17 Days northern ethiopia tour
Day 1,
Arrival Bole International Airport will meet all clients arriving at the airport regardless of arrival time. For morning flight arrivals you may begin your tour after checking into your hotel. For afternoon or evening arrivals, you may begin your tour the following day. Addis Ababa Visit the Ethnographic Museum, a great introduction to Ethiopian culture and history. Visit the Mercato, one of Africa's largest outdoor markets, and Trinity Cathedral, resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie. Overnight hotel
Day 2,
Addis Ababa - Bahar Dar Fly to Bahar Dar on Ethiopian Airlines. Visit the marketplace in Bahar Dar. Take a boat tour on Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, and tour ancient island monasteries. Overnight Hotel
Day 3,
Bahar Dar - Gondar Drive through the countryside to Gondar. Tour the Royal Enclosure, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring five castles built by a succession of Ethiopian Kings beginning in the early 17th century. Having survived several wars, including air raids during World War 2, the castles are a testament to the resilience of this once mighty African Empire. Visit the church of Debre Birhan Selassie, famous for its religious art and especially its iconic ceiling depicting angels. Overnight Hotel .
Day 4,
Gondar drive to Sankaber via Debark where the park’s entrance fee is paid, and obligatory staff are met. You will be dropped of at Buyit Ras for a 3-4 hours hike to Sankaber by which you will pass close to the escarpment edge. Nearing Sankaber, you will have beautiful views on both sides of the escarpment ridge and where you will likely see the endemic Gelada baboons. Here, the driver will back to Gondar until the last day you finish the hiking. Over over night camping
Day 5,
The trek starts with a gentle stroll through the Erica heather that hangs on white lichen and mosses, resembling an old man’s white beard. Along the route keep an eye open to spot the elusive and elegant klipspringer. After 2-3 hours, you will reach the viewpoint where you encounter the seasonal and impressive Jinbar waterfall. From there, you climb fairly steeply for an hour to reach the Jinbar valley and head down to the Jinbar River at 3,190m. Have a picnic lunch in these majestic surroundings. On the way, keep an eye open for the rare and graceful lammergeyer, soaring in search of food. After a brief rest at the river ascend gradually on an undulating trail for 2-3 hours to the village of Gich - dotted by the traditional round thatched huts and home to the Muslim community. After the village, the trail then winds its way into the moorland where visitors will experience the highland flora of giant lobelia as you arrive at Gich camp.
Day 6,
The trek begins by ascending gradually for about 2 hours through the Afroalpine meadows. Next, you descend to where you’ll have impressive views of the gorge below Imet Gogo. The trail then winds its way to the lowest point and begins ascending to the peak Inateye (which means beloved mother in Amharic). You ascend fairly steeply at first for an hour and then more gradually for another hour to the highest point of the day at Inateye (4,070m). This area is an outstanding place to view birds, particularly raptors. Many interesting species can be seen here, among which are the tawny eagle, lammergeyer and augur buzzard. Here you have a rewarding view of the Imet Gogo summit, Bwhait pass and the surrounding escarpment and mountains. After a brief rest and lunch in this majestic spot, begin your 2-3 hour descent to the camp. About 10-20 minutes before reaching camp stop at Kurbete Metaya to get the final and excellent view of the day’s trek and look for the first sighting of the cliff specialist walia ibex. Also keep your eyes peeled for geladas. Animals at this campsite have become accustomed to humans - please keep a distance and do not feed any of the animals.
Then drive to debarik. Over night hotel
Day 7,
Simien Mountains - Axum Take a scenic drive to Axum, capital of the ancient Axumite Empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Frequent stops at viewpoints along the way. Arrive in Axum late afternoon. Overnight Hotel
Day 8,
Today will be a full day visiting the sites of Axum, including the famous obelisks (one that was recently erected after being returned from Italy) and the archeological museum, the Queen of Sheba’s Bath (which supplies water to Axum year-round), Ezana’s enscription, King Kaleb’s tomb, King Bazen’s tomb, and the Queen of Sheba’s Palace. You can also visit the St. Mary of Zion church, where the Ark of the Covenant is kept. Men only are allowed to enter the old church. Unfortunately, no one (except one specially chosen guardian monk) is allowed to enter the chapel where the Ark is kept. Overnight Axum.
