13 Days Historic North
Overview
This unforgettable 13-day journey through Ethiopia, a land where ancient history and stunning natural beauty converge. This immersive tour takes you from the bustling capital of Addis Ababa, home to the ancient “Lucy,” to the tranquil island monasteries of Lake Tana and the thundering Blue Nile Falls. Explore the majestic castles of Gondar, venture into the dramatic Simien Mountains National Park to encounter unique wildlife like the Gelada Baboons, and delve into the profound historical and religious heritage of Axum, with its colossal stelae. Experience the exhilarating rock-hewn churches of Tigray’s Gheralta Mountains before culminating your adventure in Lalibela, the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” where awe-inspiring churches are carved directly from living rock, leaving an indelible impression of Ethiopia’s rich past and vibrant present.
Highlights
Itinerary
Price included
Price not included
Reviews
Highlights
- “Lucy,” visit Holy Trinity Cathedral, explore Merkato (Africa’s largest market).
- Boat trip on Lake Tana to ancient island churches, witness Blue Nile Falls.
- Explore 17th-century castles and famous painted churches.
- Trek stunning landscapes, spot unique Gelada Baboons.
- Marvel at ancient stelae, visit Queen Sheba’s Palace and historic churches.
- Discover amazing rock-hewn churches, some requiring exciting climbs.
- Explore the “8th Wonder of the World” incredible rock-hewn churches.
Itinerary
Day 1: ADDIS ABABA
Welcome to Addis Ababa! Today, we explore Ethiopia’s exciting capital city.
First, we visit the National Museum. Here, you’ll see “Lucy,” a famous skeleton that is 3.2 million years old. Lucy helps us understand where humans came from.
Next, we go to the Holy Trinity Cathedral. This is an important church with beautiful colored glass windows. Emperor Haile Selassie, a famous Ethiopian leader, is buried here.
Then, we drive up Mount Entoto. You can breathe fresh mountain air and see amazing views of the whole city.
Finally, we experience the busy Merkato Market. This is Africa’s largest outdoor market. You can buy traditional Ethiopian coffee, colorful cloth, and handmade items. It’s a great place to feel the local culture!
Overnight: Addis Ababa.
Day 2: ADDIS ABABA – BAHIR DAR (Flight)
In the morning, we take a flight to Bahir Dar.
After you check into your hotel, we will take a private boat on Lake Tana. We will visit the Ura Kidane Mehret Ethiopian Orthodox Church on the Zege Peninsula. This church was built in the 14th century, and the round building you see today is from the 16th century. Inside, you’ll see many old wall paintings (from 100 to 250 years ago).
After lunch, we drive to the village of Tis Isat to see the Blue Nile Falls. After our visit, we return to Bahir Dar.
Overnight: Bahir Dar.
Day 3: BAHIR DAR – GONDAR
After breakfast, we drive to Gondar, the 17th-century capital of Ethiopia. In the afternoon, we visit the Imperial Castle Compound, the Bath of Emperor Fasiladas, the Church of Quskuam Mariam, the residence of Empress Mintwab, and the Church of Debre Birhan Sillassie, famous for its wall and ceiling paintings.
Overnight: Gondar.
Day 4: GONDAR – SIMIEN MOUNTAINS NP – GONDAR
After breakfast, we drive from Gondar to Debark. Debark is the main office for the Simien Mountains National Park. Here, we get permission to enter the park and meet our local guide.
From Debark, we drive about 16 kilometers to the park gate. Then, we go another 6 kilometers to Buit Ras, which is the first area of the park. We will walk (trek) for about 3-4 hours to Chilkuwanit. This is one of the most beautiful viewpoints, with amazing views over the mountains.
You will see groups of Gelada Baboons, which are special monkeys found only in Ethiopia. You might also see jackals, klipspringers (small antelopes), and different birds. Afterward, we return to Gondar.
Overnight: Gondar.
Day 5: GONDAR – SIMIEN MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast, we continue our journey to the Simien Mountains National Park. We will arrive at the highest lodge in Africa around noon.
In the afternoon, after lunch, we start exploring the Simien Mountains National Park. This park is a UNESCO World Nature Heritage site because of its special landscape and unique animals. In the park, you can get very close to the friendly Gelada Baboons.
In the late afternoon, we return to the Simien Mountains Lodge. This lodge is very comfortable and has wonderful views of the Simien mountains. We will spend the night here.
Overnight: Simien Mountains National Park.
