Day 1

Day 1: Saturday, 25 September: Arrive Addis Ababa

Arrive in Addis Ababa (ADD), Ethiopia. Welcome to Ethiopia! Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will be welcomed and assisted by your tour guide and driver for the transfer to Panorama Hotel, a 5 star hotel located at the heart of the city. There will be a short drive to your hotel.

Addis Ababa, founded in 1886 by Menelik II, is situated at 2,500 meters (8000 ft) above sea level. The city enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25C (77F). With multiethnic population of over 5 million, Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of jacarandas, interesting museums, and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as the "Mercato".

Accommodation: Panorama Hotel-Addis Ababa.

Day 2: Sunday, 26 September: Addis Ababa-Lalibela-Meskel Eve

We will take the morning flight to Lalibela. After check in to Mountain View Hotel, we will drive to the site where we find a concentration of some of Ethiopia’s most famous rock-hewn churches, mostly referred by many as “the living wonders of the world”  These churches are, and they have been for at least 800 years, an active Christian shrine, the spiritual center of the country’s  religious life. These monolithic churches were carved out of 2,600-sq meter natural rock terrace in the 12-century AD by king Lalibela.

The rock-hewn churches that we will visit today include:  Bete Medhani Alem, Bete Mariam, Bete Meskel, Bete Denagil, Bete Golgotha Michael and Bete Giorgis. Bete Giorgis is arguable the most beautiful rock-cut church of all.

Late in the afternoon, attend Demera, which is the eve of Meskel. At the end of the tour, there will be Ethiopian traditional coffee ceremony for the group prepared at a local house. Holding a coffee ceremony is a traditional way of welcoming a guest and giving the guest the best hospitality. It’s one of the most celebrated Ethiopian traditions, and life style- in which most Ethiopians can identify themselves with. This is s great chance to be part of this unique coffee ceremony, at its birth place.

Accommodation: Mountain View Hotel-Lalibela.

Day 3: Monday, 27 September: Meskel Festival at Lalibela

In the morning, we will witness one of the most colorful festivals held in Lalibela, Ginbot Lideta. This  ceremony is performed colorfully by priests and deacons with drums and sitras wit a capacity crowd in front of the first group of rock-hewn churches. The same ceremony has been performed here on this day, centuries over centuries in commemoration of the birth our lady.

In the afternoon, we will continue our journey into Ethiopia’s long and marvelous past with a visit to other St. Lalibela’s remarkable churches-their architecture and artistry must be seen to be believed. Ones we finished visiting the second group of churches we will walk to the village through the underground tunnels to the monastery were the monks and nuns live.

The rock-hewn churches that we will visit this afternoon include: Bete Gebriel, Bete Mercorios, Bete Amanuel, Bethlehem and Bete Aba Libanos.

Accommodation: Mountain View  Hotel-Lalibela.

Day 4: Tuesday, 28 September:  Lalibela-Mekele

After breakfast, start driving north of Lalibela to Mekele through Sekota en-route visiting Yimrhane Kirstos and different villages of the Agewe tribe.

After check in to Axum Hotel and having rest; late in the afternoon drive out of Mekele town to see the camel caravan carrying slat bar from the lowest Dallol depression to the highland areas.

Accommodation: Axum Hotel-Mekele

Day 5: Wednesday, 29 September: Mekele-Hauzien

In the morning, we will drive to Hauzien en-route visit some of the most ancient Tigray rock-hewn churches including: Wikro Cherkos, Abrha We-Atsbeha, Dugum Selassie and more.

After check in the beautiful Geralta Lodge located on a hill  over looking the valleys beneath, we will drive to Mariam Kurkur, one of the most beautiful and less accessible rock-hewn churches. 

Accommodation: Geralta Lodge-Hauzien

Day 06: Thursday, 30 September:  Hauzien-Axum

In the morning, we will journey to the ancient city of Axum. While driving from Hauzien to Axum, we will visit the some of the most beautiful rock-hewn churches and monasteries including: Debredamo Monastery and the pre-Christian Yeha Temple located across the historical Adwa Mountains.

Accommodation: Yeha Hotel-Axum

Day 07: Friday, 1 October:  Axum

After breakfast, we will start to visit the ancient city of Axum. This is the birthplace of Ethiopian civilization, and by the first century Axum was a major trading center for exotic goods from Egypt, Rome, Nubia, Greece, Syria, and India.  The Holy Ark of the Covenant was brought here before the destruction of the Temple, and Axum is reputed to be the second Jerusalem.

Our visit in Axum include: the Stele Square, Kaleba Tombs, the 4th centaury Christian inscription of King Ezana, Queen of Sheba’s Palace, Archeological Museum, and Tsion Mariam Church where the original Ark of the Covenant is housed.

Accommodation: Yeha Hotel-Axum.

Day 08: Saturday, 2 October: Axum-Simien Mountains National Park

After breakfast, we drive through Ethiopia’s most scenic highland range with stunning plateax. Driving from Tekezze Valley up to the Simien Mountains National Park, nothing prepares you for the spectacular scenery that awaits at the top of the massif. The rolling grassy plateau comes to an abrupt stop, and sheer cliffs plunge almost vertically for 1,000m (3280 ft) to the plains below. The massif itself has been sculpted by 30 million years of up thrust and erosion into a wonderland of jagged ridges, pinnacles and strangely cropped conical mountains, so that looking out over the heart-stopping precipice; you feel you might just be at the edge of the world.

