Ethiopia is a fascinating country with a rich cultural heritage. Its history dates back to the dawn of mankind – fossilized human remains more than 3 million years old have been discovered in the country. More recently, the 2000 year old Axumite empire dominated the Horn of Africa for more than 700 years and was one of the most powerful civilizations of ancient times.
Day 01 Arrive Bahirdar (By Flight)
Arrival in Bahirdar, meet assist and transfer to hotel. After lunch, drive to the Blue Nile Falls. When you return to Bahir dar city from your visit, you will be visiting the market as well as the ex palace of Emperor Haile Silassie. Overnight at hotel.
Day 02 Bahirdar
After breakfast, Proceed to take a boat trip on Lake Tana, in order to visit the monasteries on the islands. You will spend the day on Lake Tana, you will be visiting 3 monasteries. Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 Bahirdar – Gondar(By Road) (174 kms / 03 hrs 30 min approx)
After breakfast, Proceed to Gondar. On the way, you can visit Awramba community. Once arrived in Gondar, you will start your visit with the Royal enclosure of Fasiledas, and then you will visit Debre Birhan Silassie church. Overnight at hotel.
Day 04 Gondar – Lalibela(By Flight)
After breakfast, Proceed to Lalibela. Once arrived in Lalibela, you will start your visit with the 1 st group of the 11 rock hewn church. After lunch, you will be visiting the second and the third group of the churches. Overnight at lodge.
Day 05 Lalibela – Axum (By Flight)
After breakfast, Proceed to the old city of Lalibela and get to the airport to catch your flight to Axum, the first capital city of Ethiopia, and home of the Axumite Empire. Once in Axum, start your visit with Saint Mary church, believed to be home of the Arc of the Covenant. Then you will be heading to the site where you will be visiting the obelisks. Overnight at hotel.
Day 06 Axum – Hawsein (By Road) (129 kms / 03 hrs 05 min approx)
After breakfast, Proceed to Hausein via Adwa and Adigrat. For the Ethiopians, the town of Adwa holds huge significance. It was in the hills surrounding Adwa that the Emperor Menelik II inflicted the biggest defeat ever on a colonial army in Africa and saved Ethiopia from colonization. About 11km east of Adwa is the monastery of Abba Garima, said to have been founded by one of the nine saints in the 6th century. The monastery is known for its collection of religious artifacts including three illuminated gospels from the 10th century. Use the town as the base from which to visit Yeha or Debra Damo. Yeha is famous for its huge and remarkable temple. According to the 19th-century German scholar Heinrich Miiller, the temple is thought to date back to about seven or eight hundred years before the birth of Christ. The temple is believed to be the oldest standing building in the country. Beside the remarkable temple stands a church dedicated to Abba Aftse. Abba Aftse was one of the famous nine saints who came to Ethiopia in the 6th century from the eastern Roman Empire to teach the Gospel. The church, sharing the same compound with the temple is rectangular in shape. Proceed to Debre Damo monastery accessible only by rope and not allowed for women. Then continue driving to Adigrat for lunch at a local
restaurant. Adigrat is the largest town in Tigray after Mekelle and is an important junction linking Ethiopia with Eritrea. Finally drive to Hawzen for overnight via Sinkata, situated 36km south of Adigrat. Adigrat is a quietly attractive village of stone houses with sandstone cliffs to the east offering stunning views of the Gheralta plains. You can use the town as the base from which to visit the rock hewn churches at Gheralta. Overnight at lodge.
Day 07 Hawsein – Mekele (By Road) (104 kms / 01 hrs 56 min approx)
After breakfast, Proceed to visit three churches; Abuna Yemata Guh; Maryam Korkor and Daniel Korkor. All of which are very different in style but stunningly beautiful in their own way. To visit Abuna Yemata Guh, walking for about an hour to commence a steep ascent up the side of the Gheralta massif. This steep ascent soon turn into a climb using foot holds and hand holds chipped into the sandstone rock by the passage of many hands and feet. The climb and the walk along very narrow ledges with sheer drops to the side is not one for the faint hearted. The church itself can be reached by walking out on a ledge one meter wide and with a 200m drop to the left hand side. At the entrance there is a small cave and a wooden door built into the rock. Of the three, Maryam Korkor is the most impressive architecturally. A huge, high ceiling is supported by 12 free standing pillars. Looking at it you could not help but wonder how the architect managed to carve so high from the ground. Drive to Mekele. Overnight at hotel.
Day 08 Mekele – Danakil (By Road) (606 kms / 09 hrs 51 min appx.)
After breakfast, Proceed to Erta Ale ranks one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and 1km square caldera at its summit. Erta Ale contains the world’s only permanent lava lake. It is 613 meters, with a lava lake, one of only five in the world, at the summit. It is notable for being the longest existing lava
lake, present since the early years of the twentieth century. We start early 8:00 AM, drive to Dodom (at the base of Erta Ale). This is may be one of the worst roads in the world. The 80 km distance may take about 6 hrs passing through changing landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and occasional palm lined oasis. After passing several small hamlets scattered here and there in this deserted land, you will arrive to Dodom camping site, located about 17km from Erta Ale. You will get dinner around 17:00 and trek up to Ertale at 20:00 hours. Camels will be transporting all the camping materials and some food (sleeping materials like light mattresses and mat and water) to the rim of the volcano, where we spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. You will spend the night on top of the mountain, at the rim of the Volcano. Overnight at hotel.
Day 09 Danakil
Early Morning sun rise at the northern one corresponds to the main pit crater and walk 5 minutes for the southern and central pits could either corresponds to an ancient pit, or to a simple collapse structure. The main pit-crater, 200 m deep and 350 m across, is sub circular and three storied. The smaller southern pit is 65 m wide and about 100 m deep. Descend from Erta Ale around 9 am Dodom – Leave back to Dodom after an early breakfast, if possible at 07:00. You will reach latest at 10:30 am at the camp, time to relax. After drive to reach Eript, better village with a total population about 500 people. Drive to Erbiti and proceed Abaala/ Hamed ela. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 Danakil-Mekele(606 kms/09 hrs 51 min appx.)/ Dep. Addis Ababa
Morning tour Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the localities are mining salt. Look the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, cutting in to rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity, Dallol + Lake Assal + camel caravans. Excursion to Dallol (116 meter below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world) colorful salts mining, visit Lake Assal, follow up camel caravans and walk with the Afar people. Drive back to Hamedela and proceed to Mekele.Departure transfer to onward destination.
| City | Nights | 5* Hotels | |
| Bahirdar | 02 | Kuriftu Resort | |
| Gondar | 01 | Goha Hotel | |
| Lalibela | 01 | Mountain view Hotel | |
| Axum | 01 | Sabean Hotel | |
| Hawsein | 01 | Gheralta Lodge | |
| Mekele | 01 | Planet hotel | |
| Danakil | 02 | Camp |
- Accommodation as per the program.
- Meals as per the program.
- Entrance fees
- Air Ticket for Gondar – Lalibela and Lalibela – Axum.
- Local English speaking guide.
- All transfers, sightseeing, excursions.
- All taxes
Branding
– Logo branding on Vehicles.
– Color and logo branding Merchandise.
– Departure gifts with company’s branding.
- Personal Expenses.
- Camera / Video Camera Fees.
- Medical Aid.
- Tips.
- Travel Insurance.
- Visa (If any).
– Accommodation in good hotels.
– Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
– Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost.
– Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
– A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
– If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
– Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
– In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
– In Asia, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
– While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
– Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
– In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.