Northern Ethiopia Tours – 10 Days

Day 1: Addis Abeba

Visit trinity cathedral, resting place of emperor haile-selassie, visit the museum, a great introduction to ethiopian culture and history. Make a short drive to entoto hills for a view of the city and visit maryam church. En-route, stop at Sheromeda traditional cloth market. visit the mercato or the sholla market, two of addis ababa’s main markets.
Overnight: New day hotel

Day 2: Addis Abeba – Bahirdar

Fly to Bahirdar on ethiopian airlines. Take a boat tour on Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, and tour ancient monasteries on the Zege Peninsula. We will visit two of the following monasteries: Ura Kidanemehiret, Azwa Maryam, Mehal Zege Giorgis, and Bete Maryam. End the day with a sunset visit to Bezawit hills overlooking the Nile river.
Overnight: Naky hotel

Day 3: Bahirdar – Gondar

Drive through the countryside to Gondar. Tour the royal enclosure, a UNESCO world heritage site featuring five castles built by a succession of Ethiopian kings beginning in the early 17th century. Having survived several wars, including air raids during world war 2, the castles are a testament to the resilience of this once mighty empire. Visit the church of Debre Birhan Selassie, famous for its religious art and especially its iconic ceiling depicting angels.
Overnight: AG hotel

Day 4: Gondar – Simien Mountain National Parks

Morning after breakfast drive to the jagged panorama of the simien mountains national park, famed for its exclusive landscape, afro – alpine vegetation and unique wildlife, where you may spot the endemic Wallia Ibex, gelada baboon troops, bushbuck, klipspringer. then drive back to gonder.
Overnight: AG hotel

Day 5: Gondar – Lalibela

Fly to lalibela on ethiopian airlines. Tour the magnificent Rock-Hewn churches, a UNESCO world heritage site. This group of eleven monolithic churches were carved directly into the stone mountainside at least 800 years ago. This complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, a maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and fabulous examples of icon paintings. In the late afternoon, enjoy a traditional coffee ceremony and learn the process for baking injera (a staple food for much of Ethiopia).
Overnight: Panaromic View Hotel

Day 6: Lalibela

For the morning we have two options: Take a morning hike with mules to the 13th century rock-hewn monastery of mount asheton. The walk provides wonderful views of Lalibela and the surrounding countryside. Drive to Yemrehanna kristos, a beautiful church situated in a shallow cave that predates the churches of Lalibela. The drive to Yemrehanna will give you the opportunity to view the rural countryside and villages of the ethiopian highlands. Following either option above continue with tour of Lalibela’s churches in the afternoon.
Overnight: Panaromic View Hotel

Day 7: Depart to Addis Abeba

In the morning fly back to Addis Ababa and shopping at souvenir shops. Evening fair well dinner and transfer to airport for departure.

Day 8: Debrelubanos Monastery

Day Trips/outdoor From Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos Monastery – Portuguese Bridge and Jemma River Gorge.

Customizable Tours

A visit to Debre Libanos and Ras Darge’s bridge is a popular day trip out of Addis. We recommend not including the Blue Nile Gorge on a one-day tour as too much driving is involved. See our overnight tour. We will pick you up from your hotel after breakfast for an early departure (around 7.30 hours) and leave Addis Ababa to the north. We are passing through the Entoto Hills, which offer stunning views of the capital. Ample time is available to stop to enjoy the beautiful landscape, meet the people busy with their daily work and take pictures. After a two-hour drive, we arrive at Debre Libanos where we visit the church and the recently opened museum. A short, steep, path leads us to the cave where Tekle Haimanot has been praying. We enjoy a late lunch with breathtaking views over the Jemma River Gorge. After lunch, we make a short walk to Ras Darge’s bridge before we are heading back to Addis Ababa. We will drop you at your hotel late afternoon.

Day 9: Addis Abeba- Addadi Mariam Rock Church – Tiya site

This private day tour from Addis Ababa takes you through the scenic East African Rift Valley part of Ethiopia to the unique rock carved church of Adadi Mariam, ancient grave site of Tiya (UNESCO World Heritage), and experience the daily life of locals with family visit. Appreciate interesting places and activities such as the unique still operational church of Adadi Mariam which is cut out of a single piece of rock in the 13th Century AD, an ancient cemetery of Tiya, and a traditional village of the Oromo people.Enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Ethiopian part of the Great East African Rift Valley and learn also how to cook Enjera, an Ethiopian pancake. This is a Tour limited to a maximum of 6 people. This is 9-hour long tour with an English speaking guide in a private comfortable Toyota Minivan for a drive of 196 km. In the evening attends a folkloric dinner where you will have a chance to taste several national dishes and watch dances of the various ethnic groups of Ethiopia. The traditional coffee ceremony will also be served. Later you will be transferred to the airport for your departure.

Day 10: Departure

Early morning fly or Departe to Addis, transfer your hotel or airport but then if there is time do shopping and dinner, then back to airport to fly back your country.