Historical Ethiopia

Day 1 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Arrive Addis Ababa; meet assist and transfer to Hotel.

Meal(s) Included: Dinner

Overnight at Ghion Hotelor Similar

Day 2 Addis Ababa

After breakfast go on a City Tour of Addis Ababa; the first stop is the scenic Mount Entoto. At 2500 m, Addis Ababa is the third highest capital in the world and Entoto is several hundred metres higher. Within Entoto’s old Imperial Compound, you will visit the churches of Mariam and the Archangel Raguel. Afterwards, stop at the National Archaeological Museum where exhibits include the 3.5 million-year-old bones of ‘Lucy’. Dinner at the Crown Hotel; enjoy fascinating performances of traditional music and dance from the different regions of Ethiopia.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Ghion Hotel or Similar

Day 3 Addis Ababa/ Bahir Dar

Transfer to the airport for morning flight to Bahir Dar, an attractive town on the Shores of Lake Tana Ethiopia’s largest lake, surrounded by Islands that are sites of of churches and monasteries. After lunch, take a boat ride to the Zeghe Peninsula, known for its 14th century, round, grass-roofed churches with their magnificent wall murals, visit The Betra Mariam and Ura Kidane Mehret Churches. In the evening stroll around Bahir Dar, popular for its markets and restaurant with traditional and modern Ethiopian music.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Kuriftu Resort or Similar

Day 4 Bahir Dar/Tississat Falls

Continue tour of Bahir Dar visit The Blue Nile Falls – known as ‘Tis Abay’ Amharic for  “smoking water”  They are situated on the upper course of the Tana River and considered  as  of Ethiopia’s best known tourist attractions.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Kuriftu Resort or Similar

Day 5 Gondar

After breakfast drive to Gondar the former Imperial Capital, visit The Imperial Compound, with the enchanting ‘Fasalidas’ castles still in good condition. There is also the bath of King Fasilides. All The Churches in Gondar were destroyed during The Mahdist Dervishes invasion in the 1800 Century s except The Debre Berhan Selassie Church,  legend has it that when the  soldiers approached the church, a swarm of bees surrounded  the compound of the church and kept them away, the Archangel Michael himself stood before the large wooden gates with a flaming sword.  The day ends with a visit to the ruined Palace of Queen Mentowab and the church of Qusquam. In the evening visit The Mini Fogera, enjoy  Asmari music and traditional dishes.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Hotel Goha or Similar

Day 6 Gondar/Lalibela

Fly to Lalibela. At the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th centuries, King Lalibela of the Zaghwe dynasty built a series of rock hewn churches, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The churches stand in two main groups on either side of a stream, known locally as ‘The River Jordan’. Upon arrival in Lalibela visit t 11 Rock strewn Churches, the most impressive being the Bet Giorgis. It is carved in the form of a Greek cross and approached through a passage in the rock. Between them, these rock-cut churches are one of the great wonders of the world. Even from the air, the churches, carved into the rugged mountainside.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Roha Hotel or Similar

Day 7 Lalibela/ Mule Trek

Continue Tour of Lalibela  visit the Monastery of Ashetun Mariam by mule enjoy the wonderful views of the surrounding countryside from its mountaintop location, continue to The Cave Church of Neakuto Leab.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Roha Hotel or Similar

Day 8 Lalibela/Axum

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Axum, the former seat of an empire that extended across the Red Sea to Arabia, traded with India and China, had its own alphabet, constructed great engineering works and, in the 4th century, was one of the four great powers of the ancient world. You can see the remarkable stelae or obelisks, which are the largest single pieces of stone standing anywhere on the world. It is still not understood how they were transported from the quarry and erected. There are also tombs and castles of former monarchs, the Axum Museum and Mariamtsion Church, built on the site of Ethiopia’s first church. A chapel within the church compound is believed by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians to house the Ark of the Covenant, or the original tablets of Moses. Your tour starts with a visit to the museum and the stelae. Then you ascend a hill to see the castle of King Kalab, passing Mai Shum (the bath of the Queen of Sheba) on the way. Coming back into town, you will see the tomb of King Basen, visit the small museum inside the church grounds (the priests may likely put on display crowns of past kings for visitors to see), and end the day with a visit to the site known locally as Queen Sheba’s Palace, although in fact it is of a later date, the villa of an Axumite notable from around the 1st century AD. The Yeha Hotel, is set on a hill overlooking the stelae field and the Mariamtsion Church.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Yeha Hotel or Similar

Day 9 Axum

After breakfast drive to Yeha, Ethiopia’s first city – settlement dates back more than 2800 years. Visit the remains of the temple dedicated to Ilmuqeh, the moon god. Next to the temple is the church of Abune Aftse, one of the ‘Nine Saints’ who did much to spread Christianity in Ethiopia. On the return journey, some 5 km out of Axum, you should have the ideal light for photographs of the “teeth of Adwa”, with its dramatic mountain backdrop.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Yeha Hotel or Similar

Day 10 Axum/Addis Ababa

Fly to Addis Ababa, afternoon at leisure, in the evening  a farewell dinner at the Crown Hotel, enjoy performance of traditional music and dance from the different regions of Ethiopia different.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Ghion Hotel or Similar

Day 11 Addis Ababa/ Departure

Day at leisure last minute shopping and packing, transfer to airport for flight back home

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast