Ethiopia From Above - Africa Aerial View (Drone Film)

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most beautiful and diverse countries, with spectacular natural landscapes, incredible historic landmarks, and fast growing cities. In this aerial film, I explore Ethiopia from above, showing you some of the country’s most stunning places.

As a travel destination, Ethiopia alternates panoramic mountain views with vast lakes, green highlands with captivating deserts, and high plateaus with mysterious savannahs. Historically, it’s the only African country that was never colonized, and has kept much of its cultural identity. While Christianity and Islam are the main religions, the country is also a patchwork of many different ethnicities, customs, and traditions, including tribes that have managed to retain some of their lifestyle.

But Ethiopia is also a complicated country, with various ethnic and political interests that not always converge. Last year, in 2020, parts of the Northern Tigray region became the scene of a civil war, one that is still ongoing.

The footage in this video was shot in 2019 on a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone, during a one month journey through the country. Please check the current situation and consult relevant travel advice before visiting.

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Copyright of all footage: Hoffer Media

Here is a short overview of the places in this cinematic video:

Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s capital city, and has been growing at a fast pace. It’s the business and economic center of the country. Lalibela is a small city with some remarkable rock-hewn churches, that are Unesco World Heritage. Gondar is perhaps equally impressive with its beautiful Fasil Ghebbi fortress (and various other historic and tourist sights). Aksum is home to the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, an iconic place of worship for the Ethiopian Orthodox community.

In the far North is the Abuna Yemata Guh monolithic church, which can only be reached by climbing some of the steep peaks of the epic mountains here, an adventure in itself. The surreal Dallol sulfur pools and salt plains are located in the Danakil Depression, one of the hottest places in the world. Simien is the largest national park in Ethiopia, with spectacular mountains and wildlife.

In the South, the Omo Valley is the ‘star attraction’, with small villages (such as Dorze and Konso) and tribal communities that have long stayed isolated. Arba Minch is a good base to explore the beautiful Nechisar national park, part of the famous Great Rift Valley.