21 Days Amazing Ethiopia Tours

Day 01: Arrival – Sightseeing Addis (The new Flower)

You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Refresh and begin your sightseeing of Addis with a drive up to Mount Entoto for a panoramic view of Addis. Descend down and drive to the national museum where you will have a chance to spot the oldest hominids of ‘Lucy’ fossil. Visit and proceed to the Holy Trinity built during WWII then proceed to Ethnographic museum, which use to be the palace of Emperor Hailesellase. To wrap up, you’ll drive to merkato, the biggest market in East Africa.

Overnight in Addis

Day 02: Drive  Addis – Bahir Dar 

We will drive to Bahir Dar via passing through the wonderful chain mountains and densely tree forest of Mount Entoto then after two hours driving we will be arriving at one of the respected monasteries of Ethiopia Debre Libanos is a monastery in Ethiopia which is lying northwest of Addis Ababa and it was founded in the 13th century by Saint Tekle Haymanot we will visit the museums that have a lot of ancient bible books collection with religious crosses later we will see the internal parts of the church then we will be passing the wonderful landscapes of Blue Nile George we will have a stopover at Dejen for lunch then drive to Bahir Dar.

Overnight in Bahir Dar

Day 03: Bahir Dar (Lakeside Town)

After breakfast, you will 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. Afternoon, you will drive to the village of Tis Isat to see the Blue Nile falls ((Note that the volume of the water could be minimal because of the construction of the new dam.) 

Overnight in Bahir Dar

Day 04: Drive Bahir Dar – Gondar (The Camelot of Africa)

After having your breakfast, you will begin your journey to Gondar, the Royal Capital of Ethiopia. Gondar was founded in 1636 by Emperor Fassiladas. In the afternoon, you will visit the city of Gondar with the drive to the Castles and Churches built by Emperor Fassiladas and his descendants.  Proceed to the fascinating Debre Birhan Selassie (The Enlightening of Trinity) with Wonderful murals art, Qusquam Church.

Overnight in Gondar

Day 05: Gondar – Excursion to Semien Mountains (122 kms 4 – 5 hrs  drive)

Today, you will drive to Buyit Ras a segment of the Semien Mountain. This is a sight, which is termed as the wildest and magnificent view of all Ethiopian landscapes. The Semien Mountains National Park is the only place in Ethiopia registered by UNESCO as a natural beauty.

Overnight in Debarq

Day 06: Debarq Axum (Mysterious Monoliths)

After an early breakfast, we will be driving to  Axum. A city more than 2500 years of history and once the center of a great empire and ancient civilization, home of the original Ark of covenants. Axum is the prime historical site in the north of Ethiopia. Take a city tour that includes the St. Mary’s Church, the sanctuary Chapel which is the repository of the ‘Ark of covenant’, the coronation yard, Stelae Park, Tomb of Kaleb and his son Gebre Meskel, Ezana’s Inscriptions, Queen of Sheba’s Bath, Queen of Sheba’s palace ruins and Axum Museum.

Overnight in Axum

Day 07: Axum – Hawzen Or Geralta

After breakfast, we will be driving to Hawzen on the way we will stop at the temple of Yeha and the Rock Hewan Churches Of Tigray (Adikisho Medhanyalem or Wukero Cherkos).

Overnight in Hawzen or Geralta

Day 08: Hawzen Or Geralta – Mekelle

After having your breakfast, you will visit the monastery of St Abune Yemata  5th century Monolithic Tigray Churches then After a few minutes’ walk from Maryam Korkor you can visit the small rock church known as Abba Daniel’s Prayer room. Then drive back to Hawzen.

Overnight in Mekele

Day 09: Mekelle – Dodom – Erta Ale

We will drive from Mekele to Dodom. We start early drive to Dodom (at the base of Erta Ale). Leave after an early breakfast, possible at 07:30. This is maybe 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 Ertale 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. 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. Overnight on the top of the mountain. 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.

