11 Days North Ethiopia Tour from Addis Ababa

Day 01 (Aug 3): Arrival in Addis Ababa Arrive in Addis Ababa at 7 PM. Upon arrival from your international flight, you will be transferred to your hotel. Refresh and relax at the Grand Palace Hotel.

Overnight: Grand Palace Hotel, Addis Ababa

Day 02 (Aug 4): Addis Ababa City Tour After breakfast, start your sightseeing tour of Addis Ababa. Drive up to Mount Entoto for a panoramic view of the city, then descend to visit the National Museum, home to the famous Lucy fossil. Continue to the Holy Trinity Cathedral, built during WWII, and the Ethnographic Museum, formerly Emperor Haile Selassie’s palace. Finally, visit Merkato, the largest market in East Africa. In the evening, enjoy a folkloric dinner with traditional Ethiopian dishes and dances at the 2000 Habesha Traditional Restaurant.

Overnight: Grand Palace Hotel, Addis Ababa

Day 03 (Aug 5): Flight from Addis Ababa to Semera After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Semera. Upon arrival, drive to the base of Erta Ale via Afdera, known for its salt extraction from Lake Afdera. After lunch, continue to Erta Ale, where you will spend the night watching the dramatic activity of the boiling lava. Erta Ale is a shield volcano with a unique permanent lava lake.

Overnight: Camping at Erta Ale

Day 04 (Aug 6): Drive from Erta Ale to Ahmed Ella to Dallol After breakfast, drive to Ahmed Ella, passing through scenic landscapes of solidified lava, rocks, sand, and palm-lined oases. Visit Ahmad Ella village to experience the local Afar people’s lifestyle. Continue to Ragad (Asebo) to see salt mining activities. Drive to Dallol, known for its colorful salt formations and volcanic landscapes, one of the lowest and hottest places on earth. After lunch, proceed to Lake Asale, a vast salty lake, where you can swim and enjoy the sunset reflections.

Overnight: Camping at Ahmed Ella

Day 05 (Aug 7): Drive to Abuna Yemata and Climb the Church After breakfast, drive to Geralta to visit the monolithic church of Abuna Yemata Guh, dedicated to Abuna Yemata. The church is located at an elevation of 2,580 meters and is famous for its 5th-century dome and wall paintings.

Overnight: Vision Hotel

Day 06 (Aug 8): Drive from Geralta to Axum After breakfast, drive to Axum, stopping at Yeha to visit the 5th-century temple, showcasing remarkable stonework. Continue to Axum, a city with over 2500 years of history. Take a city tour to see the St. Mary’s Church, the sanctuary chapel housing the Ark of the Covenant, the coronation yard, Stelae Park, the tomb of Kaleb and Gebre Meskel, Ezana’s inscriptions, Queen of Sheba’s bath, palace ruins, and the Axum Museum.

Overnight: Sabean Hotel, Axum

Day 07 (Aug 9): Flight from Shire to Bahir Dar via Addis Ababa After breakfast, transfer to Shire airport for your flight to Bahir Dar. Upon arrival, drive to Tis Isat village to visit the Blue Nile Falls. Take a short trek around the falls, then return to Bahir Dar. Note that the water volume may be low due to dam construction.

Overnight: Naky Hotel, Bahir Dar

Day 08 (Aug 10): Drive from Bahir Dar to Gondar After breakfast, take a boat trip on Lake Tana to visit the monasteries on Zege Peninsula, including Ura Kidane Mihret and Azewa Mariam, known for their 14th-century murals. Visit the wild coffee plantations on the peninsula. Later, drive to Gondar and visit the city’s royal castles and churches built by Emperor Fassiladas and his descendants, including Debre Birhan Selassie with its beautiful murals and Emperor Fasisiladas’ swimming pool.

Overnight: Haile Resort, Gondar

Day 09 (Aug 11): Flight from Gondar to Lalibela After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Lalibela. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel. After lunch, visit the first group of seven rock-hewn churches, including Bet Golgotha, Bet Mika’el, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danagl, and Bet Medhane Alem, known for its Greek temple-like structure and symbolic graves. Visit the second group of rock churches, including Bet Giyorgis, the most elegant church in Lalibela.

Overnight: Maribela Hotel, Lalibela

Day 10 (Aug 12): Lalibela Excursion to Yemrehane Kirstos In the morning, take an excursion to visit Yemrehane Kirstos, an exquisite Axumite church renowned for its wood and stone construction and interior decoration. Later, visit Asheton Maryam, another ancient church with sacred items, including colorful crosses and a Bible.

Overnight: Maribela Hotel, Lalibela

Day 11 (Aug 13): Fly from Lalibela to Addis Ababa In the morning, visit the remaining rock-hewn churches in Lalibela: Bete Gabriel, Bete Marqorios, Bete Emmanuel, and Bete Aba Libanos. After the tour, transfer to the airport for your flight to Addis Ababa. Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, you will be transferred to the international airport for your flight home, scheduled for 9 PM.

End of Tour