth and prestige of the woman’s husband. Young, unmarried girls wear a metal plate in their hair that looks a bit like a platypus’ bill.–The iron bracelets and armlets are an indication of the wealth and social standing of the young girl’s family. When she gets married, she must remove the jewellery; it is the first gift she makes to her new family.–The Hamer territory stretches across the plains of the Lower Omo to Chew Bahir in the east, almost to the Kenyan border in the south, and to the territory of the Benna in the north.

The Karo:- The Karo people thought to be one of the most endangered groups the Omo, with a population of about 1500 people. They inhabit the eastern bank of the Omo. They were formerly pastoralists, but many of their cattle have been wiped out by disease, and many have turned to agriculture.In appearance, language and tradition, they slightly resemble the Hamer, to whom they are related. The Karo are considered masters of body painting, in which they engage when preparing for a dance, feast or celebration. Most famously, chalk is used to imitate the spotted plumage of the guinea fowl.The Karo are also great improvisers: Bic biros, nails, sweets wrappers and cartridges are all incorporated into jewellery and decoration. Yellow mineral rock, black charcoal and pulverized red iron ore are traditionally used.

The Mursi :Perhaps the best known of the Omo peoples are the Mursi, thought to number around 6500, are mainly pastoralists who move according to the seasons between the lower Tama Steppe and the Mursi Hills in Mago National Park.––Some Mursi practice flood retreat cultivation, particularly in the areas where the tse tse fly prohibits cattle rearing. Honey is collected from beehives made with bark and dung. The Mursi language is Nilo-Saharan in origin.–The most famous Mursi traditions include the fierce stick fighting between the men, and the lip plate worn by the women which is made of clay and often quite large, the plates are inserted into slits in their lower lips. Anthropologists offer several theories to explain the practice: to deter slavers looking for unblemished girls; to prevent evil from entering the body by way of the mouth; or to indicate social status by showing the number of cattle required by the wearer’s family for her hand in marriage.

If harmony and peace of mind are what you are looking for the Tesfa Ethiopian walking tour in Mekete is for you.

For travellers with a sense of adventure, this trekking route along the ridge of the vast, towering Mesket escarpment (to the south of Lalibela) provides a truly unforgettable opportunity to explore Ethiopia’s stunning mountain scenery and meet the people of the rural highlands, whose lives have changed little in many hundreds of years.

The treks, which can last from four days upwards (we recommend one week trip), are part of an excellent tourism programme run by TESFA (Tourism in Ethiopia for Sustainable Future Alternatives), who work in partnership with small local communities, enabling them to register as private businesses and develop tourism-related ventures, whilst safeguarding their traditions and preserving the local environment.

The MCTW project consists of a number of rustic lodgings in truly spectacular locations, which are dotted along the rim of a plateau running east to west, from Woldiya to Gondar, and are in turn connected by an exciting walking route in an area rarely visited by tourists. There are currently 6 accommodation sites on the route (Mequat Mariam, Wajela, Aterow, Yadukulay, Boya Mikael and Aina Amba), and now that the planned chain all the way to Lalibela is complete, there are 8 community projects, allowing travellers keen on longer treks the option to spend over a week hiking amidst glorious scenery, together with the chance to explore in greater depth the landscapes around Ethiopia’s greatest site of religious pilgrimage.

The Mesket area offers an excellent alternative to the Simien Mountains — being a few thousand feet lower, the climate is a little warmer, gradients are smoother, the walking is fairly easy, and accommodation is vastly superior to camping options in the Simiens. The escarpment itself features a wide variety of plant, bird and animal life as well as caves, rock hewn churches, remote villages and affords stunning views north towards Lalibela and south towards Magdala, even Ras Dashen on a clear day.

Walking the Meket Community Tourism Walk you are unlikely to see many tourists. In fact, when there recently some young children we encountered had never witnessed a non-Ethiopian before, and cried at the sight of us! Except for the odd grind mill and braying donkey, there is no noise pollution and, if it were not for you and your fellow walkers, the scene would appear much like it would have done in the Bible. There is very little hassle whatsoever from children or villagers and they are all incredibly respectful, polite, and eager to say hello – as is the occasional priest you may come across, who will stop to bless the guides and staff before passing on. Encounters with the local population, it is fair to say, are often humbling, moving, even life-affirming experiences.

