8 Days Danakil, Gheralta and Lalibela Tours

Day 01 Fly Addis Ababa to Semera and drive to Ahmed Ella

You will meet upon arrival at Semera airport and drive to Afdera it is used for salt extraction. It is named after the saline Lake Afdera, located in the southern part of the Afar Depression. It is a major source of salt extraction in Ethiopia, where the Lake water is pumped to saltpans for solar evaporation. After lunch we will continue the trip to Ahmed Ella visiting beautiful landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and occasional palm lined oasis after you pass several small hamlets start visiting Ahmad Ella village total population of more than 500 people to see the life style of the local Afar people. Finally, precede to Salt Lake Asale a huge salty lake where you will swim in a natural pool while enjoying sunset reflections of the salty ground.

Overnight camping at Ahmed Ella

Day 02 Visit Dallol Then Drive to Erta Ale

Morning tour Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the localities are mining salt. Look the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, cutting in to rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity (125 meter below sea level, one of the lowest and hottest places in the world) colorful salts mining and different terrestrial places formed by volcanic activity like bubbling oily lake creates a different experience of your trip. Then we back to Ahmad Ella for lunch then proceed to Erta Ale. 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. 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 at Erta Ale

Day 03 Drive Erta Ale to Hawzen

After Breakfast we will drive to Hawzen via Mekelle. On the way we will visit the Church of Abreha wa Atsbeha their bodies are claimed to be entombed in the church. At one time the church served as a monastery but now operates as a parish church the ceiling was blackened by soot due to Queen Gudit setting a fire in the building nine centuries earlier.

Overnight Vision Hotel Hawzen/Similar

Day 04 Visit Abuna Yemata Guh and Yeha Temple 

This day after breakfast you will visit the church of Abuna Yemata Guh. It is a monolithic church dedicated to Abuna Yemata (also referred to as Abba Yem’ata), one of the Nine Saints. It is situated at a height of 2,580 meters and has to be climbed on foot to reach. It is notable for its dome and wall paintings dating back to the 5th century and its architecture. Later drive to Yeha 5th century Temple displaying incredible skills in stonework and is in fact the oldest building still standing in Ethiopia. Finally drive to Axum.

Overnight Sabean Hotel Axum/Similar

Day 05 Fly Axum to Addis Ababa

After breakfast at the hotel begin Sightseeing of Axum, a city more than 2500 years of history, 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 include the St. Mary’s Church, the sanctuary Chapel which is the repository of the ‘Ark of covenant’, the coronation yard, Stele 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. After lunch you will take to airport your flight to Addis Ababa.

Overnight Aya Hotel Addis Ababa/Similar

Day 06 Fly Addis Ababa to Lalibela

After breakfast you will take to airport your flight to Lalibela. You will meet upon arrival and take to your Hotel. After lunch you will Visit the first group of seven churches lie in rock cradles one behind the other: Bet Golgotha, Bet Mika’el, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danagl and Bet Medhane Alem. Bet Medhane Alem, the largest one, is built like a Greek Temple and its stone floor is so polished by the countless numbers of visitors that it reflects shafts of light from apertures in the walls high above. In a corner are three empty graves symbolically dug for biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Later you will visit of the other groups of Rock churches of Lalibela Bet Giyorgis, possibly the most elegant of all the Lalibela churches which lies somewhat isolated in the southwest part of the village on a sloping rock terrace.

Overnight Lalibela Maribela Hotel/Simillar

Day 07 Drive Lalibela to Asheten Maryam and Na’akuto La’ab

After breakfast you will visit Na’akuto La’ab Monastery, it’s attributed to Na’akuto La’ab, the successor to King Lalibela. Inside, there are various artifacts believed to have belonged to Na’akuto La’ab, including crowns, gold-painted drums, crosses, a large painted canvas depicting ancient kings and an old, illuminated Bible. Intriguingly, the monastery has some ancient stone receptacles that gather the water that drips from the cave’s roof, thought to be holy water. Later drive to another ancient church, there are many sacred items found at Asheton Maryam, including crosses and a Bible illustrated with colorful, intricate drawings, presented by the priest for visitors to see.

Overnight Maribela Hotel Lalibela/Similar

Day 08 Fly Lalibela to Addis Ababa

In the morning after breakfast you will visit the remaining churches of Lalibela like Bete Gabriel, Bete Marqorios, Bete Emmanuel, and Bete Aba Libanos. Later drive to airport your flight to Addis Ababa.