Day 6: SIMIEN MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Today, we go to Sankaber (3220 meters high) to see the amazing views and Ethiopia’s deepest waterfall, called Jinbar (which means “the gate of hell”). We will take a nice walk here for about 2 hours.
We hope to see more wild animals, like the Walia Ibex (a wild goat found only here) and the Simien fox. In the late afternoon, we drive back to the lodge and spend another night.
Overnight: Simien Mountains National Park.
Day 7: SIMIEN MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – AXUM
After breakfast, we continue our drive to Axum, with more stunning views along the way. Axum is 1637 meters high and is considered a holy city in Ethiopia. Christianity started here more than 2000 years ago. The Axumite kingdom was also the beginning of Ethiopian civilization.
Overnight: Axum.
Day 8: AXUM
Today, we’re going to explore the historic city of Axum. Our journey will take us to many amazing places. First, we’ll see the famous Axum stelae, also called obelisks. These are enormous stones that people placed there a very long time ago, and they’re the biggest single stones ever put up by humans anywhere in the world! Our tour continues at the Mariam Tsion Church, which is very special because it’s built on the exact spot where Ethiopia’s first church stood. We’ll also get to see the Palace of Queen Sheba, the home of a famous queen from history. Then, we’ll discover King Ezana’s inscriptions, which are old writings carved into stone, telling us stories from the past. Finally, we’ll visit the tombs of Kings Kaleb and Gabre Meskel, where these important kings were buried.
Overnight: Axum.
Day 9: AXUM – HAWZEN
After breakfast, we drive to Yeha. This was an old town even before Axum. It is famous for its amazing 12-meter-high stone temple, which is thought to be more than 2,500 years old.
After lunch, we continue our drive to Hawzen.
Overnight: Hawzen.
Day 10: HAWZEN
After breakfast, we drive into the Gheralta Mountains. We will visit some of the amazing rock churches of Tigray, like Marian Korkor and Daniel Korkor. These are old churches built on top of rocky mountains. We will take a nice walk to the churches with unforgettable views over the Gheralta plains.
After lunch, we visit other historical churches in the area, such as Abune Yemata Guh. To reach this church, you need to climb a rock face for about 20 minutes. It’s exciting but safe! The church is built right into a high cliff. The whole climb takes about 1 hour.
Overnight: Hawzen.
Day 11: HAWZEN – LALIBELA
After breakfast, we drive through the Wollo mountains to Lalibela. Just before we arrive in Lalibela, we will visit the Yimrehane Christos Monastery, which is from the 11th century. We will reach Lalibela in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Lalibela.
Day 12: LALIBELA
Today, we visit the 11 famous rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, also called the “8th wonder of the world.” The Lalibela churches are carved directly out of the solid rock. They are huge and seem almost impossible to build! Some are carved from one big rock, and others are connected by long underground tunnels. Some are caves that were made bigger.
The first group of six churches sits together: Bet Golgotha, Bet Mikeal, Bet Mariam, Bet Maskel, Bet Dangal, and Bet Medhanealem. Bet Medhanealem is the largest rock-hewn church in the world and looks like a Greek temple.
After lunch, we visit the second group of churches, located south of the Jordan River. This group includes Bet Giyorgis, which is possibly the most beautiful of all the Lalibela churches. Bet Giyorgis is a little separate from the others, on a sloping rock terrace. You can only reach it through a tunnel. The other four churches south of the Jordan River are Bet Emanuel, Bet Mercurios, Bet Aba Libanos, and Bet Gabriel and Rufeal. Bet Emanuel’s detailed outside has been praised by many art experts.
Overnight: Lalibela.
Day 13: LALIBELA – ADDIS ABABA (Flight)
Today, we take a flight back to Addis Ababa. Depending on the flight time, we might visit the Ne’akuto Le’ab Monastery just outside of town.
When you arrive at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, you will be taken to your hotel. If you are interested, there are many places to see and shop.
In the evening, you will enjoy a special farewell dinner at one of Addis Ababa’s traditional restaurants. You’ll experience cultural songs, dances, and traditional Ethiopian food and drinks. Afterward, you will be taken to Bole International Airport for your departure, or to your hotel if you are staying longer in Ethiopia.
Overnight: Addis Ababa or Departure.
Price included
- Meals
- Car with fuel
- Driver allowance
- Accommodation for sharing
- Boat
- Local guide fee all destinations
- Entrance fee in the park (SMNP)
- Sightseeing entrance
- Scout fee
- Bottle of water everyday
- Service fee
Price not included
- Domestic flight
- Tip
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Any service not mentioned in the “Price included” section
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