Ultimate Historical Exploration of North Ethiopia

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival and Addis Ababa City Tour
2 stops
1
Addis Ababa Museum
The tour starts with a pick up from the airport, and then drive to the National Museum of Ethiopia for visiting the long-age history of Ethiopia and the oldest human ancestor, Lucy. Set within Haile Selassie’s former palace and surrounded by the beautiful gardens and fountains of Addis Ababa University’s main campus is the enthralling Ethnological Museum. Even if you’re not normally a museum fan, this one is worth a bit of your time – it’s easily one of the finest museums in Africa. Before lunch, drive to Holy Trinity Cathedral Church which has unique architectural style.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
2
Mount Entoto
Immediately after a relaxed lunch, drive up to the Entoto Mountains, the best location to observe the panoramic view of the capital. It is also a historical place where Menelik II resided and built his palace. It is notable as the location of a number of celebrated churches, including Saint Raguel and Saint Mary (Maryam Church). The return drive will be via Piazza with en-route visit to St. George Church and Menelik II Square towards the largest open air market, Merkato.
3 minutes • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Drive to Bahir Dar
1 stop
3
Debre Libanos
Early in the morning, drive to Bahir Dar, en-route visit Blue-Nile Gorge and Debre Libanos monastery. If you think the Grand Canyon is impressive, compare it to its African cousin – the Blue Nile Gorge. Situated 210 km north of Addis Ababa and being about one mile wide and deep, the Blue Nile Gorge is one of the most spectacular gorges in the world. After 100 km drive on the way lays the renowned monastery of Debre Libanos, founded in the 13th century in a magnificent 700m-deep canyon.
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
Bahir Dar boat trip and drive to Blue Nile Falls
2 stops
4
Lake Tana
Morning, you will have a boat trip on Lake Tana. On Lake Tana, there are 37 islands and 32 of them having churches and monasteries of considerable historical and cultural interest. We visit the monastery church of Ura Kidane Mihret, which is the best known of the monasteries and has an important collection of religious icons from the 16th to 18th centuries A.D.
4 hours • Admission ticket included
5
Blue Nile Falls
In the afternoon drive to the Blue Nile Falls, this is known locally as Tissisat (smoking waterfall): 100 m (328 ft) wide, the water plunges for 45m, giving rise to steam clouds and rainbows. Early in the afternoon drive back to Bahir Dar and finish the day with a lovely sunset over Lake Tana.
4 minutes • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Drive to Gondar
2 stops
6
Fasil Ghebbi
After lunch, we will visit Gondar, the first capital city with the reign of Fasilides. In Gonder, there are a dozen castles built by various emperors over the course of 236 years. The city seems more of European than African origin. we visit Fasiladas' Palace, probably the most impressive of all the castles found in the area and the oldest one!
6 hours • Admission ticket included
7
Debre Birhan Selassie Church
We continue going to the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie (Light of the Trinity). The interior is decorated with beautiful frescos, cherubs and paintings. Debre Berhan Selassie is rumored to once having been the proposed final resting-place of the Ark of the Covenant of the Ethiopian Empire, which began in 1632.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 5
Drive to Simien Mountains National Park
1 stop
8
Simien Mountains National Park
After breakfast drive to Simien Mountain National Park. Debark is a small market town at an altitude of 2700 meters close to the boundary of the Simien Mountains National Park. Corrugated–iron–roofed buildings surround the colourful and busy market area. Before entering the park, you have to register at the park headquarters just outside town. Here, armed scout – one of the park regulations, joins you. Then drive to Sankaber for the best view. En route, pass through pretty country, the foothills of the Semen Mountains, with carefully tended field, open pasture with grazing horses, stands of trees and distant rocky peaks. At the high point of the road, there are superb views across the weirdly eroded foothills of the range and you may also be lucky enough to spot you first Lammergeiers and Gelada Baboons of the trip.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 6
Debark-Chennek
1 stop
9
Simien Mountains National Park
A further 24km takes you to the Chennek campsite, passing through the Kurbet Metaya viewpoint (500m before the campsite). Once you pass Kurbet Metaya keep your eyes peeled for the Walia ibex. Continue 2km to one of the highest peaks in the Simien Massif: Mount Bwahit at 4,200m. Drive along the foothills through a valley crossed by wild streams. The road then descends from the plateau passing through spectacular scenery. Look for the Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 7
Drive to Axum
2 stops
10
Axum
Here you will enjoy driving across Simien Mountain National Park and the fascinating river basin of Tekeze, one of the biggest rivers in Ethiopia. After lunch in Axum, you will have a city tour in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Legends narrate in the Kebra Nagast (Book of Kings) how the city of Axum as early as the 10th century B.C. was already the city where the Queen of Sheba resided. It is told that the son of Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, Menelik, brought the Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Axum and it remained there to this day, preserved in a sanctuary. Famous long before the time of Christ, Axum was the capital of the long Axumite reign, one of the oldest African empires and represented a crucial trade connecting-point between Africa and Asia for almost a thousand years.
