Best Destinations for History and Culture

Best Destinations

Ethiopia

Ethiopia, famed for its rock-hewn churches, island monasteries, ancient castles, magnificent stele fields, and museums, is an excellent destination for luxury tours in Eastern Africa. 800 years ago an Ethiopian king ordered the establishment of a new capital for Christians. At 8,000 feet, on Ethiopia’s central plateau, stand 11 churches, each carved from a single, massive block of stone. A boat trip out to the Island monasteries, built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, is a key highlight of the trip. There are over 30 in total, but you only need to see a couple to get a sense of the place’s magic. Fasiladas’ Palace, just inside the entrance gate, is by far the most impressive and oldest structure. It is said to be the work of an Indian architect and is made of roughly hewn stones. It exhibits an unusual synthesis of Indian, Portuguese, Moorish, and Aksumite influences. More than 120 stelae made of smooth, grey stone can be found in the Northern Stelae Field of Axum. The stelae are made of a single piece of granite and can reach heights of 82 feet. Further to the historical places, Ethiopia’s Omo Valley is home to a diverse group of tribes who practice pastoralism, small-scale cattle herding, and subsistence agriculture. The Karo are expert body painters who use clays and locally available vegetable pigments to create their work. Women in Hamar wear their hair in dense ringlets smeared with mud. The lip-plate Mursi are among Africa’s most remote and original tribes.

Eritrea

Asmara, a delightful capital city, is dotted with splendid art deco and modernist architecture, authentic street-front coffee shops that make for excellent people-watching, and sobering reminders of the many difficult years of fighting leading up to, and following, independence. The historical Opera House, Fiat Tagliero building, and Bowling Alley are a few points of interest to see in the capital. The port city on Africa’s Red Sea coast in Eritrea, Massawa is also a great place to visit for its mixed Italian, Egyptian, and Ottoman architecture. Eritrea is home to nine officially recognized ethnic groups for culturally-flavoured tours. Our luxury tours include tribal travels to Afar, Blien, Hidareb, Rashaida, Saho, Tigre Kunama, Tigrinya, and Nara.

Sudan

This old royal cemetery, seemingly lost beneath the folds of giant apricot-colored dunes, with its clusters of narrow pyramids blanketing the sand-swept hills, is one of the most spectacular sights in Eastern Africa. The pyramids of varying ranges in height are distinguished by narrow bases and steep slopes. The National Museum of Sudan perfectly preserved the royal statues, the 3500-year-old artefacts from Kerma and so many more temples and documents showing the rise and down of its kingdoms. Soleb, Khatmiyya Mosque, Sai Island, Kerma Museum, Western Deffufa, Jebel Barkel, Naqa are also notable for their archaeological and historical preserves.

Kenya

When it comes to Kenya the first thing most people think of is Safari and wildlife. However, this country is also a great destination for historical and cultural trips. Fort Jesus, built by Giovanni Battista Cairati to safeguard Mombasa’s port from foreign invasion, is one of the most remarkable historical sites of the 16th century. Kenya is home to a plethora of archaeological sites. The fossils from Koobi Fora, near Lake Turkana, contributed more to paleontology than any other African site. Kenya is endowed with a plethora of cultural treasures. The Fort Jesus in Mombasa, the ancient Swahili town of Lamu, the Mijikenda Kaya Sacred Forest, the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Turkana National Park, and Mount Kenya Natural Forest are all UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Somaliland

Somaliland is endowed with archaeological and historical sites near the capital, Hargeisa, and other settlements such as Zeila. On top of this, Somaliland is blessed with natural wonders such as Barbera’s beaches and the Cal Madow mountains. The key historical sites in Somaliland include Dhambalin – a key archaeological site, Haylaan – famed for numerous ancient ruins and buildings, Laas Gaal – known for its cave paintings, Qombo’ul – which includes preserved ancient ruins, buildings, and structures, and the ancient cities of Qa’ableh and Zeila.