On average, walks are in the region of 5 hours a day, and while not technical, they are tiring as you do cover good distances, mostly following the escarpment edges when the harvest is in – so your legs should be up to it before committing. Going can be a little unsteady underfoot due to loose skree, but it poses few obstacles as long as you are wearing suitable footwear. A headtorch, layers of warm clothing and lightweight wind jacket are also highly recommended.

At the end of a long day in the sub-tropical heat, rest assured that even though you might be sacrificing some home comforts, overnighting in the tukul (thatched hut) accommodation sites is all part of the experience, made all the more pleasant by the hot shower, home-cooked meal and cold beer which awaits you!

Modest but cosy and welcoming, the sites all boast fantastic views off the escarpment and count three tukuls each, sleeping a maximum of 6 in basic but clean and comfortable beds. (Mequat has one tukul divided into 2 bedrooms sleeping 8 maximum, however they are upgrading by adding an extra tukul which can sleep an additional 9.) There is a separate dining room, shower and eco-toilet all built in the local style. Hot water is hoisted into canvas shower bags on demand each evening. The food prepared by local Ethiopians is hearty and more than adequate. A limited range of drinks are also stocked including beers, colas and bottled water.

It’s not a surprise that Africa is a place of amazing parks, but none combines such a variety of stunning landscapes and wildlife as Afar’s Yangudi Rassa National Park. Not only you can catch incredible close up view of the wildlife daily activities but you can also explore the nearby world’s spectacular landscapes.

There are truly few places on Earth that blend culture and nature as incredible as the one you see in Afar. Yangudi Rassa National Park lies in the warm Afar region holding 4730 square kilometers of territory next to the massive Mount Yangudi.  Sandy semi-desert and wooded bush and grass cover the majority of the park’s area.  It’s home to several wild animals and birds including the wild Ass, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s gazelle, gerenuk and Grevy’s zebra, Phoenicopterus, Petronia brachydactyla and Ardeotis arabs.

 This national park was proposed to protect the African Wild Ass. Recently, the Wild Ass went extinct in Yagundi Rassa. However, there is a small population in the adjacent Mile-Serdo Wild Ass Reserve (8,766 km²). The park headquarters are in the town of Gewane. A large part of the park is composed of extensive grasslands and thickets. With an average altitude of 500 masl, the climate of the park is hot and dry for a larger part of the year. It has an estimated area of 5,400 sq km and is covered with grasslands, bush and thorn thickets. Besides these major habitats, dry river beds, rocky hills and sandy semi-deserts formmicro-habitats. Thickets are largely composed of Acacia mellifera and A. nubica. The Awash River forms its western boundary where better vegetation growth can be observed. Temperature can rise to 42 – 43 ºC in the shade. Rains are bi-modal with the main rainy season extending from October-December. An erratic pattern of rainfall is expected from August to September. The park is in a major flyway for migrant birds coming from the northern hemisphere from September to January. In this respect, the Awash River plays a critical role sustaining the lives of millions of southbound sojourning birds.

Unique features – Yangudi Rassa is an extensive wilderness in this remote northeastern partof the country. More than 200 birds have been recorded here. Of these, no less than 23 Somali-Masai Biome species and two globally threatened species, namely, the Lesser Kestrel and Pallid Harrier are know to occur in the park. It is an important flyway for species like the Terek Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Woodchat Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Black Cap and Ortolan Bunting. This protected area also has 36 species of mammals including Wild Ass, Beisa Oryx, Dorcas Gazelle, Hamadryas Baboon, Bat-eared Fox, Black-backed Jackal, Striped Hyena and Aardwolf.