Day 9,
Axum - Hawzein Drive to the Hawzein passing the Adwa battlefield, site of Emperor Menelik II's 1895 victory over the invading Italians. Visit the 2,500 year old ruins of Yeha, an ancient moon temple. Continue past Adigrat and visit Aba Gerima and Petros Paulos, two of the Tigray region's oldest and finest rock churches. Overnight Hotel budget hotel
Day10,
Hawzein - Mekele Visit more of Tigray's remote and ancient rock-hewn churches: Abraha Atsbeha, dating from the 10th century; the beautiful Wukro Chirkos; and Medhane Alem Kesho. Drive to Mekele. Overnight Hotel hotel
Day11,
Mekelle – Volcano
We drive from Mekelle to – Dodom the beginning to discover danakil depression. We start early drive to Dodom (at the base of Erta Ale). Leave after an early breakfast, possible at 07:30. This is may be one of the worst roads in the world. The 70 km distance may take about 5 hrs passing through changing landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and occasional palm lined oasis. After you pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert land, Dodom is about 9.5km from Erta Ale and it takes about 3 hrs trekking. Early dinner around 17:00 and trek up to Erta Ale at 20:00 hours. Camels transport all the camping materials and some food (sleeping materials like light mattresses and mat and water) to the rim of the volcano, where we spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. Danakil depression (dallol and Erta Ale) ranks one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and 1km square caldera at its summit. Erta Ale contains the world’s only permanent lava lake. Erta Ale is 613 meters, with a lava lake, one of only five in the world, at the summit. It is notable for being the longest existing lava lake, present since the early years of the twentieth century. over night camping on the top of the mountain
Day12,
ErtaAle-HamadEla
waking up early ErtaAle -Dodom Leave back to Dodom you will reach latest at 8.00 am at the camp , after breakfast time to relax. then drive to HamadEla 100km, picnic lunch on the way on shed of palm tree, reach HamadEla 04:30, better village with a total population about 500 people. You will see lots of camel caravans and you will have the sun set look from the very shallow salt lake Assale. Overnight camping at HamadEla.
Day13,
HamadEla- Dallol- Mekelle
Morning tour Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the
localities are mining salt. 1,200 km2 (460 sq mi) the Afar Depression is covered by salt, and you will Look the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, local people are cutting in to rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity; Dallol + Lake Assale + salt canon, camel caravans, follow up camel caravans and Drive back to HamadEla for lunch and proceed to Mekele.
Day 14,
Early in the morning, embark on a full day of driving to Lalibela. Here you will pass through several small villages, with typical sandstone homes of the Tigray people. Proceed through this rural area for the stunning approach to the home of Ethiopia’s most prized destination – Lalibela. Overnight in Lalibela.
Day 15,
Lalibela Tour the magnificent rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This group of eleven monolithic and semi-monolithic structures were carved directly into the stone of the mountainside at least 800 years ago. This complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, a maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and fabulous examples of icon paintings. Overnight Hotel budget hotel
Day 16,
For the morning we have two choices: Take a morning hike with mules to Mount Asheton, with its 13th century rock-hewn monastery and great views of the town; - OR - Drive to Yemrehanna Kristos, a beautiful church situated in a shallow cave that predates the churches of Lalibela. The drive to Yemrehanna will also give you the opportunity to view the rural countryside and villages of the Ethiopian highlands. Following either option above continue with tour of Lalibela’s churches in the afternoon. Overnight Hotel
Day 17,
fly lalibela- addis one of our driver will wait airport for pick then drive to the hotel after check in to your hotel will drive to entoto church, according to your flight schedule we will transfer you to the airport.