Tour Code: ITO-100/15
Tour name; historic route north
Duration: 10 days/9 nights
Transport; flight and surface
Day 1: Arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Air port
Meet and greet by your guide at Bole International Airport. Then transfer to your chosen Hotel and relax.
Day 2: City tour in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the third highest capital of the world on an altitude of 2300-2500 m. with a pleasant climate and a background of green with eucalyptus trees covered mountains. The city was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II and Queen Taitu.
Visit the Entoto Mountains, with very nice views over the capital, the National/Ethnographic museum, St George’s Cathedral and the Mercarto, supposedly the biggest open air market in Africa. We stay overnight in Addis Ababa at your chosen Hotel.
Day 3: Fly to Bahir Dar and transfer hotel for check-in
Make a boat trip on Lake Tana to visit the medieval period island monasteries such as; Kibran Gabriel (only for men), Entos and on the Zege peninsula visit Ura Kidan Mehiret, Azuwa Mariam, Mahal Giorgis. We stay overnight in the Hotels.
Day 4: Excursion to Blue Nile Falls and in afternoon drive to Gondar
On this day after breakfast drive to Tis Isat (smoking of Fire); since a dam has been built upstream, the waterfall is reduced to a trickle in comparison to its former glory. Also the walk to the waterfall is nice and you may enjoy nature and watch birds. After having lunch drive to Gondar, 180km asphalt road via a scenic route and good landscape. We stay overnight in the Hotels.
Day 5: City tour in Gondar: This is the visit to Ethiopia’s old imperial capital. Visit the Royal Enclosure that is surrounded by high stone walls containing the 17th century palaces of King Fassiladas, King Iyasu and Queen Mentewab and different other buildings. Visit also Emperor Fasiladis’s Bath, which is found in a peaceful, shady and beautiful spot, and well worth a visit.
After lunch in the afternoon visit the rectangular Debre Brehan Selassie (Trinity at the Mount of Light), which has ceilings decorated with beautiful winged Angels, and its walls with impressive scenes depicting biblical events, including; St. Mary, the Saints, martyrs and the life of Christ.
Depending on the time you can visit also Kweskwam Complex which is a royal compound built by the Empress Mentewab.Inside the palace look out the figures of crosses and Ethiopian characters and animals, such as St Samuel riding his lion. Overnight we stay at the Hotel.
Day 6: Excursion to Debarq, 100km to visit the Simien Mountains National Park.
Finish formalities at the Head Quarters of the park at Debarq and continue to drive another 20km then make a short walk/trek. Late in the afternoon drive back to Gondar for overnight stay. Overnight we stay at the Hotel.
Day 7: Flight to Axum
Axum is a town with monuments that testify of the rich and glorious past of the mighty Kingdom of Axum (1-700 A.D.). And the town is also recorded in UNESCO lists as a World Heritage Site.
Upon arrival check in at your hotel then start to make a visit to the famous Axumite stelae, or obelisks. Visit the St. Mary of Zion church (which historically is supposed to house the Ark of the Covenant) and archeological museum, the ruins palace of the Queen of Sheba so called at Dungur.
Outside Axum you can visit also the tombs of Kings Kaleb & Gebre Meskel dating to 6th century. They are a great example of the sheer sophistication of Axumite architecture and building techniques. We stay overnight at the Yeha Hotel/Consular/Remai Hotels.
Day 8: Flight to Lalibela
Lalibela and its rock-hewn church are thought, to date from the 12th and 13th centuries during King Lalibela’s reign. The churches are remarkable, since they are entirely free from the rock, refined and concentrated in small areas.
Start to visit the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela which are clustered into three different
places separated by the so-called River Jordan. Today visit the first and the third groups of churches. We stay overnight at Hotel.
Day 9: Continue sightseeing around and in Lalibela
Make an excursion to visit Asheton Mariam by mule or drive to 45km gravel road North of Lalibela to visit Yemrehan Christos church. In the afternoon continue to visit the second groups of churches. We stay overnight at Hotel.
Day 10: Flight back to Addis Ababa and continue to make city tour
Today you have enough time left for shopping in Mercarto or in the numerous souvenir shops near Churchill road, to visit art galleries. Late in the afternoon have a fare-well dinner then check in for flight back home.