14 Days Tour to Historic Ethiopia & Simien Mountains

Trip Duration: 13 Nights/ 14 Days                         

Domestic flight: (Addis Ababa – Gondar, Axum – Addis Ababa)

Transport: Surface with latest model Toyota minivan fitted with functioning Ac + seat belt

Þ    Morning around 09:00 AM you will get ready for sightseeing of Addis Ababa that includes; the National Museum, famous for hosting the Humanoid fossil “LUCY”, Ethnographic Museums,  Holy Trinity cathedral and

Þ    After Lunch drive to Entoto the first capital before Addis Ababa established as a center. You will visit Emperor Minilik II palace, Museum and St. Merry church.  hotel

Our representative meets and picks you from Gondar airport and Drive from Debark and proceeds to Sankaber (3250 m), Morning drive from Gondar along a short gravel road to the park headquarters. The journey will take around 20/30 minutes.

Þ    At the headquarters, we will arrange our permits to the park and pick up our scout. After that, we will drive for another hour before we start our first day introductory walk.

Þ    This first hike is an easy one along the northern edge of the escarpment with a nice viewpoint over the foothills and plains of northern Ethiopia. You will encounter gelada baboon along this hike and over nigh at Sankaber. Camping

Þ    We follow the northern escarpment eastward, before we descend a little into the Kaba Valley. After that, we climb up before we reach Gich Abyss and continue over a narrow ridge to a cliff where we have a spectacular view of the abyss towards the Simien foothills. We also find a large waterfall here, where the Jinbar River plunges 500 m into the abyss. We proceed for about two hours and have lunch at the Jinbar River.

Þ    After lunch, we walk through fields of barley before we arrive at the idyllic village of Gich. Here we can enjoy a traditional coffee ceremony in one of the huts and learn more about local farm life.

Þ    From Gich village it is a short walk to Gich camp, which is a good area to look for lammergeyer and thick-billed raven. After a relaxing afternoon, we will take a short hike up to Kedadit to enjoy sunset plus the gorgeous shaded landscapes down to the cliff side towards to the eastern direction and return to the camp for dinner. Camping

Þ    From Gich camp, we stroll through endless fields of Giant Lobelia before we reach the towering cliffs of Imet-Gogo (3926 m). Here we will spend some time to absorb the superb views over the mountain valleys below and strange shaped domes in the distance, which we will see from up close at the end of the trip.

Þ    After that, we descend into the Jinbahir River Valley. In this way we get a very different perspective of Imet-Gogo and the volcanic landscape, where it looks like big chunks of mountains have been blown away. The trail follows the edge of the escarpment, which is vertical here for several hundred meters. We climb to a summit of 4070 m where we will have lunch.

After lunch, we descend to Chenek for about two hours along a steep trail. From Chenek camp, there are spectacular views in all directions. Sit down on a bench at the escarpment and try to spot Walia Ibex in late afternoon or early morning. Sometimes Walia Ibex can be seen here.  Camping

Þ    Morning you will climb around Chenek in addition to the scenic views of surroundings including the chance to see the some of the highest mountain peaks and then back down to chenek camp where the car waiting us to pick and drive back to Gondar for about 4 hrs. Check In to the hotel and get some rest for next day sightseeing in Gondar.Hotel

Þ    Today dedicated for sightseeing of Gonder; the 16th century Royal enclosure famous for its 17^th C castles, which is known as the “African Camelot”, Fasil bath where Timkat (Epiphany) festival colorfully celebrated and one of the old churches Debre Birhan Selassie. PM is dedicated for sightseeing of Gonder; the 16th century Royal enclosure famous for its many castles, which is known as the “African Camelot” and one of the old, churches Debre Birhan Selassie.

Þ    Late Afternoon around 03:00 PM you will leave Gondar and drive over land by minivan to Bahirdar, which is some 180kms. On arrival check in to the hotel for overnight stay.  Hotel

Þ    Excursion to visit the Blue Nile Falls that takes you out of the city for a drive on a gravel road through the farmlands and small villages of the Amhara People. Meet local people on their everyday activities especially in the mill house where mostly women gather to get their grains grinded.  Retrace the same way back to your hotel for late lunch.

Þ    PM, you will have a boat trip on Lake Tana to visit the Monasteries on the islands of Lake Tana. We visit the monastery churches of Ura Kidane Mihret that is the most famous monastery and has an important collection of religious icons from the 16th to 18^th centuries. Ura Kidane Mihret, is well known for its wall paintings and small museum. Ura Kidane Mihret, are decorated from floor to ceiling with incredibly vivid images from Christian traditions. Hotel.

Þ    Morning after breakfast drive to Lalibela; en-route you will have a short visit to the Awera Amba Village.

Awera Amba village those become famous for advanced rural living style that has first started due to a philosophy of an individual in the village that has dared to change some age-old tradition like role division among different genders, many other local taboos.

Þ    Evening arrival in Lalibela and overnight at the hotel

Þ    Visit the Amazing rock churches of Lalibela rated as the eighth wonder of the world by many authors.

Þ    This day you also will meet the Amhara people, see their way of traditional harvesting.

Þ    Evening you will attend traditional coffee ceremony with Ethiopian hospitality. Hotel

Þ    Morning after breakfast you will drive to visit the two amazing rock hewn churches found on top of the mountain (Yemrehane Kirstose and Asheton Mariam). Early evening drive back to Lalibela for overnight. Hotel

Þ    Time it will take will be +- 8 hrs (with short leg stretching and photographing stops)

Þ    You will enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery.

Þ    On the way, you will meet the Amhara peoples, see how they harvest traditionally, house and village visit.

Þ    On arrival in Mekele check in to the hotel for Overnight stay. Hotel

The drive will take +- 3 hrs.

Þ    Morning after breakfast drive to visit the famous rock churches of Tigray like Abreha we Atsebeha and Wekro Cherkose.

Þ    Then retrace back to the main road and continue on the road to Axum.

Þ    Today you will also visit the Yeha Temple, the oldest surviving building in sub-Saharan Africa from 5^th century BC. Overnight in Axum. Hotel

Today you will have a full day sightseeing of:

Þ    The archeological sites and the famous stele park (one obelisk that was recently erected after being returned from Italy)

Þ    St’ Mary of Tsion (Zion) Church the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.

Þ     The Queen of Sheba is Bath (which supplies water to Axum year-round), King Bazen’s tomb, and the Queen of Sheba’s Palace. Only Men has allowed entering the old church. Hotel

Þ    A.M transferred to the airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa and on arrival in Addis, you will have a lunch somewhere at the top view to enjoy the stunning view of the city.

Þ    After lunch you will be invited to taste Ethiopian coffee at one of the coffee shop (Tommoca)

The rest of the day is at leisure or free for shopping at Mercato, the largest open-air market in Africa.

Evening a farewell dinner in one of Ethiopian traditional restaurants.

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