Overnight camping on top of the mountain

Day 10: Dodem – Hammedele

Descend from Erta Ale around 9 am Dodom – Hamd Ela. Leave back to Dodom after an early breakfast, if possible at 07:00. You will reach the latest at 10:30 am at the camp, time to relax. After drive to reach Hamad Ela, village with a total population of about 500 people.

Overnight camping in Hammedele

Day 11: Hamedela – Mekele

Morning tour drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the localities are mining salt. Look at the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, cutting into rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity, Dallol + Lake Assal + camel caravans. Excursion to Dallol (116 meters below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world) colorful salts mining, visit Lake Assal, follow up camel caravans and walk with the Afar people. Drive back to Hamedela and proceed to Mekele.

Overnight in Mekele

Day 12: Mekele – Alamata – Welidya – Lalibela

This day after breakfast, we will be driving to the town of Lalibela on the way you will see the beautiful landscapes of Tigray region and you will have a stopover at Alamata to see the markets of the Wello and Tigray people later we will be stopping at Weldya for lunch and we will continue our driving to Lalibela.

Overnight Lalibela

Day 13: Lalibela (The Eighth Wonder of the World)  

You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lalibela. Be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. ‘Eighth wonder of world Heritage’ Lalibela is famous for its underground rock-hewn cathedrals.  In the afternoon you will visit the top attractions of Lalibela that will simply stagger you.

Overnight in Lalibela

Day 14: Excursion to Yimrehane Kristos-Drive to Welidya

You will take an excursion to visit Yimrehane Kristos, located in a mountain ridge, in the peak of Abuna Yosep. This exquisite church, a masterpiece of Axumite wood and stone construction and renewed for its interior decoration. The walls are subdivided vertically with recessions and projections. In the afternoon you will visit the remaining churches: Bete Gabriel, Bete Marqorios, Bete Emmanuel, and Bete Aba Libanos.

Overnight in Lalibela

Day 15: Welidya – Awash National Park

After having breakfast we will be driving to Awash national park via Mile Serdo Wildlife Reserve and stop for game views. Proceed later to Yangude Rasa National Park and if we will be lucky we will see some antelopes, ostrich, wild donkey and plenty of birds and later after we stopped lunch we will arrive in Awash and our lodge and you will have a chance of seeing some birds and ostrich also then you will enjoy your time with the natural hot springs in the lodge.

Overnight Awash Doho Lodge

Day 16: Awash National Park – Harar 

After having breakfast you will have a more game viewing and sightseeing precede to Harar. Visit the Hyena man in the evening. 

Overnight in hotel in Harar

Day 17: Harar – Dire Dewa

After having breakfast, you will have a city tour of Harar that includes Harari house and Museums, with the colorful market, Arthur Rambau’d house, and ancient mosques.  Later in the afternoon we will be driving to Dire Dawa. 

Overnight in a hotel in Dire Dawa

Day 18: Dire Dewa – Awash Falls Lodge

After having your breakfast you will be driving to Awash and you will stay the night at the lodge of Awash waterfalls.

Overnight Awash Waterfalls Lodge

Day 19: Awash National Park – Bale Mountains National Park

This day after breakfast we will be driving to Bale mountains national park and arrive at the park Headquarters’ in the afternoon hike for an hour possibly spotting two endemic Ethiopia mammals that frequently seen in the area such as Mountain Nyala and Menelik’s Bushbuck and endemic forest birds. 

Overnight Dinsho

Day 20: Excursion to Sanetti Plateau and Harrena Forest (100 km 6 – 7hrs drive)

Today you will have an excursion to Sanetti Plateau, the highest plateau in Africa. Here you may encounter the endemics of Ethiopia Wolf. Visit and proceed to Harrena Forest, the second dense forest in Ethiopia.

Overnight Dinsho

Day 21: Dinsho – Addis Ababa 

This day you will be driving to Addis Ababa and in Addis then in the evening attend a folkloric dinner where you will have a chance to taste several national dishes and watch dances of the various ethnic groups of Ethiopia. The traditional coffee ceremony will also be served.  Later you will be transferred to the airport for your departure.