The Simien Mountain massif is a broad plateau, cut off to the north and west by an enormous single crag over 60 kilometers long. To the south, the tableland slopes gently down to 2,200 meters, divided by gorges 1,000 meters deep that can take more than two days to cross. Not enough geological time has elapsed to smooth the contours of the crags and buttresses of hardened basalt.–Simien Mountain National Park is located at the northern edge of the central plateau of Ethiopia, overlooking the Tekeze Gorges. It is part of the Simien Mountain Massif in Northern Ethiopia, which lies at elevations between about 2,000m and 4,620m, taking in Ras Dashen, the highest peak in Ethiopia, which stands adjacent to the park and the fourth highest in Africa.–The National Park itself, with a core area of around 140km2 and one of the smallest in Ethiopia, is located in the North Gondar zone of the Amhara National Regional State. It is 130 km from Gondar, the capital of North Gondar zone of Amhara region and about 882 km from Addis Ababa. It covers the highlands, ranging up to an altitude of 3,000 m ( with the peak of Bwahit Mountain at 4,430 m), and the lowlands, which lie at an average altitude of below 2,000 m. the steep escarpments separating these two significant landscapes were formed by volcanic activities and subsequent erosion millions of years ago. They give the mountain scenery its characteristic appearance, which is so spectacular for visitors today. Located at the Gondar- Axsum axis, which are both cultural world Heritage Sites on the so-called “Historic Route, you can reach the National Park by passing Debark, a market town on the road to Axsum and an important base for organizing trips to the National Park.–One of the main justifications for establishing Simien Mountains National Park at the time was the fact that the Simien area is the last stronghold of the Walia ibex (capra walie). This animal is a type of wild goat and the species, found only in the Simien, is the southernmost of its genus. The Walia habitat covers the steep areas of the escarpment as well as the grassy ledges where they need to feed and sun themselves in mornings and evenings. The aftermath of war, poaching, and the destruction of natural habitat has diminished the Walia population in the park to an alarming extent. Meanwhile efforts to protect natural habitat have shown first signs of progress. The number of animals

still living within and around the park boundaries has increased again from an estimated total of 200-260 in 1994 (according to Swiss research) to 400 today. The eastern and southeastern parts of the park around the Bwahit — steep sloping rocks over 2,400 m — are particularly good spots to see the Walia in its natural habitat, especially in the morning up to ten o’clock and in the late afternoon. However, not only the Walia makes Simien Mountains National Park a world heritage site.

The Simien fox or Ethiopian wolf (canis simiensis) is another highly endangered species endemic to Ethiopia. Until recent time, there was controversy as to the naming of this mammal. Today research has proved that this animal is neither a jackal nor a fox. It is rather a wolf. Hence, it is more correct to name it as Ethiopian wolf. The population within and around the park is estimated to be as low as 30-40, while the estimated total in the whole of Ethiopia does not exceed much more than 400 animals, which is an indication of the threatening situation for the Ethiopian wolf. Its habitat continues to shrink as demand grows for the Park’s high grass. This needs great attention for conservation. Other animals in the park are much easier to observe. It is impossible to enter the park without passing large groups of Gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada).The Gelada Baboon, sometimes referred to as the bleeding heart Baboon, because of its bare bright red chest is the third endemic mammal of this park. With a little bit of patience and luck you might also see the Klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus), the Bush pig (Potamochoerus porcus), the Bush Buck (Tragelaphus scriptus), the colobus (colobus abyssinicus), grass rats, and other species. –More than 180 species of birds (6 endemic in the SMNP; one discovered recently in 1998) can be found in the Simien Mountains, the most famous being the wattled Ibis , the Lammergeier, the thick-billed Raven and the Towny eagle. The escarpments and lowland areas in particular are ideally suited to observing various species of Birds. –Simien Mountains National Park is the largest virtually natural habitat island in the Ethiopian Highlands, and its surrounding cliffs and lowlands act as an ecological barrier allowing the ecosystems to evolve almost independently. –Therefore, in addition to this interesting fauna, the Simien also boasts a wealth of fascinating flora. Generally, the vegetation in the Simien area is characterized by three different altitudinal belts. These are Afro alpine, Ericaceous and Afromontane forest belts. –The Afro alpine steppe belt is above 3700 m above sea level. This altitudinal belt is famous for the occurrence of the Giant Lobelia (Lobelia rhynchopetalum) and is rounded off with a colorful patch work of red and yellow flowers comprising the so called ” red hot poker” (Kniphofia Foliosa and Kniphofia pumila). This is also the belt where silvery or yellow straw – flowers called ” Everlastings ” (eg. Helichrysum Citrospinum) which flower in the dry season are found.–Inside the Ericaceous belt, between elevation of 3000 and 3700m., the most interesting is the Erica-Hypericum communities composed of the Giant St. Johns Worth (Hypericum Revolutum) and the Giant Heath (Erica Arborea). Another remarkable plant native to the Simien and common at this altitude is the Abyssinian Wild Rose (Rosa Abyssinica), whose characteristic ivory white flowers can be admired especially during the dry season. Still in the list of exceptionally large plants at this belt is the Giant Sphere Thistle (Echnopes Longisetus).–The belt ranging from 2000m-3000m is called the Afro Montane forest belt. More than about 100 species of trees can be found here and the bio diversity is generally much higher than on the highland plateau.

