This small east African country bordering Sudan, Djibouti, and Ethiopia is mostly mountainous, with stretches of coastland along the Red Sea. It is among the hottest and driest in the world! Home to one of the oldest hominid links between early homo sapien and homo erectus, there are still many excavation sites and ruins yet to be discovered. The Ruins of Qohatio, for instance, is one such site from which less than 20% of the site uncovered. It features a number of interesting remains from ancient temples to Egyptian tombs and rock art. The Great Rift Valley bisects this country in half. Asmara, the country’s capital is located on the eastern edge of the highland plateau. It is the main starting place for most travels. The name means “four villages united”, and it was also dubbed Piccola Roma due to its Italian influences. A walk through the city will showcase a lot of Italian inspired architecture. The local markets are a bustling centre of activity, with locals dressed up in colourful garb, and many booths featuring industriously creative uses of recycled materials. Massawa, the old capital, was an important centre in historical times, due to its status as one of the largest deep water ports in the Red Sea. The nearby Dahlak Archiepalgo offers snorkeling and scuba diving experiences, as does Mersa Ibrahim and Ras Kuba. Eritrean monasteries perched high above cloud shrouded mountains are a worthwhile visit, though arranging a visit can require some patience. Emberemi – home of the famous mausoleums of Sheik el amin and Muhammed Ali serves as a popular pilgrimage site for others. Cultural sites aside, the country also boasts a huge array of wildlife, from lions and elephants to gazelles and leopards on land, to turtles, barracudas, angelfish and jellyfish in water. On the other side, Keren, located in the highland mountains, offers a chance to see the scenic countryside as well as to visit the traditional Tigre ethnic group.
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