This World-Heritage-listed town in mountainous northern Ethiopia dates back to the 12th century – its 11 awe-inspiring cave churches carved out of rock. It remains a place of importance for Ethiopian Christianity, but is a powerful site for travellers of all faiths to visit.

An ancient Islamic city that’s hard not to love. Follow your nose through the maze of narrow alleyways to discover mosques, markets, traditional homes, and spotted hyenas (that roam inside the city walls). Feast on authentic traditional fare at Hirut, a restaurant that won’t be far from where you are when hunger strikes because the city is just a square kilometre in size.

Nature and agriculture collide in the Simien Mountains to form breathtaking scenes of lush valleys, soaring craggy peaks and deep gorges. Go on one of the area’s many hikes to chance upon wolves, baboons and birds of prey. The ever-changing scenery of Bale Mountains National Park is also well worth a visit.

The hilltop villages overlooking terraced fields present a rare opportunity to encounter indigenous tribes with a culture all their own. The area is home to the 5000-year-old Shappe Rock Engravings too, so be sure to add it to your itinerary.

At 100 metres below sea level, the stark landscape of the Danakil Depression is not for the faint hearted. Volcanoes and sulphur springs abound in this hot, otherworldly landscape, where local Afar people mine salt and transport it by camel to markets across the country.