TOUR DURATION
11 Days
destinations included
6 Locations
activities
City & History Site Tours
transport mode
Air, Road, Foot
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel, Spa Resort, Lodge
Arrive in Addis Ababa where one of our guides will be waiting to meet and transfer to the luxurious Sheraton Addis hotel.
Enjoy an afternoon city tour including visits to the Ethnographic Museum, Trinity Cathedral, National Museum, and St. George’s Cathedral.
Fly to Mekelle and then drive to Hawzen, located in the spectacular Gheralta Mountains. During the drive, visit the famous rock-hewn churches of Wukro Cherkos, Abraha Atsbeha, and Dugum Selassie. Your accommodation is made from local materials used by the Tigray Region and offers views of Gheralta Mountain.
Visit the ancient rock churches of Tigray including Medhane Alem Adi Kesho, considered by many to be Ethiopia’s oldest rock church. Proceed to see the iconic Petros wa Paulos, partially built inside a cave and then lastly the historic rock dome church of Mikael-Melehayzenghi which dates back to the 8th century.
Drive to Axum, stopping en route to see the temple of Yeha, believed to date back seven or eight hundred years BC. Axum was once the seat of an empire, which extended across the Red Sea to Arabia. Today, visitors can see Stella (the largest single piece of stone erected anywhere), the tombs and castles of kings, Axum Museum and the magnificent Mariamtsion Church, which is believed to house the Ark of the Covenant, the original tablets of Moses.
Fly to Lalibela, one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities and a center of pilgrimage for believers from all over the world. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is known as the “New Jerusalem” due to its monolithic churches and rock-cut architecture.
After breakfast, travel to Nakutoleab, a monastery hewn from a rock cave on the outskirts of the city. Proceed to the cave churches built by King Lalibela, including the well-preserved, Greek cross-shaped Bete Giorgis, which is situated in a deep trench with perpendicular walls. Attend a time-honored coffee ceremony, observing the roasting and brewing process, which is done in a special jebena.
Famous for medieval castles and churches that earned its nickname, “the Camelot of Africa,” Gondar was founded in 1636 by Emperor Fasiladas as the royal capital of Ethiopia. Explore Fasiladas Palace, the Quskuam Church and the Debre Birhan Selassie Church, its walls and ceiling decorated with Biblical and medieval scenes; legend has it that the church was saved from marauding invaders by the timely intervention of a swarm of bees.
Drive to Bahir Dar, and see the 328-foot-wide Blue Nile Falls (locally called Tissiat, or “Smoking Water”); the plunging falls give rise to picturesque steam clouds and rainbows. After lunch, visit the local market and find typical hand-woven capes and scarves made of local cotton then, continue to the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie at Bizeit before checking into the Kuriftu Resort & Spa hotel, located on the shore of Lake Tana.
After a relaxing night's rest, embark on a cruise of Lake Tant to visit two of the renowned island monasteries of the lake: Ura Kidane Mihret and Azua Mariam. Both monasteries have wonderful paintings, which depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
Take a flight back to Addis Ababa and visit one of the largest open-air markets in Africa or spend time at the Kechene Women’s Potters Association and experience local pottery-making. Get some rest at the hotel before your international home-bound flight.
The Sheraton Addis Hotel is located in the centre ofAddis Ababa near the National Museum, United Nations Conference Centre, the UNECA headquarters, the Merkato and Bole International Airport (7km). The hotel is a sanctuary of Ethiopian grandeur, where a landscape of vibrant greens and colorful wildflowers meets the African sky. Experience an exceptional level of personal service in one of the 294 guest rooms and suites at the Sheraton Addis Hotel.
Larsens Camp is situated within Samburu National Reserve, a world famous game park in Kenya. It is named after Erik Ole Larsen who is known for pioneering the wild luxury safaris under canvas tents. The camp is situated alongside the all-season Uaso Nyiro River on one side and tranquil nature bustling everywhere else. It features over 20 tented accommodations with full boarding amenities.
The Hotel is a three star hotel located in the outskirts of the city of Axum, on the historic route to the sites to be visited in the city. Guests staying in suite or the executive suite can also benefit from complimentary steam and sauna facilities. The hotel's ambiance is flanked by an all round scenic landscape nesting a lot of the country's history.
Founded at an altitude of 2680 metres, the scenic landscape from the Mountain View Hotel over the Lasta Lalibela mountain vistas are simply breath-taking. A panoramic view from the hotel's balconies and large windows encases its stone and glass design, mainly inspired by the rock churches of Lalibela.
Ideally situated couple of minutes drive from Theodros Airport in Gondar, Mayleko is a luxury lodge surrounded with breathtaking beauty and nature. The lodge has 20 bungalows that have evocatively designed and styled to echo the area’s rich history. It blends traditional elegance with modern luxury and will offer cuisine and service of fittingly high standard.
Kuriftu is an upscale Resort and Spa establishment in Bahir Dar in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia, devoted to delivering an elevated guest experience. Key parts of all Kuriftu resorts are a commitment to refined service. Guests can expect impeccable hospitality, exceptional epicurean experiences, world class spas and an elegant yet welcoming ambiance guaranteed to create lasting and cherished memories.
