11 Days Danakil Abune Yemata Lalibela and Omo Valley

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11 days (approximately)

Pickup offered

Offered in: English

The Dallol region boasts colorful sulfur springs and is near the active lava lake at Erta Ale, while vast white salt flats serve as routes for salt caravans. Below sea level, dramatic desert landscapes frame the 5th–6th century rock-hewn churches, including the iconic cross-shaped Bete Giyorgis, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features 11 medieval monolithic churches carved from solid rock and adorned with ancient, well-preserved biblical frescoes. Visitors can experience barefoot cliff climbs offering breathtaking views and engage with the living spiritual center that hosts ancient rituals and festivals. The area is also home to tribes such as the Hamar, Mursi, Karo, and Tsemay, who participate in vibrant weekly markets like Key Afer and Turmi, showcasing unique body art, traditions, and ceremonies, complemented by traditional village visits for authentic cultural encounters.

What's Included

Government taxes

Local guide

Admission fee

Entrance fee

Lunch (Optional[10])
Lunch

Dinner (Optional[10])
Dinner

Air-conditioned vehicle

Breakfast (Optional[10])
Breakfast

Chief with cooking material during camping

Scout/Police mandatory place

Plenty of Bottled water every day

Accommodation and Camping gears

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points

You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).

Pickup details:

We will have a sign of their name on board or paper.

Meeting point

AYA Addis Hotel is located on Namibia Avenue in the Atlas Area of the Bole Sub-City in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is situated approximately 3.1 kilometers from Bole International Airport. We will meet you at the Lobby of Aya hotel. We will have a sign of your name at any meeting places.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 11 days (approximately)

Day 1

Addis Ababa

1 stop

Addis Ababa

You will br picked up at bole international airport and breakfast, the city tour begins, featuring the National Museum (home of Lucy), Mercato, the old city Piazza (Piassa), St. George's Churches, Mount Entoto (Menelik's Palace), and the Ethnographic Museum and if we have time we go for walking to the street to see coffee ceremony.

7 hours • Admission ticket free

Day 2

Addis-Semera-Erta Ale

1 stop

Erta Ale

you will board ET-110 from Addis Ababa to Semera, arriving at 8:20 AM. Upon arrival, our driver and guide will greet you and begin the journey to Erta Ale via Afdera Town, covering a distance of 168 km, which takes approximately 3.5 hours. After a one-hour lunch break, you will continue to the Erta Ale campsite, expected to arrive by 4:30 PM. Following a brief rest, you will embark on a one-hour hike to the active volcano, where you will spend 1.5 to 2 hours exploring before trekking back to the campsite, which will take another 45 minutes to an hour. A fresh dinner will be waiting for you upon your return.

8 hours • Admission ticket included

Day 3

Erta Ale-Lake Assale-Hamed ela

1 stop

Dallol

you will rise at 5 AM to trek for an hour to an active volcano, where you will witness the sunrise and spend approximatelyp an hour and a half exploring the area before returning to the campsite. After breakfast, you will depart around 10 AM for Hamed Ela, a journey of 70 km that takes about three hours. Following a break until 4:30 PM, you will drive for an hour to Lake Assale to enjoy the sunset, spending two hours at the lake before heading back to the Hamed Ela campsite, where a fresh dinner awaits. You will then camp overnight.

6 hours • Admission ticket included

Day 4

Hamed Ela-Dallol-Mekele

1 stop

Danakil Depression

you will rise early at 5 AM and embark on a drive to Dallol, renowned for its striking salt formations, vibrant sulfur deposits, colorful salt flats, hot springs, and salt canyons, also known as salt mountains. The journey will take over an hour, followed by a 30-minute trek to explore the area. You will spend approximately two hours walking through the unique landscape before returning to the vehicle for another 30-minute ride back. After breakfast, you will drive to Mekele

7 hours • Admission ticket included

Day 5

Mekele-Abune yemata-Addis

1 stop

Abune Yemata Guh Church

Departing from Mekelle, the journey to Hawzen begins with a drive that leads to the remarkable Abune Yemata Guh, where a guided hike and rock climb await, allowing visitors to explore the stunning 5th–6th century cliff-top church, adorned with ancient fresco paintings and offering breathtaking views of the Gheralta landscape, a trek lasting approximately 2–3 hours. Following this adventure, a lunch break is scheduled at a local restaurant in either Hawzen or Wukro, after which the exploration continues with a visit to Wukro Chirkos, one of the oldest rock-hewn churches in Tigray, celebrated for its Aksumite-style architecture and historical importance. The return trip to Mekelle concludes around 10:30, in time to catch flight ET-191 to Addis, departing at 18:20.

8 hours • Admission ticket included

Day 6

Addis -Lalibela

1 stop

Lalibela

you will take the ET-120 flight to Lalibela, where your driver and guide will greet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. After checking in, you will explore the renowned rock-hewn churches, often referred to as the 8th wonder of the world, beginning with the Northern Cluster. You will visit Bete Medhane Alem, the largest monolithic church globally, followed by Bete Maryam, known for its stunning ceiling paintings, and other notable churches including Bete Meskel, Bete Denagel, and Bete Golgotha Mikael. After a day of exploration, you will spend the night at either Hiltop Resort or similar accommodation.