Aksum: When is the best time to visit?

The best time to visit is October – February.

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Aksum

Ethiopia · Tigray · 2131 m

Short description of Aksum

Aksum was the capital of a Red Sea trading empire that minted its own coins and took up Christianity in the fourth century, and its rulers marked their graves with carved granite obelisks made to look like tower houses of many storeys. The tallest one standing runs to twenty three metres. The largest ever quarried lies broken where it fell. A guarded chapel beside the church of Saint Mary is said to hold the Ark of the Covenant, shown to nobody but its keeper. The war and the political standoff that followed it have closed the town to travellers.

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Travel seasons at a glance

Best time to visit: October – February

All highlights and sights

The northern stelae field
The stele of King Ezana
The chapel of the Ark beside Saint Mary of Zion
The obelisk returned from Rome
The fallen great stele
The treasury museum of Saint Mary of Zion
The archaeological museum
The trilingual inscription of King Ezana
The bath called Queen of Sheba's pool
The ruins called the palace of the Queen of Sheba
The tombs of Kaleb and Gebre Meskel
The monastery of Abba Pentalewon on its pinnacle
The Hidar Zion pilgrimage (November)
The temple of Yeha(Day trip)
The cliff monastery of Debre Damo(Day trip)

Ways to get there and away

Airports nearby:: AXU Axum Airport (Axum) · 5.6 km northeast(recommended)
MQX Mekele Alula Aba Nega Airport (Mekele) · 113 km southeast
ASM Asmara International Airport (Asmara) · 132 km north
Nearest seaport:: ferry port near Massawa · 182 km northeast