You fly in to the beautiful, thriving capital Asmara, where the streets are lined with beautiful shops, café’s and restaurants. If you choose to travel west, you will encounter the hot, dry, majestic desert, which so conveniently backs up to the Red Sea, offering many sights to see. Eastward, it the cooler more temperate side of things, where the mountains and high lands are your playground, begging you to explore. The beautiful country of Eritrea is one of my most beautiful and relatively undiscovered countries around. A trip here would create memories and stories that would last a lifetime.
Eritrea is located in east Africa, south of Sudan and North of Ethiopia. Its different climates of desert, mountains, and highlands, offer a wide spectrum of climate preferences and geographically different areas. Eritrea borders the Red Sea to the west. Eritrea gets an average rainfall of 24 inches a year. In comparison, Eritrea is slightly larger than Pennsylvania.
The mountainous regions are what truly define Eritrea. The highest point in Eritrea is the mountain Emba Soira, which is roughly 9,900 feet above sea level. To scale the mountain, one must drive from the city of Senafe on a dirt road. From there it is a multi-hour trek to the top, but just seeing the summit is worth it.
Another big destination is Dahlak Marine National Park, which is located right off the coast of Eritrea. The island has flourishing wildlife for everyone to see. It has been abandoned ever since the Ethiopian-Eritrean war. Over 350 different species of fish reside there and people can also see the remains of a shipwreck. Scuba diving is also allowed there as well. Since it is now government regulated, it is completely safe and well kempt. It is a place that visitors in the country must go see.
Another hot destination spot is the costal city of Massawa. This original capital of Eritrea has tons of old architecture dating back to the ancient Egyptians. They also have buildings from the Ottoman Empire when they occupied the city in 1557. Massawa has beautiful beaches that sit right in the bay. There is also an Eritrean war memorial in the center of the city, commemorating their independence. Massawa is easily accessible from Asmara by train. There are also ferries that connect Massawa to Dahlak. This is one town that has beautiful sights and recreation spots.
Eritrean is a vast and majestic country. Its physical features can’t be overlooked. The country is basically split east and west by the East African Rift. The east is the hot and dry desert and the west is the temperate and fertile highlands. However the country is split into three sections including the 2 previously mentioned and costal plains, which lie through the southeastern part of the country. One important body of water is the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. The strait connects the coasts of Eritrea and Yemen.
Eritea is a thriving country with many magnificent places to see. It should be a hot destination and your next vacation.