Best of Ethiopia 15 Days
Overview
This tour is an unforgettable journey through Ethiopia, a land of ancient history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant cultures. Your trip begins in Addis Ababa, where you’ll explore historic sites, museums, and bustling markets. From there, fly to Bahir Dar to discover the serene beauty of Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls. Continue to Gondar, home to majestic castles and churches, before traveling to the breathtaking rock-hewn churches of Lalibela.
Venture south to Arba Minch, where you’ll cruise Lake Chamo and meet the Dorze people, known for their unique woven houses. Dive deeper into Ethiopia’s rich cultural tapestry as you visit the tribes of the Omo Valley, including the Mursi, Hamer, and Dassanech people, each with their own fascinating traditions.
Your adventure ends back in Addis Ababa, where you’ll enjoy a farewell dinner with traditional music and dance. This journey offers a perfect mix of history, nature, and cultural encounters, leaving you with memories to last a lifetime.
Highlights
Itinerary
Price included
Price not included
Reviews
Highlights
- Explore Addis Ababa’s historic sites, including Mount Entoto and the National Museum.
- Discover the ancient rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Cruise Lake Tana and visit the Blue Nile Falls in Bahir Dar.
- Step into Ethiopia’s royal past in Gondar with its stunning castles.
- Meet the vibrant tribes of the Omo Valley, like the Mursi and Hamer people.
- Enjoy a scenic boat ride on Lake Chamo and see crocodiles & hippos up close.
Itinerary
Day 1: Addis Ababa
Be welcomed at Addis Ababa Bole international airport and transfer to hotel.
Overnight Addis Ababa.
Day 2: Addis Ababa
Begin you sightseeing of Addis with a drive up north to Mount Entoto. The panorama from the peak (3200) is breathtaking. Descending down to Addis, proceed to the Ethnographic museum, which displays a very large collection of Ethiopian crafts and items of historical interest. The National museum that houses the 3.4 million years old fossils of ‘Lucy’ (perhaps our earliest ancestor) is among other interesting archeological findings. After lunch, visit the Trinity Cathedral, the largest and most revered of all the churches, which was built in 1941. To wrap up, drive through the largest open-air market in Africa.
Overnight Addis Ababa.
Day 3: Addis Ababa – Bahirdar (flight)
Fly to Bahir Dar. You will be meet upon arrival and after checking-in your hotel, on this day you take a boat cruise on Lake Tana to visit the 14th century Monastery of Ura Kidane Mihret which is the most famous of the Zege peninsula monasteries with a very beautiful painted maqdas and priceless collection of crosses as well as crowns. Afternoon, you will drive to the village of Tis Isat to see the Blue Nile falls (please be informed that due to the newly constructed electric dam in the vicinity the water level of the falls could be very minimal).
Overnight Bahirdar.
Day 4: Bahirdar – Gondar
After breakfast drive to Gondar through the spectacular route around Lake Tana. Gondar is a town founded in 1636 by the great Emperor Fassiladas. Set in a landscape of incomparable beauty, it was the Royal Capital of Ethiopia. Visit the Castles and Churches built by Emperor Fassiladas and his descendants. Later proceed to the fascinating Debre Birhan Selassie Church its walls and ceilings decorated with scenes of Biblical lore and medieval history.
Overnight Gondar.
Day 5: Gondar – Lalibela
Drive to Lalibela via Gashena with watching countryside people & verity highland landscapes.
Overnight Lalibela.
Day 6: Lalibela
Lalibela is the jewel in the crown of Ethiopia, the home of the most famous churches and the scene of so many major religious ceremonies. Also known, as ‘Africa’s petra’, Lalibela and its rock-hewn Churches are arguably Ethiopia’s top most attractions. Visit the rock-hewn Churches. These Churches include Bete Medhane Alem, Bete Mariam, Bete Maskal, Bete Danaghel, Bete Golgotha & Bete Mikael, and Bete Giorgis.
Afternoon, you will visit the rest of the rock hewn churches of Lalibela like Bete Amanuel, Bete Markorios, Bete Aba Libanos, and Bete Gebriel-Rufael.
Overnight Lalibela.
Day 7: Lalibela – Addis Ababa (flight)
Transfer to Lalibela airport and fly to Addis Ababa. Be met up on arrival and transfer to your hotel for refreshment, evening, have a fare well dinner party at one of the best traditional restaurant where you will see the folkloric dances of the people of Ethiopia, and taste the variety of Ethiopian meals. Overnight Eliana Hotel.
Overnight Addis Ababa.
Day 8: Addis Ababa – Arbaminch
Morning, drive to the town of Arba Minch, along a very scenic route to the mountain village of Chencha, home of the Dorze people. Renowned for their cotton weaving, called Shamma and their distinctive house- towering beehive shaped structures made from woven thatch. Visit and proceed to Arba Minch.
Overnight Arbaminch.
Day 9: Arbaminch
The Nech Sar Park has a beautiful setting sandwiched between Lakes: Chamo and Abaya. Nech Sar meaning white grass, is derived from the plain where the color of the grass is golden white. The park abounds as well a great diversity of plant and bird life. Take a boat cruise on Lake Chamo. At the spot called “Azo Gebeya” or ‘crocodile market’, huge concentration of crocodiles, herds of hippo as well as many species of birds can be observed.
Overnight Arbaminch.
Day 10: Arbaminch – Jinka
Leaving Arba Minch, we drive southwards to Jinka. You visit the Konso village who live in a land of low terraced hills. They are reputed to be the hardest workers in the country. Their elaborately terraced hillside grows some of the county’s best coffee. They have an article tradition and erect peculiar totems on the grave of their deceased. We experience interesting cultural encounters meeting with different tribes along the way.
Overnight Jinka.
Day 11: Jinka – Mursi – Turmi
This day you will have an excursion to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi village. The Mursi are one of the most original ethnic groups. They live in very low huts made of straw leaves. The women like to wear terra-cotta on their enormously stretched lower lips and ear lobes. The men are famous for their hair style. Visit and drive back to Jinka for lunch. Then proceed to Turmi where the Hammer people live.
Overnight Turmi.
Day 12: Turmi – Omorate – Turmi (140kms)
After having your breakfast, you will have an excursion to Omorate to visit the Dassanech people ‘people of the Delta’, who lives on the northern shore of Lake Turkana. Visit and drive back to Turmi. In the afternoon you will visit the Hammer village. The Hammer are one of the most beautiful and dignified people in the Omo basin. The women wear elegant leather skirts festooned with tiny pearls. Elaborate hairstyles are another form of personal adornment.
Overnight Turmi.
Day 13: Turmi – Arbaminch
After Breakfast we drive back to Arbaminch, enroute we will visit Erbore and Tsemay tribes.
Overnight Arbaminch.
Day 14: Arbaminch – Addis Ababa
Today you will drive back to Addis visiting en route Tiya Stelae, declared a world heritage by UNESCO, one of eight such sites in the country. It highlights the widespread presence of mysterious engraved stelae stretching across this region of southern Ethiopia.
Overnight Addis Ababa.
Day 15: Addis Ababa
On this day after breakfast we will do something you want to do in Addis, then at night transfer to airport for your flight back to home.
End of tour.
Price included
- Meal (BLD)
- Car with fuel
- Driver allowance
- Accommodation for sharing
- Boat
- Local guide fee all destinations
- Entrance fee in the parks (SMNP)
- Sightseeing entrance
- Scout fee
- Bottle of water everyday
- Service fee
Price not included
- Domestic flight
- Tip
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Photo and Videography fee
Reviews
