14 Days Northern Ethiopia Tour Package (Danakil, Gondar, Axum and More)

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Fly to Bahir Dar
2 stops
1
Lake Tana
Early in the morning fly to Bahir dar, set out for a bought trip on Lake Tana to see beautiful island monasteries and their Valuable treasures which include biblical wall paintings, ancient illuminated parchment books, superb crosses etc.
4 hours • Admission ticket included
2
Blue Nile Falls
In the afternoon drive to magnificent Blue Nile falls; it’s about 400 meters wide with full flood
3 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Drive to Gondar and have a city tour
2 stops
3
Fasil Ghebbi
After breakfast drive about 2-3 hours to north Gondar. Then visit the Royal enclosure with its magnificent castles dated from the 17th century (listed as a world heritage sites)
3 hours • Admission ticket included
4
Debre Birhan Selassie Church
Then visit the remarkable church of Debrebirihan Selassie with it beautiful wall and ceiling paintings, the bath of king Fasiladas (which still go on today. Once a year it’s filled with water for the Timket celebration.)
3 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 3
Drive to Simien Mountain National Park
1 stop
5
Simien Mountains National Park
Early morning we drive along a good paved road from Gondar to the park headquarters in Debark, the 100 km journey will take around two to three hours. At the headquarters we will arrange our permits to the park and pick up our scout. Here we obtain a permit from the Park headquarters and collect our obligatory scout before continuing to Sankabar (3250m ASL) for the first overnight camp. After that we will drive for another hour before we will start our first day introductory walk. An early start is needed as the drive from Gondar takes a 2-3 hours. The trek begins at Buytras (Simien Lodge), taking about 3 – 4 hours to walk to the Sankabar campsite is usually possible. During the walk there’s a good chance of seeing your first Gelada baboons.
7 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Sankabar to Geech
1 stop
6
Simien Mountains National Park
In the morning we will walk to Geech via the spectacular Jinbar waterfall and continue over a narrow ridge to a cliff where we have a spectacular view of the abyss towards the Simien foothills. We also find a large waterfall here, where the Jinbahir River (which feeds the waterfall) plunges 500 m into the abyss. Having finished enjoying and taking pictures around the fall, a short ascent remains to Geech village. A short distance beyond Geech village is the camp site. The camp site has great views of the mountains and is characterized by giant lobelia plants. The nearby Kedadit summit provides one of the best places to see the sun set. The camp site is situated at 3600m ASL.
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 5
Geech to Ambaras to Axum
1 stop
7
Simien Mountains National Park
We trek from Geech to the Imet Gogo promontory, for one of the most spectacular views in the whole mountain range. This is a great day for seeing the magnificent Lammergeier vultures. From Imet Gogo we trek back to the road near a village called Ambaras and meet the car for the drive back to Axum. The trek will last approximately3-4 hours
4 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 6
City tour in Axum
1 stop
8
The Ruins of Aksum
Today you explore Axum. Axum is undoubtedly one of the most important and spectacular ancient site in sub Saharan Africa. Register to world Heritage Site. visit the famous stele park with its ancient huge monolithic obelisks, ruind palaces of different Axumite kings including that of the ruined palace the queen of sheba, ancient stone inscriptions, tombs, the small but rich archeological site museum of Axum and the church of st.mary of zion where the home of original Arc of covenant.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 7
Drive to Hawzen
2 stops
9
In the morning after breakfast you will visit Yeha temple. After that proceed to rock hewn churches of Tigray, such as Abraha Atsbeha (perched on the side of a cliff) and Chirkos
2 hours • Admission ticket included
10
In the morning after breakfast you will visit Yeha temple. After that proceed to rock hewn churches of Tigray, such as Abraha Atsbeha (perched on the side of a cliff) and Chirkos
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 8
Hawzen to Mekele
1 stop
11
Abune Yemata Guh Church
In the morning your driver will pick you up from your Hotel. Then you will visit Abuna Yemata Guh; to visit this church, one should walk for about an hour to commence a steep ascent up the side of the Gheralta massif. This steep ascent soon turn into a climb using foot holds and hand holds chipped into the sandstone rock by the passage of many hands and feet. The climb and the walk along very narrow ledges with sheer drops to the side is not one for the faint hearted. The church itself can be reached by walking out on a ledge one meter wide and with a 200m drop to the left hand side. At the entrance there is a small cave and a wooden door built into the rock.
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 9
Drive to Danakil
1 stop
12
Danakil Depression
We start our day by driving to Erta Ale (which means smoky mountain in Afar language). Erta Ale ranks one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and 1km square caldera at its summit. Erta Ale contains the world’s only permanent lava lake. It is 613 meters, with a lava lake, one of only five in the world, at the summit. It is notable for being the longest existing lava lake, present since the early years of the twentieth century. (May not be as active as before and activity at flank eruption slows down.)
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 10
Lake Afrera/ Dallol
1 stop
13
Erta Ale
We start early 9:00 AM, drive to Dodom (at the base of Erta Ale). This is may be one of the roughest roads in the world. The 80 km distance may take about 6 hrs passing through changing the landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and occasional palm-lined oasis. Dinner will be served around 17:00 o’clock. After a short break, 30 minutes trek up to Ertale. Camels will be transporting all the camping materials and some food (sleeping materials like light mattresses and mat and water) to the rim of the volcano, where we spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. You will spend the night on top of the mountain, at the rim of the Volcano
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 11
Dallol to Mekele
1 stop
14
Erta Ale
Early Morning sun rise at the northern one corresponds to the main pit crater and walk 5 minutes for the southern and central pits could either corresponds to an ancient pit, or to a simple collapse structure. The main pit-crater, 200 m deep and 350 m across, is sub-circular and three-storied. The smaller southern pit is 65 m wide and about 100 m deep. Descend from Erta Ale around 9 am Dodom – Leave back to Dodom after an early breakfast, if possible at 07:00 o’clock. You will reach the latest at 10:30 o’clock at the camp, where you will be relaxing. As soon as possible, drive to reach the mythical Lake Giulietti (or Lake Afrera)(optional may not be available during summertime), a saltwater lake located more than100 meters below sea level, in one of the deepest depressions of the planet. Continue to Erbiti and precede Abaala/ Hamed Ela then Mekele.
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 12
Drive to Lalibela
1 stop
15
Lalibela
Early in the morning you will drive to Lalibela. Lalibela contain 11 monolitic churches that where built in the 12th century and carved out of the pink granite rock; they have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The drive takes 8 hours.
Admission ticket free
Day 13
Visit the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela
1 stop
16
Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
An early morning after breakfast takes you to the first compounds of Lalibela rock-hewn churches, and afternoon you will visit the second compounds of Lalibela rock-hewn churches.
7 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 14
Lalibela to Addis Ababa
1 stop
17
Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
Early in the morning, you will be at one of the main of the churches of Lalibela to attend the religious ceremony where many Local people gather on Saturdays and Sundays to attend the Sabbath Festivity and say their prayers. Transfer service will be provided at 5:30 am to Lalibela Airport for your return to Addis Ababa. In the evening you will have a farewell dinner at one of the traditional restaurants in Addis Ababa. End of service
2 hours • Admission ticket included

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• 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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