8 Days Northern Ethiopia Tours: History, Nature & Rock-Hewn Churches
Tour Highlights
- Discover Addis Ababa highlights, including the National Museum (home of Lucy) and the vast Merkato.
- Explore Lake Tana by boat, visiting medieval island monasteries like Ura Kidane Mihiret.
- Witness the majestic Blue Nile Falls, known locally as Tissisat (Smoking Water).
- Step back in time at Gondar’s Royal Enclosure, featuring 17th-century castles like Fasilidas’ Palace.
- Marvel at the intricate frescoes of the Debre Berhan Selassie Church in Gondar.
- Trek and spot the endemic Gelada Baboons in the stunning Simien Mountains National Park (UNESCO).
- Visit the ancient city of Axum, the heart of one of Africa’s oldest empires, and its towering obelisks (stelae).
- See the legendary St. Mary of Zion Church in Axum, believed to house the Ark of the Covenant.
- Explore the extraordinary rock-hewn churches of Lalibela (UNESCO), carved from solid rock in the 12th century.
- Admire the unique architecture of Bet Giyorgis, Lalibela’s most iconic church.
Day 1: Arrive in Addis Ababa
Arrive at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) and transfer to your hotel. Settle into your accommodation and enjoy your first traditional Ethiopian meal.
Day 2: Addis Ababa City Tour
After breakfast, discover the city’s highlights. Visit the National Museum to see the 3.2 million-year-old hominid skeleton, Lucy. Explore the ornate St. George’s Cathedral, and experience the hustle and bustle of Merkato, Africa’s largest open-air market. Conclude the day with a panoramic view from Mt. Entoto. Enjoy an optional evening of local entertainment (depending on the day of the week).
Day 3: Bahir Dar: Boat Cruise & Blue Nile Falls
After breakfast, take a short flight to Bahir Dar (or a scenic overland drive). Check into your hotel, then embark on a boat cruise on Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake. Visit historical island monasteries, including Ura Kidane Mihiret and Azwa Mariam, renowned for their colorful murals and religious icons. In the afternoon, drive to the famous Blue Nile Falls (Tissisat), take a short trek, and cross the Blue Nile by boat.
Day 4: Gondar: African Architecture Adventure
Take a short flight or a three-hour drive to Gondar, the 17th-century capital of the Ethiopian Empire. Visit the Royal Enclosure, featuring a dozen castles built by various emperors, including the impressive Fasilidas’ Palace. Continue to the Bath of Fasiledes and the beautiful Debre Berhan Selassie Church, famous for its ceiling adorned with paintings of cherubs.
Day 5: Simien Mountains National Park
Drive approximately 1.5 hours to the Simien Mountains National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The Simiens are Ethiopia’s scenic masterpiece, part of an extensive central plateau with peaks over 13,000 feet (4,000 m). Enjoy a trek where you will almost certainly encounter large troops of the endemic Gelada Baboons (Bleeding Heart Baboons).
Day 6: Axum: Oldest African Empire
Drive 1.5 hours back to Gondar airport and take a short flight to Axum (or a 5.5-hour scenic drive). Axum was the capital of the Axumite Empire, one of Africa’s oldest. Visit the famous granite stelae (obelisks), dating from pre-Christian times, and the Church of St. Mary of Zion, which is traditionally believed to house the Ark of the Covenant.
Day 7: Churches of Lalibela
Take a morning flight (approx. 40 minutes) to Lalibela. This city contains 11 monolithic churches (UNESCO World Heritage Site), carved from single blocks of pink granite in the 12th century. Explore the clusters of churches, including the largest, Bet Medihanialem, and the most iconic, the cross-shaped Bet Giyorgis. Spend the afternoon exploring the different groups of rock-hewn churches, admiring the superb carvings and well-preserved paintings.
Day 8: Goodbye Ethiopia
After breakfast, transfer to Lalibela Airport for a short flight to Addis Ababa International Airport (ADD) to connect with your international flight home.
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