Located about 800 kilometers south of Addis Ababa and on east bank of Omo river, the 2,162 square kilometers of this park are divided by the Mago River, a tributary of the Omo, into two parts. To the west is the Tama Wildlife Reserve, with the Tama river defining the boundary between the two. To the south is the Murle Controlled Hunting Area, distinguished by Lake Dipa which stretches along the left side of the lower Omo. The park office is 115 kilometers north of Omorate and 26 kilometers southwest of Jinka. The park has about 200km internal roads, which lead to the different attractions sites of the park. All roads to and from the park are unpaved.

Most easily accessed from the town of Jinka, Mago National Park is mainly savannah, with some forested areas around the rivers. It was set up to conserve the large numbers of plains animals in the area, particularly buffalo, giraffe, and elephant. Also seen here are topi and lelwel hartebeest, as well as lion, leopard, Burchell’s zebra, gerenuk, and greater and lesser kudu. The birds are also typical of the dry grassland habitat, featuring bustards, hornbills, weavers, and starlings. Kingfishers and her-ons feed in and around the Neri River, which provides an alternative habitat.

The major environments in and around the Mago Park are the rivers and riverine forest, the wetlands along the lower Mago and around Lake Dipa, the various grasslands on the more level areas, and scrub on the sides of the hills. Open grassland comprises about 9% of the park’s area. The largest trees are found in the riverine forest beside the Omo, Mago and Neri. Areas along the lower Omo (within the park) are populated with a rich diversity of ethnic groups, including the Aari, Banna, Bongoso, Hamer, Karo, Kwegu, Male and Mursi peoples. The park’s perhaps best known attraction are the Mursi, known for piercing their lips and inserting disks made of clay.

Wildlife: the Park supports a typical bush savanna fauna with 81 larger mammals & 237 species of bird. Among mammals: African elephant, buffalo, lesser-kudu, greater-kudu, duiker, warthog, tiang, lewel’s hartebeests, Oryx, grant’s gazelle, gerenuk, giraffe, cheetah, wild dog, lions, leopards, gureza, common baboon and verevt monkey are common & conspicuous.

Access:The Park is 800km and 500 km from to the south of Addis Ababa and Hawassa, respectively. The road from Jinka town to the park covers a distance of 34km all weather gravel road. The park has about 200km internal roads, which lead to the different attractions sites of the park.

Surrounding Community

MNP area is also very well-known for its rich cultural diversity, where many elements of the earliest nomadic lifestyles are still continued. Hammer, Benna, Mursi, Ngagatom, Ari, Karo, Body, Kwegu are communities very well known for their traditional culture, lifestyles, colorful body decoration, ceremonies, festivals, rituals, and other living expressions.