4 hours • Admission ticket free
11
Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion
After Noon, Visit the Granite stone Stele of Axum, the Tombs of King Kaleb and his son King G/Meskel, the Ezana’s stone inscriptions, Queen of Sheba’s palace and Swimming pool, and the Church of Zion, the final resting place of the True Ark of the Covenant.
2 minutes • Admission ticket included
Day 8
Fly to Lalibela and Exploring Lalibela
1 stop
12
Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
The Rock-Hewn Ethiopian orthodox Christian churches of Lalibela, are one of the eighth wonders of the world. It’s a collection of churches, some connected by fascinating internal channels, with hermit holes where people lived and died. The connecting walls are full of religious symbols. The city contains 11 monolithic churches that were built in the 12th century. Some are beautifully painted inside. Visit the first and the third group of churches, they include seven rock churches. After lunch visit the second group of four rock churches.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 9
Excursion to Genete Mariam and Village tour
1 stop
13
Genete Mariam Rock Church
The morning a few miles drive will take you to a nearby church called Genete Mariam. This church is one of the most interesting outlying churches, a large monolith carved into a pink-tinged outcrop near the source of the Tekeze River. Supported by pillars, the church is very different from any of the excavation in Lalibela that it is not hidden within a trench, but carved openly on a rocky hilltop – though the cover of scaffolding rather detracts from the impact of seeing from afar according to tradition Genata Mariam was excavated during the reign of Yekuno Amlak, the king who 'restored' the Solomonic line in the early 13th century. On your way back to Lalibela, you will have a stop for an authentic village tour. During the visit, you will have the chance to see how injera(Ethiopian pan cake ) is baked, local beer is brewed, typical family coffee celebration, and more.
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 10
Lalibela-Hudad
1 stop
14
Hudad
Early morning, start walking from Lalibela town to make use of the cooler morning hours during the 2,5 to 3,5 hour (depending on your fitness) walk up to the plateau where the Hudad Lodge is situated. Once you reach Hudad you are going to be rewarded with splendid views of the landscape. After lunch, it's time to relax and go for a walk near to your lodge to meet the local farmers and enjoy the mountain scenery.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 11
Trek to Mekina Medhane Alem
1 stop
15
Lalibela
Mekina Medhane Alem is a built up cave church; the decorated interior displays geometric patterns and many old paintings. The church was built in the 6th century. Although an example of Axumite wood and stone construction, the church exhibits a unique modification: polished wall sections of leveled-off rubble between layers of dressed blocks of reddish tuff. You can admire the portrayals of saints as well as the sun and the moon symbols above the main entrance.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 12
Mekina Medhane Alem-Lalibela
1 stop
16
Lalibela
You will have a leisure evening at your hotel upon arrival in Lalibela from your last community trek Mekina Medhane Alem.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 13
Fly back to Addis Ababa and Departure
1 stop
17
Addis Ababa
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred Lalibela Airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa. Based on your interests and international departure times, we can arrange you a quick tour and shopping session in the capital. The tour ends with a drop off at Bole International Airport for your flight.
4 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

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