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8-Day Northern Ethiopia Historic Adventure

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Overview

Explore Northern Ethiopia on this 8-day historical adventure.

Start your visit in Addis where a city tour will take you to Addi's reputed museums, including the exhibit of "Lucy," the 3.2-million-year-old hominid skeleton at the Archeological Museum.

Take a boat cruise on Lake Tana, famous for the monasteries sprinkled across its shoreline and islands, visit one of the best examples of traditional Ethiopian monasteries and get drenched at the deluge of the Blue Nile Falls.

Visit Ethiopia's verdant natural vistas with serrated mountain peaks, deep valleys, and 1,500 meters of sheer cliffs in the Simien Mountains. You'll visit Gondar before you reach Ethiopia's historical rock-hewn churches dating from the 12th and 13th centuries in Lalibela, often referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". Your trip finishes in an archaeological site like no other as you step back in time to the ancient city of Axum, known for its engineering feats.
Sightseeing
Outdoors & Nature
Culture & Arts

Itinerary

Day 1

Northern Ethiopia Tour Begins!

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Northern Ethiopia Tour Begins!

Arrive in Addis Ababa simply know as Addis, the world's third-highest capital city at 2,400 metres. After lunch visit Lucy, the 3.2-million-year-old hominid skeleton at the Archeological Museum. Then the final resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie and his wife Empress Menen Asfaw in the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Before check-in visit one of the finest museums in Africa, the Ethnological Museum set within Haile Selassie’s former palace, beautiful gardens and fountains.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Jupiter International Hotel4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    National Museum of Ethiopia

    Holy Trinity Cathedral

    Ethnological Museum

  • restaurant icon
    Restaurants

    Lucy Gazebo and RestaurantRequest to Book

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Addis Ababa Airport to Addis Ababa

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Addis Ababa

Day 2

Flight to Bahir Dar, Lake Tana Boat Ride & Blue Nile Falls

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Flight to Bahir Dar, Lake Tana Boat Ride & Blue Nile Falls

This morning fly to Bahir Dar and 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. After lunch, drive to the village of Tis Isat to see the Blue Nile Falls, known locally as 'the Great Smoke', the most dramatic spectacle in the country.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Blue Nile Resort3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Lake Tana

    Blue Nile Falls

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Jupiter International Hotel, Cazanchise to Addis Ababa Airport

    Plane from Addis Ababa Airport to Bahir DarOptional Activity

    Private Driver from Dechu mara to Blue Nile Hotel

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Addis Ababa

    West Gojam

    Amhara

Day 3

Gondar Sightseeing

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Gondar Sightseeing

Take a leisurely morning drive to Gondar to explore the historical sites. Visit the Royal Enclosure or Fasil Gibbs within the compound and the castles built by various emperors of Gondar. Then visit Debre Birhan Selassie, the only church that was saved from Mahdist invasion in the 1880s. According to legend, a swarm of bees distracted the invaders. The walls and ceiling of this church are covered with murals – the angels’ faces on the ceiling have become a common motif in Ethiopian design.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Goha Hotel3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Fasil Ghebbi

    Debre Birhan Selassie Church

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Bahir Dar to Gondar

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    West Gojam

    North Gondar

Day 4

Semein Mountain National Park

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Semein Mountain National Park

Over millions of years, the large erosions of the Ethiopian plateau created and serrated mountain peaks, deep valleys and 1,500 metres cliff drops making it one of the most spectacular sights in the world. Observe the magnificent scenery with unique flora and fauna like the endemic Gelada baboons, the Ethiopian wolf, the Walia ibex, wild goats, and the impressive bearded vulture, or lammergeier, with its 10-foot wingspan.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Goha Hotel3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Simien Mountain National Park

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Gondar to Simien Mountains National Park

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    North Gondar

Day 5

Flight to Lalibela and Sightseeing

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Flight to Lalibela and Sightseeing

This morning fly to Lalibela. Once you arrive, you'll visit the famous wonders of the rock-hewn churches, starting with Saint George. Bete Medhane Alem is an Orthodox underground monolith church and known for containing some of the best early examples of Ethiopian Christian art, including life-size depictions of the 12 apostles carved into the walls. Then visit Bete Maryam which is small however, the murals are intricate and perfectly preserved. Continue to more churches before you end the day.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Tukul Village3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Bete Giyorgis

    Bete Medhane Alem

    Bete Maryam

    Bete Golgotha-Selassie and Mikael

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Goha Hotel to Gondar Atse Tewodros Airport

    Plane from Gondar Atse Tewodros Airport to Lalibela AirportRequest to Book

    Private Driver from Lalibela to Tukul Village Hotel

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    North Gondar

    Lalibela

    North Wello

Day 6

Second Group of Churches & Nakuto Monastery

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Second Group of Churches & Nakuto Monastery

You will visit the second group of churches and King Nakuto's Monastery. The churches you see today represent the higher church of the region, thought to be one of the first in Africa. In each church, the murals offer indications of what the churches were dedicated to. You'll finish the day at the Royal monastery. There you can see the large canvas at the Church of the Monastery of Na'akueto La'ab, with a depiction of the legend of kings.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Tukul Village3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Bete Amanuel

    Bete Abba Libanos

    Na'akueto La'ab Monastery

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Tukul Village Hotel to Nakuto lab Ethiopia Tour

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and lunch

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Lalibela

    North Wello

Day 7

Flight to Axum and Sightseeing

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Flight to Axum and Sightseeing

Take your flight to Axum, the seat of an Empire which extended across the Red Sea to Arabia. This ancient kingdom had its own alphabet and constructed great engineering works and dams. Today, you'll visit the Ancient City of Axum, the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion that contains the Ark of the Covenant and the Archaeological Museum, containing an interesting variety of objects found in the tombs, ranging from the ordinary household.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Sabean International Hotel3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Ancient City of Aksum

    St. Mary of Zion Church

    Archaeological Museum

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Tukul Village Hotel to Aksum Airport

    Plane from Lalibela Airport to Aksum AirportRequest to Book

    Private Driver from Aksum Airport to Sabean International Hotel

    Private Driver from Aksum to Sabean International Hotel

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Lalibela

    Central Tigray

    Aksum

Day 8

Northern Ethiopia Tour Comes To An End!

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Northern Ethiopia Tour Comes To An End!

Today your northern Ethiopia tour comes to an end! This morning flight back to Addis Ababa and departure for your onward journey.

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Sabean International Hotel to Aksum Airport

    Plane from Aksum to Addis Ababa

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Central Tigray

Included in Price

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • 18 activities
  • 7 breakfasts and 1 lunch
  • Airport transfer
  • Entrance fees
  • Ground transportation
  • Licensed English speaking guides

Not Included in Price

  • Alcohol beverages
  • Domestic flights
  • Entry visas / airport departure tax
  • Gratuities
  • International flights
  • Laundry
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Trekking permits
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