The Edge of the World
When it comes to visiting Ethiopia for nature enthusiasts, or anyone else who enjoys outdoor activities, there's a consensus about the two can't-miss locations: the Simien Mountains and their counterpart on the southeastern side of the Rift Valley, the Bale Mountains. Both are volcanic plateaus towering above the rest of the Ethiopian Highlands, the solidified remnants of massive basalt lava flows that covered the area as the East African Rift was beginning to form. While the Simien Mountains are the more popular destination for tourists for their spectacular geography and (relatively) easier access, for birders and other wildlife enthusiasts the Bale Mountains, with their much higher wildlife diversity, are where it's at. I'd been looking forward to visiting the Bale Mountains since I decided to spend the summer in Ethiopia, but the main issue was access: they're a 9-hour drive away from Addis Ababa, and I figured I'd need at least 4 days for a proper v...