Arrival and Addis Ababa City Tour

Addis Ababa Museum - Upon arrival at Bole International Airport, clear immigration and proceed to baggage claim. After collecting your luggage, pass through customs and the arrivals hall where a representative from FINOT TOUR ETHIOPIA will greet you and assist with your hotel transfer.

After a break in the afternoon, enjoy a half-day guided tour of the Ethnological Museum, showcasing artifacts and displays of Ethiopia’s diverse ethnic cultures and handicrafts. At the renowned National Museum, view the famous “Lucy,” a 3.2 million-year-old hominid discovered in Ethiopia’s Awash Valley in 1974. If time permits, visit the Mercato, the largest open-air market in Africa, and take a drive through it. You may also visit Ba’ata Church, also known as Menelik’s Mausoleum, one of Addis’s oldest churches, built in 1911. It houses beautiful paintings and the royal tombs of past emperors, including Emperor Haile Selassie.

Drive to Bahirdar

Blue Nile Falls - After breakfast, meet with FINOT TOUR ETHIOPIA staff (driver and guide) at your preferred departure point and time, at 7:00 am, and begin the drive northward through the Entoto hills. After driving 100 km, detour to visit the 13th-century monastery of DEBRE LIBANOS, established by Teklehaymanot, and the 16th-century Portuguese bridge. Continue driving through the stunning Blue Nile gorge, with a lunch break at Debre Markos, and proceed through the beautiful flat farming land, arriving in Bahirdar late afternoon.

Visit Bahirdar

Lake Tana - After breakfast, enjoy a boat cruise on this beautiful highland lake to see the monastery church of the beautifully decorated Ura Kidanmihret and Azwa Mariam, which welcomes both genders. Under the monastery’s thatched roof, admire distinctive colorful frescoes of religious scenes and an impressive display of illuminated bibles written in “Geez,” the religious language from which Amharic is derived. In the afternoon, take a scenic 32 km drive to the town of Tiss Abay and walk for about twenty minutes to visit the famous Blue Nile Falls, locally known as Tiss Isat, meaning “Water that smokes.” Those wishing to descend to the base of the falls must climb back to the other side and cross the Blue Nile by boat to return to the starting point.

Drive to Gondar

Fasil Ghebbi - After breakfast, drive 180 km to Gondar to tour the city known as the “Camelot” of Africa. Nestled in the foothills of the breathtaking Semien Mountains National Park in the northwestern part of the country, Gondar was Ethiopia’s capital in the 17th and 18th centuries, founded by Emperor Fasiladas (1632 – 1667). It was home to numerous emperors, warlords, courtiers, and kings who built several castles and palaces in the area. Visit the oldest and most impressive Gondarian structure, the magnificent castle compound, including the two-storied palace of Emperor Fasiladas, built of roughly hewn brown basalt stone held together with mortar. Explore the fantastically decorated Debre-brehan Silassie Church (Light of Trinity), the bath (now a baptismal site during Ethiopian Epiphany, January 19) of King Fasiladas, and the ruined palace of Queen Mintiwab at Qusquam, where the Scottish explorer James Bruce once resided.

Drive to Simien Mountain and Visit

Simien Mountains National Park - Depart early this morning to drive to Debark in the Simien Mountains. This range lies north of Gondar, with many peaks rising above 4000m, and the highest peak, Mt. Ras Dashen, at 4543m, is the fifth highest on the African continent. On the way, there may be an opportunity to visit a Falasha village. The Falasha Jews are believed to have arrived in Ethiopia 3,000 years ago during the time of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, but their history is shrouded in mystery. Translating to ‘exiled’ in Amharic, the Falasha claim to be descendants of Moses.

This afternoon, take a short hike for a couple of hours to enjoy the wilderness of this mountain region, where gelada monkeys and lammergeyer are often spotted. The mountains are marked with tracks worn by locals traveling between villages or moving their animals to fresh pastures. These tracks, combined with the spectacular scenery, make for excellent walking.

