There are 11 churches in the town named after the remarkable king, with others in the surrounding country side. All are still in use. It is estimated that it took 23 years to construct the churchesBuildings here are hewn from volcanic tuft leaving rock-cut churches isolated from the surrounding strata. Explore several of these in the surrounding mountains to the more remote mountain churches.

Lalibela
Footsteps away from seven olives Hotel are the magnificent churches. The city carved from legend has countless fascinations. The extraordinary rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are one of the most fascinating architectural sites of Lalibela’s first modern hotel is based on a hill offers wonderful views especially at dawn and dusk full of character with an austere atmosphere cultural dance, buffet, hiking and much more available year round.

The ancient monastery of Debre-Damo dates back to early Axumite period and is considered to be the oldest church in the country. Unlike other monasteries and churches. Debre-Damo is built on the edge of a cliff accessible only by a rope.

Emperor Fasilidas built the first of a cluster of castles here in the 17th century, a time when Gondor was the capital of Ethiopia. Subsequent generations were responsible for building further castles in the palace compound. These castles, constructed from basalt, came complete with towers and battlements and great halls.

Bale Mountains National Park is an area of high altitude plateau that is broken by numerous spectacular volcanic plugs and peaks, beautiful alpine lakes and rushing mountain streams that descend into deep rocky gorges on their way to the lowlands below. As you ascend into the mountains you will experience changes in the vegetation with altitude, from juniper forests to heather moorlands and alpine meadows, which at various times of year exhibit an abundance of colorful wildflowers. Bale Mountains National Park is the largest area of Afro-Alpine habitat in the whole of the continent. It gives the visitor opportunities for unsurpassed mountain walking, horse trekking, scenic driving and the chances to view many of Ethiopia's endemic mammals, in particular the Semien Fox, Mountain Nyala, Black and White Colobus Monkey and Endemic birds, such as the Harenna forest.

The Semien Fox -despite its name, is more common here in Bale than it is in Semyen. It is found nowhere in between these two isolated mountain areas, and nowhere else in the world. The animal is the size and colour of a European Red Fox, but with long legs, longer muzzle, and a striking black and white tail.

The Omo valley is dominated mainly by many ethnic groups who speak omotic language as classified by linguistics. The region and the people of this are one of the least affected by the modern world. The life style of the people has hardly changed for centuries. People still live in simple make shift huts, dress animal skins and drink from calabashes. The area is a veritable paradise for photographers and naturalists.

The people of the Omo Valley and their culture have been source of fascination for travelers. The Hammar who are well known for their sense of elegance are the major ethnic group in the region. The Surma and Mursi women, who wear lip plates by piercing their lower lip have been compelling tourists to travel to their land to see what seems impossible.

The mountains are most famous as home and refuge of the endemic Mountain Nyala and Semien Fox. Both these mammals occur in reasonable numbers, and visits to the Gaysay area, and the Sanetti plateau will ensure you see both.  

Only three primate species have been found in the Bale Mountains National Park so far. The Guereza, or Black and White Colobus Monkey, is common wherever there is suitable forest habitat.

The Bale Mountains possess many habitats rich in birds, particularly the Harenna Forest which has been little studied. More than one hundred and sixty species of birds are known from the Park area, but their number is certain to be added to considerably in the future.

Lying in the lowlands east of Addis Ababa, and striding the Awash River, the Awash National Park is one of the finest reserves in Ethiopia. The Awash River, one of the major rivers of the Horn of Africa, waters important agricultural lands in the north- eastern part of Ethiopia and eventually flows into the wilderness of Danakil Depression. The dramatic Awash Falls as the river tumbles into its gorge, is the site not to be missed in the national park. A special attraction is the beautiful clear pools of the hot springs (Filwoha).

Awash National Park, surrounding the dormant volcano of Fantale, is a reserve of arid and semi-arid woodland and Savannah, with riverine forests along the Awash River. Forty-six species of animals have been identified here, including Beisa Oryx and Swayne's Hartebeest. The bird life is prolific specially along the river and in amongst the 392 species recorded.

The Afar region is part of the Ethiopian Rift Valley. Since the late 1960s it has attracted the attention of researchers because of its uniqueness as the world's only active, superior triple junction where the complex tectonics and volcanism of an area between three separating lithosphere plates (African, Eastern African, and Arabian) can be observed on dry land.

From archaeological point of view it was from this region that LUCY, the most important hominid skeleton dated at about 3.5 million years discovered. Any one who wants to visit the homeland of this Great, Great, Great --- grandmother of the 6 Billion people of the world have to travel to the Afar region.

The Denakil Depression, at 120 meters below sea level is one of the lowest points on earth's surface and it is found in the Afar region.