14 Days South & North Ethiopia Tour from Addis Ababa

Day 1 Arrival to Addis Ababa and City Tour

Upon arrival from your international flight, you’ll start sightseeing in Addis Ababa with a drive to Entoto Hills for panoramic views. Next, visit the Ethnological Museum, Ethiopia’s first university museum located in the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie, showcasing cultural artifacts. Then, head to the National Museum, home to significant archaeological finds, including the famous fossil Lucy and the recently displayed Selam. Afterward, visit St. George Cathedral, known for its octagonal shape and historical significance from the Battle of Adwa. Finally, explore Merkato, Africa’s largest open-air marketplace, established by the Italians in 1937, which employs around 13,000 people across numerous businesses.

Overnight Grand Palace Hotel Addis Ababa/Similar

Day 2 Fly Addis Ababa to Arba Minch and drive to Dorze village

after breakfast you will take to airport your flight to Arba Minch. you will meet our team on arrival and you will drive to Dorze village. Dorze people who are expert in weaving called Shammas Weaving are a primary profession for a number of Dorze people. The shape of their house looks Elephant, in order to remember the existence of these animals around the area many years ago. They are known for their traditional weaving of huts made out of local bamboo.  Enset “fake banana” is the stable food for these peoples.

Overnight Haile Resort Arba Minch/Similar

Day 3 Drive Arba Minch – Konso – Turmi

After breakfast, enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Chamo, Ethiopia’s third-largest lake, where you may spot Nile crocodiles, hippos, and various birds. Then, head to Konso village, a UNESCO site known for its terraced landscapes that combat soil erosion and its high-quality coffee. Continue to the Hamer people, famous for their bull jumping initiation rite, body adornment, and colorful beadwork, as well as unique clay-styled hairstyles adorned with ostrich feathers.

Overnight Paradise Lodge in Turmi/ Similar

Day 4 Drive Turmi to Jinka

After breakfast, drive to Murulle to meet the Karo people, known for their body decoration with white chalk and unique scarification practices. Then, travel 17 km to the Nyangatom people, admired for their adorned goat-skin skirts and numerous necklaces. Return to Turmi for lunch before heading to Jinka to visit the Ari people, the largest group in the lower Omo Valley, recognized for their banana tree skirts and skills in pottery, blacksmithing, and traditional liquor distillation.

Overnight Eco Omo Lodge Jinka/Similar

Day 5 Drive Jinka – Mago – Jinka and fly to Addis Ababa

In the morning, we’ll visit the Mursi tribe, known for the large round lip plates worn by women, which may signify social status, protect against enslavement, or ward off evil spirits. Mursi women and their Surma counterparts live across the Omo River and practice scarification to symbolize social standing and achievements, using razor blades and camel thorns to create scars that can be treated with ash or fly larvae to prevent infection. Afterward, we’ll drive to Jinka airport for our flight to Addis Ababa.

Overnight Grand Palace Hotel Addis Ababa/ Similar

Day 6 Fly Addis Ababa to Lalibela

After breakfast, you’ll fly to Lalibela and, 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, the largest church resembling a Greek Temple with a polished stone floor and three symbolic graves for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You’ll also visit Bet Giyorgis, considered the most elegant church, located on a sloping rock terrace in the southwest part of the village.

Overnight Maribela Hotel lalibela/Similar

Day 7 Drive Lalibela to Asheten Maryam and Na’akuto La’ab

After breakfast, visit Na’akuto La’ab Monastery, featuring artifacts attributed to Na’akuto La’ab, such as crowns, gold-painted drums, crosses, a large canvas of ancient kings, and an illuminated Bible, along with ancient stone receptacles believed to collect holy water. Then, drive to Asheton Maryam Church, which houses various sacred items, including colorful illustrated crosses and a Bible. In the afternoon, explore the remaining churches of Lalibela, including Bete Gabriel, Bete Marqorios, Bete Emmanuel, and Bete Aba Libanos

Overnight Maribela Hotel in Lalibela/Similar

Day 8 Drive Lalibela to Gondar

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 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 and the swimming pool of Emperor Fasisiladas.

Overnight Haile Resort Gondar/Similar

Day 9 Gondar Excursion to Simen 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/Similar

Day 10 Drive Gondar to Bahir Dar

This day after breakfast you will drive to Bahir Dar. After lunch 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/Similar

Day 11 Fly Bahir Dar to Axum via Addis Ababa

After breakfast you will take to the airport your connection flight to Axum You will be met upon arrival and after refresh and 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 Sabean Hotel Axum/Similar

Day 12 Axum Drive to Gheralta via Visiting St Aba Gerima Monastery & Yeha Temple

This day after breakfast you will visit Abba Garima Monastery .It was established in the sixth century by one of the Nine Saints, Abba Garima, and built by Gebre Meskel. The monastery became known for its early manuscript copy of the gospels and its treasury. After lunch you will drive to Hawzen visiting en route Yeha 5th century Temple displaying incredible skills in stonework and is in fact the oldest building still standing in Ethiopia.

Overnight Vision Hotel Gheralta/Similar

Day 13 Visit Gheralta Cluster Churches of St Abune Yemata then Drive to Mekelle via Visiting Abrha Wasba Churches

After breakfast, visit the monolithic church of Abuna Yemata Guh, dedicated to one of the Nine Saints, located at 2,580 meters and notable for its 5th-century dome and wall paintings. Next, proceed to the Church of Abreha wa Atsbeha, where the bodies of the saints are entombed; it once served as a monastery but is now a parish church, marked by soot from a fire set by Queen Gudit nine centuries ago. Finally, drive to Mekelle airport for your flight to Addis Ababa.

Overnight Grand Palace Hotel Addis Ababa/Similar

Day 14 Departure

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.

Note: – The price of domestic flights is if your international flight is with Ethiopian airlines however if your international flight is not with Ethiopian airlines the price will be high.