GOOD NEWS FOR EXPLORERS IN AFRICA

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or the past 20 years, it has been impossible to travel between Ethiopia and Eritrea. When war broke out between the two in 1998, the borders were closed, and have remained so all these years, even though the conflict ended in 2000.

Finally, in a ceremony this month, two border crossings were declared open for business. And travel experts agree this is a big deal for those who wish to explore the region by land, as it opens up the possibility of a whole new fascinating itinerary.

Lonely Planet’s Africa expert Matt Phillips says: “[It] will allow easy access to Eritrea and its fascinating capital from Ethiopia’s famed historical circuit.”

Commercial flights between Asmara, Eritrea’s capital, which was last year declared a Unesco world heritage site due to its modernist architecture, and Addis Ababa, a gateway to Ethiopia’s many historical and natural attractions, have also resumed.