Southern Tigrai, pervades a mountainous landscape that falls west to impregnable side and east embrace the Azebo valley. The vicinity is marked by notable nature and man-made attractions.

The town of Korem, 160 km south of Mekelle, has its outskirts dotted with breath taking sites such as Lake Hashenge, Mefisas Bahire (an archaeological site), Higumbrida and Girakahisu forests as well as Holla waterfall.

Lake Hashenge, found displaced into bowl-shaped form, measuring about 400 acre and 14 meters deep, is important bird ground.

The lake surrounded by a pasture interchanged by crops has its southern bank spotted with primitive forest covered hill caped by an old church called Mariam Adigolo. The mountains embracing the water are partitioned into plots of farmland and cluster of villages. More important, the vicinity seems to have attracted early settlement for its archaelogical site called Mefisas Bahire which holds up finely hewn pillars recalling the Aksumite Architecture.

The hill that embraces lake Hashenge in the east turns to a rolling land mass covered mostly with natural forest. The woodland, called Higubirda, covers about 2500ha.

A gently stony slope that embraces the town of Korem in the east falls towards a river escorted with many outcrops whose sides carry cultivations. The rises capped with a cluster of villages add color to the attraction of the vicinity.

The river, before plunge farther east, is checked by a series of three Cataracts. The one that comes in between is so unique to cause a surprise. The waterway flowing for many generations has pierced a rock bed to fall through into a ditch-like cave. The waterfall called Holla is nearly 10 meters high. The river continues its course down a deep gorge full of boulders. The site is frequented by rare white-collared pigeons. It is about 30 minutes walk from the town.

On the southern edge of the town is the forest-covered cliff of Girakahisu found flanked between other gigantic mountains. The Mekelle-Addis Ababa road twists a lot to touch the plain. A caravan of motorcars rolling up and down the steep gradient adorns the charm.

The Azebo valley is another off one's regard environment. The plain has people who mostly depend on agriculture. Few individuals are skilled in shoe and cloth fashioning. The inhabitants, who also rear animals, are famous for their costumes and Gidil. The later is a type of modern wrestling

The rift, flanked between cairn of mountains, is dotted with villages-capped hills and patches of forest mainly of acacia as well as fig trees. The plain receives little rain during spring when the trees yield fleshy fruits edible nuts. This draws various bird species into the plain migrants also horde the forest.

Travel over this plain thus offers an opporturnity to watch birds of different nature. A tourist may see rare species like Hardoods francolin, Black-headed siskin, Black-winded love-bird, white-collard-winged love-bird, white-cockoo, yellow wagtail, Great spotted cuckoo, ortlan Bunting, Erusian and Red-backed shrike.

This is an archeological site in southern tigrai near to lake hashenge.