8 Days Northern Ethiopia Tours With Axum

Day 01 Arrival to Addis Ababa and City Tour

You will meet our team at the airport from international flight begin sightseeing of Addis with our first stop to Entoto Maryam Church; it’s one of the oldest Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Churches on the Entoto Hills. It was built in 1877 by Emperor Menelik II characterized by octagonal domes. Several royal artifacts of the emperor and empress also found in this church  including some traditional costumes of the crowns, their royal bed, jewels owned by the royal family, and a mirror presented by Queen Victoria to Empress Taytu. Our second stop Entoto Hills for a panoramic view of Addis with an altitude of 2900 MASL. Our third stop drive to Ethnological Museum houses anthropological, musicological and cultural objects. The Ethnological Museum is the first university museum in Ethiopia. The Museum is located in the main Campus of Addis Ababa University which houses the Institute of Ethiopian Studies and it was the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. Our Fourth stop Descend down and drive to National museum, it contains many precious local archaeological finds such as the fossilized remains of early hominids, the most famous of which is “Lucy,” the partial skeleton of a specimen of Australopithecus Afarensis. Recently added to the basement gallery is a display on Selam, found between 2000 and 2004. This archaic fossil is estimated to date to 3.3 million years ago. Our fifth stop drive to Merkato, established by the Italian around 1937 it’s a large open-air marketplace in Africa, Covering several square miles and employing an estimated 13,000 people in 7,100 business entities

Overnight Aya Addis Hotel Addis Ababa

Day 02 Fly Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar and Blue Nile Falls

This day after breakfast you will take to airport your flight to Bahir Dar. You will meet upon arrival and drive to Tis Isat Village to visit the Blue Nile Falls, make a small trekking loop along the river side to view the water fall in every angle then drive back to Bahir Dar. (Note that the volume of the water could be minimal because of the construction of the new dam.) After Lunch have a Boat trip on lake Tana to visit two monasteries on Zege peninsula, Ura Kidane Mihret and Azewa Mariam which are a 14thc  monastery and famous for their mural paintings depicting the Old and New Testament. While walking to the monasteries visit the wild coffee plantation in the peninsula.

Overnight  Naky Hotel Bahir Dar

Day 03 Drive Bahir Dar to Gondar and city tour

After breakfast you will drive to Gondar passing through the adventurous road. After the lunch you will begin visit Gondar the Royal Capital of Ethiopia. Gondar was founded in 1636 by Emperor Fasilides. In the afternoon you will visit the city of Gondar with the drive to the Castles and Churches built by Emperor Fasilides and his descendants.  Proceed to the fascinating Debre Birhan Selassie (The Enlightening of Trinity) with Wonderful murals art and the swimming pool of Emperor Fasilides.

Overnight  Haile Resort Gondar

Day 04 Gondar Excursion to Simien Mountain National Park

After breakfast the trip starts from Gondar to the famous and beautiful Simen Mountains National Park. The park is known as the roof of Africa and contains several high mountains and the only place in Ethiopia registered by the UNESCO as a natural beauty. After two hours’ drive from Gondar we will start hiking on the Beautiful landscapes and mountains and admire the nature. There will be a chance to see some wild animals especially the endemic Gelada Baboons. Later you will be drive back to Gondar.

Overnight  Haile Resort Gondar

Day 05 Fly Gondar 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  Maribella Hotel Lalibela

Day 06 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 you will take to airport your flight to Addis Ababa.

Overnight  Aya Addis Hotel Addis Ababa

Day 07 Fly Addis Ababa to Axum

After breakfast you will take to the airport your flight to Axum. You will be met upon arrival and after lunch at the Hotel Sightseeing. 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, 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 Sebean Hotel  Axum

Day 08 Fly Axum to Addis Ababa

After breakfast at the hotel you will visit the remaining sites in Axum later drive to airport your flight to Addis Ababa. In the evening, you’ll 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. Finally you will take to airport for your Flight to home