Drive to Axum

Visit Axum

The Ruins of Aksum - Spend a full day visiting Axum, the cradle of Ethiopian culture and Christianity, and the first capital of Ethiopia until the 9th century A.D. Visit the small but rich archaeological museum, the famous stele park with its magnificent single block of stones erected since the 3rd century, and the Saint Mary of Zion Cathedral, where the original Holy Ark of the Covenant is still sheltered. However, except for one guardian (priest), no one is allowed to enter the sanctuary where the ark is kept. Continue your visit to include the subterranean tomb of King Kalbe and his son King Gebremeskel, 6th Century AD, the trilingual inscription of King Ezana, and finally, visit the ruin palace and bath of the Queen of Sheba, who was the mother of King Menilik I of 950 B.C.

Drive to Hawzen

Abuna Yemata Guh Church - After breakfast, drive from Axum to Geralta, visiting the 8-5BC Temple of Yeha along the way. The temple is believed to be the oldest standing worship building in the country, dedicated to the god of the Moon, Almuqa. Proceed to the 6th-century AD famous Monastery of Debre Damo, established by Abune Aregawi, one of the nine Saints who came to Ethiopia in the 6th century during the reign of King Kaleb to spread Christianity and introduce monastic life, particularly in the northern region. The monastery is only for men and accessed by climbing a rope to the top of the plateau. If uninterested in the monastery, as it is only for men and requires physical capability, it is possible to visit the rock churches of TIGRAY (TEKA TESFA CLUSTER) upon arrival in Hawzen.

Visit Churches and Drive to Mekelle

Abuna Yemata Guh Church - After breakfast, head to the Geralta cluster to visit the rock churches of Tigray, dating back to the 6-9th century, established by the nine saints who came from Syria during the time of Kaleb and Gebremeskel, kings of the Axum dynasty. The rock churches are carved on the top of mountain facades. Today, visit the rock churches, namely Mariam Korkur in the morning and, in the afternoon, ABUNE YEMATA – the most challenging to ascend but worth seeing the surrounding mountains from the top of the cliff. Afterward, continue driving to Mekelle, visiting more rock churches of Abreha-we-Atsbha and finally Wekro Cherkos. Finally, drive to Mekelle.

Drive to Lalibela

Visit Lalibela

Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela - Spend today exploring one of the world’s most remarkable historic sites and its 11 rock-carved churches. Although rock-carved churches are found in other parts of the world, those in Ethiopia are particularly fascinating. Generally, they were excavated on all sides of a rectangle, leaving a large block of stone isolated in the center. This rock was then shaped and formed both inside and out, showcasing extremely skillful workmanship. Lalibela, the ‘New Jerusalem,’ is thought to have been constructed some 800 years ago by King Lalibela. Once his capital city, this former bustling city is today a small village, virtually cut off from the outside world.

A guide will join you both this morning and afternoon to learn about the area’s fascinating history. The exploration will include some scrambling between rocks and through tunnels. The churches stand in two main groups on either side of a stream, known locally as ‘The River Jordan,’ and are considered one of the great wonders of the world. Most of the churches now have a permanent roof built over them to preserve them and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Visit Yemrehanna Kristos Church

Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela - Overlooking the mountain of Abune Yosef, the tallest mountain in Lasta, drive this morning towards one of Ethiopia’s best-preserved late Axumite churches. Named after the 12th-century Zagwe priest-king and saint, the church of Yemrehanna Kristos is built of stone and wood inside a cave. Take a ten-minute walk uphill through a forest of juniper trees to the entrance. Besides its wondrous setting, behind the church lies a pile of mummified bodies said to be those of pilgrims and holy men. Legend has it that a door found inside this church was given as a gift by the Caliph Saladin himself during the time of the crusaders.

In the afternoon, there may be an opportunity to attend a coffee ceremony, which is very much part of the social and cultural life of many Ethiopians, before an afternoon to relax and wander around the dusty, traditional town of Lalibela.

Drive to Kombolicha

Drive to Addis Ababa

Mercato Market - Early morning, drive from Kombolcha to Addis Ababa via the scenic landscape of North Shewa, where you can see the northern rift valley escarpment. Depending on the day, visit the Bati market and the Afar people. Arrive in Addis late afternoon. Finally, enjoy a cultural dinner with a live cultural dance performance at one of the best Ethiopian traditional restaurants. Then transfer to the airport for your departure.

• Accommodations for 13 nights
• Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• 2L bottled water per person/day
• English-speaking local guides
• All fees and taxes included
• Driver allowance
• Comfort with in-vehicle air conditioning

• Private transportation
• Bicycle use
• Anything which is not mentioned on inclusion.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.