We will have picnic lunch under the shade of acacia trees past the Tekeze River Gorge whilst enjoying the beautiful Simien Mountains scenery across the valley. Driving from Axum to Simien Mountains, you will also en-route visit different villages and monastery churches.

At Sankaber, the heart of the Simien Mountains, you will make relaxing trek and see troops of ‘bleeding heart baboon’ the endemic Gelada Baboon, in the most dramatic sceneries of the park including Ginbar River Falls and Wolkafit mountain chain.  You will also have the chance to see different endemic mammals like the Walia Ibex around Chencek.

Accommodation: Simien Park Lodge-Sankaber.

Day 09: Sunday, 3 October: Simien Mountains -Gondar

After breakfast, we will drive down to Gondar. While driving to Gondar, we will be visiting the “Felasha” or the Black Jewish village. It is believed that the "Felashas" settled at this village during the time of King Minlik I, the son of Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.

After check in to Goha Hotel and having lunch there, we will start city tour of Gondar. Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasiledas around 1635 is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches-in particular, Debre Birhan Selassie represents a masterpiece of unique Ethiopian School of traditional art.

Today you will visit the Royal Enclosure, a walled compound having 6 different castles built from 17th century by different kings who ruled in different times, the pool of King Fasilidas which still serves as a baptismal pool during Ethiopian Epiphany and we will also visit the famous Deberberhan Sillassie adorned with brilliant frescos from inside.

Accommodation: Goha Hotel-Gondar.

Day 10: Monday, 4 October: Gondar-Lake Tana-Bahirdar

After breakfast, drive from Gondar to Gorgora through the beautiful countryside scenery of Gondar and Fogera plains. Upon arrival at Gorgora, the shore of Lake Tana, we will have a boat cruise to cross Lake Tana to Bahirdar.

While crossing the lake to Bhirdar, we will be visiting some of the ancient island monasteries of Lake Tana from 14th century. The 37 islands of Lake Tana shelter twenty monasteries-surviving remnants of an old, contemplative tradition. Because of their isolation, they were used to store treasures and religious relics from all parts of the country.  The Lake’s monasteries are famous for their typical Ethiopian religious paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and other ancient church treasures.

Accommodation: Tana Hotel-Bahirdar.

Day 11: Tuesday, 5 October:  Bahirdar-Blue Nile Falls

This morning, we will take a short drive to the majestic Blue Nile Falls. Thirty KM after it exits Lake Tana, the Blue Nile plunges over a 45m-high face to form one of the most spectacular waterfall in Africa. Walking to the fall through the beautiful river gorge on the ancient bridge from the 17th century, and meeting the local people at the small villages on the way to the fall is also a great experience.

In the afternoon, we will visit the colorful Bahirdr open air market. We will also drive to the view point, Bezawit Hill for the best view of the Blue Nile and Lake Tana combined.

Accommodation: Tana Hotel-Bahirdar.

Day 12: Wednesday, 6 October : Bahirdar-Addis Ababa

In the morning, drive to Addis Ababa through the Great Blue Nile Gorge with a brief stops at different small towns like Dejen, Chancho and Goha Tsion.

The Blue Nile Gorge is a majestic and enormous river gorge and it is one of the most captivating gorges in Africa. It has a magnificent, alluring physical feature and natural beauty.

In the evening, there will be a special Ethiopian Easter Nights, Grand Holidays’ complimentary farewell dinner party with traditional buffet and local drinks. There will also be a live cultural dance show of the different ethnic groups living in the country. There will not be any better way of ending a trip. 

Accommodation: Panorama Hotel-Addis Ababa.

Day 13: Thursday, 7 October: Addis Ababa-Departure

Today, we will have a full day city tour and sight seeing of Addis Ababa, which includes the National Museum, Ethnographic Museum, St. George Church, Merkato the largest open air market in Africa.

In the morning, we will visit the National Museum and Ethnographic Museum: The national museum: this is one of the best museums in quality and diversity of the exhibits. Archeological exhibits include the 3.5 million-year-old fossil of Lucy (or Dinkinesh – ‘thou art wonderful’- in the native language), a hominoid woman of the specious of Australopithecus Afarensis. The discovery of Lucy’s fossil in 1974 forced a complete rethink of human genealogy, providing that our ancestors were walking 2.5 million years earlier than had been supposed. The National Museum also contains many wonderful artifacts dating back to pre-Axumite civilization.

The Ethnographic Museum is very different to the National Museum, but equally absorbing, this museum exhibit, a varied array of artifacts and daily objects related to most ethnic groups in Ethiopia.

In the afternoon, we will visit, Ba’ata Church, also known as Menelik’s Mausoleum, it is one of the oldest churches in Addis Ababa. It houses beautiful paintings and the royal tombs of past Emperors. City tour of Addis will continue with Merkato, one of the largest open-air markets in the continent. We will also drive though other part of the city including Piassa and Churchill Avenue to make last minute souvenirs shopping.

In the evening, transfer to the airport for the flight back home. End of tour! 

Contact us, our friendly team of experts would be very happy to help you plan a trip of life time in this land of many wonders, Ethiopia!

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