Lalibela, a medieval settlement in the Lasta area of Wello, lies at the centre of an extensive complex of rock churches. Lalibela has 11 remarkable rock-hewn monolithic, semi-monolithic and cave built churches, built by one of the See Dynasty rulers, King Lalibela in the late 12th . These notable structures are carved, inside and out, out of one solid rock.–After the decline of the Axumite empire, lamenting their lost grandeur, Ethiopias rulers retreated with their Christian subjects to the lofty escarpment of the central uplands. There, protected by mountain battlements more formidable than anything the hand of man could fashion, they were able to repel an increasingly expansionist and militant Islam trapping and confusing their enemies in the precipitous maze of valleys that intersects the high plateau. –Inevitably, a fortress mentality took root: an intense suspicion of the motives of strangers, a hatred of intrusion and interference, a protective secrecy. During this period roughly from the seventh to the sixteenth centuries AD – the Ethiopians, encompassed by the enemies of their religion, were described by the British historian Edward Gibbon as having slept for near a thousand years, forgetful of the world by whom they were forgotten. It is true, moreover, that in holding back those who sought to destroy their faith, the highlanders also effectively cut themselves off from the evolving mainstream of Christian culture. This is the only sense, however, in which they slept. Their unique, idiosyncratic civilization was otherwise very much awake – a singular and spirited affirmation of the creative power of the human intellect. –Many improvisations were so vital, so uplifting, that they have endured to the present day as living expressions of the central and lasting values of Christian Ethiopian culture. Paramount among these priceless legacies, like a great heart beating out an ancient but powerful pulse, is the monastic settlement of Lalibela on a natural 2,600-metre rock terrace surrounded on all sides by rugged and forbidding mountains in the northern extreme of the modern province of Wollo.–Once the thriving and populous capital city of a medieval dynasty, the passing centuries have reduced Lalibela to a village. From the road below, it remains little more than invisible against a horizon dominated by the 4,200-metre peak of Mount Abuna Joseph. –It is this camouflaged, chameleon quality, however, that gives the remote settlement its special and lasting place in the life of the highlands – for there, some 800 years ago, safe from the prying eyes and plundering hands of hostile interlopers, a noble king fashioned a secret marvel. –Lalibela, previously known as Roha, is named after the king. The word itself, which translates to mean the bees, recognizes his sovereignty and the people of the region still recount the legend that explains why.

King Lalibela’s goal was to create a New Jerusalem for those who could not make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. According to some reports, he had been to the Holy Land himself and was inspired by what he saw. But the king made no attempt to copy the churches of the Holy Land; in fact, Lalibela’s sacred architecture could not be more unique.

The churches of Lalibela were not constructed – they were excavated. Each church was created by first carving out a wide trench on all four sides of the rock, then painstakingly chiseling out the interior. The largest church is 40 feet high, and the labor required to complete such a task with only hammers and chisels is astounding.

Popular legend has it that angels came every night to pick up where the workmen had left off.

King Lalibela’s project for gaining the church’s favor had two unexpected results: the creation of a holy place of unparalleled beauty and the king’s conversion to a religious life. After laboring for more than two decades , he abdicated his throne to become a hermit, living in a cave and eating only roots and vegetables. To this day, Ethiopian Christians regard King Lalibela as one of their greatest saints.

The churches have been in continuous use since they were built in the 12th century.

The roofs of the Lalibela churches are level with the ground and are reached by stairs descending into narrow trenches. The churches are connected by tunnels and walkways and stretch across sheer drops. The interior pillars of the churches have been worn smooth by the hands of supplicating worshippers.

The rock-cut churches are simply but beautifully carved with such features as fragile-looking windows, moldings of various shapes and sizes, different forms of crosses, swastikas (an Eastern religious motif) and even Islamic traceries. Several churches also have wall paintings.

Each church has its own resident monk who appears in the doorway in colorful brocade robes. Holding one of the church’s elaborate processional crosses, usually made of silver, and sometimes a prayer staff.

There are 11 rock-cut churches at Lalibela, the most spectacular of which is Bet Giorgis (St. George’s). Located on the western side of the cluster of churches, it is cut 40 feet down and its roof forms the shape of a Greek cross. It is a magnificent culmination of Lalibela’s plans to build a New Jerusalem, with its perfect dimensions and geometrical precision.

Unlike some of the other churches, St. George’s is plain inside.

In the “Northern Group” across the main road from St. George, the most notable church is Beta Medhane Alem, home to the Lalibela Cross and believed to be the largest monolithic church in the world.

Bete Medhane Alem is linked by walkways and tunnels to Beta Maryam (St. Mary’s), possibly the oldest of the churches. In the east wall of the church is an array of geometric carved windows in a vertical line. From the bottom up is: a Maltese cross in a square; a semi-circle shape like that on the Axum stelae; a Latin cross; and a simple square window.

The windows illuminate the Holy of Holies in which the church’s copy of the Ark is placed. Other decorations include a Star of David combined with a Maltese cross, a Sun with a smiling human face flanked by eight-spoked wheels, Mary on a donkey accompanied by Joseph, and an Annunciation.

Next to Beta Maryam is Beta Golgotha, known for its artwork which includes life-sized carvings of saints on the walls. It is also home to the tomb of King Lalibela, over which stands a gold-draped Ark. The Western group is completed by the Selassie Chapel and the Tomb of Adam.