Map

Itinerary

• DayLocation Expand All
• Day 1 Addis Ababa

  On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at the GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL or similar.

• Day 2 Addis Ababa – Bahir Dar

  This morning you will fly from Addis Ababa to the lakeside town of Bahir Dar. This afternoon, you will be transferred by road to the small town of Tis Abay to visit the magnificent 100-metre wide Blue Nile Falls. Two nights at the KURIFTU RESORT AND SPA or similar. (B, L, D)

• Day 3 Bahir Dar

  After breakfast, you will be taken on a guided boat trip on Ethiopia’s largest water body, Lake Tana (3,600 sq km) to visit the monasteries of Ura Kidane Mihret and Azwa Mariam. These monasteries are known for the colourful frescoes of religious scenes and an impressive display of illuminated bibles written in Ge’ez, Ethiopia’s oldest language. In the afternoon, you will visit the bustling Bahir Dar market. (B, L, D)

• Day 4 Bahir Dar – Gondar

  This morning, you will depart Bahir Dar and travel by road to Gondar, the 17th century capital of Ethiopia. In the afternoon, visit the Imperial Castle Compound of Gondar a UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring five castles built by a succession of Ethiopian Kings. Return to the hotel via the bath of Emperor Fasilides, and the church of Debre. Birhan Selassie, famous for the exquisite faces of angels painted on the ceiling. Two nights at the GOHA HOTEL or similar. (B, L, D)

• Day 5 Gondar – Simien Mountains – Gondar

  After breakfast, enjoy a round trip from Gondar to the Simien Mountains National Park. In addition to the breathtaking scenery, the park is also well known for its unique animal and birdlife including the Ethiopian wolf Walia ibex, and the Gelada baboon. (B, L, D)

• Day 6 Gondar – Axum

  A morning flight will bring you to Axum, the capital of the ancient Axumite Empire. On arrival you will visit the Archaeological museum and the Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion, which is believed to be the last resting place of the original Ark of the Covenant. You will also visit the famous stelae field and tombs of King Kaleb and King Gebre Meskel (5th and 6th Century AD). Overnight at the SABEAN HOTEL or similar. (B, L, D)

• Day 7 Axum – Lalibela

  After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lalibela, site of the 11 monolithic rock hewn churches built in the 12th century. These amazing structures have been carved into the mountainside and are accessed by a maze of passageways and tunnels. After lunch you will visit the first group of churches. Two nights at the MARIBELA HOTEL or similar. (B, L, D)

• Day 8 Lalibela

  This morning you will travel by road to Yemrehanna Kristos, a church situated in a cave on a hillside. Priests and hermits still live at Yemrehanna Kristos and the church is a place of pilgrimage. In the afternoon, you will visit the remaining second and the third group of the churches of Lalibela. (B, L, D)

• Day 9 Lalibela – Addis Ababa

  Today, you will fly to Addis Ababa and spend the afternoon on a half-day city tour. The tour includes the National Archaeological Museum of Addis Ababa, Merkato – the largest open-air market in Africa, and a drive to Mt. Entoto for a panoramic view of the capital. This evening you will have a farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant. Overnight at the GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL or similar. (B, D)

• Day 10 Addis Ababa

  Today you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight. (B)