NORTH HISTORIC TOURS 10 DAYS 9 NIGHTS

Upon arrival at Bole International Airport you will be met by Enter Ethiopia Tours representative and be taken to your reserved hotel. Depending on your arrival time, we have various sightseeing options: – Mount Entoto with the best views over the capital. National Museum which among other exhibits the 3.5-million-year-old bones of Lucy. Trinity Cathedral: the cathedral is the most magnificent of its kind in the country, ornamented with carvings, mosaics and other artistic works. If time allowed we visit Mercato, the largest open-air market in Africa

Overnight: – Sapphire Addis Hotel:  Monarch Hotel or similar 4-star hotel, Addis Ababa

Morning: Boat trip on Lake Tana

In the morning fly to Bahir Dar, where you will be picked up by your driver and taken to your hotel. We then undertake a boat trip on Lake Tana to explore the nearby monastery of Ura Kidane Mihret on the Zege peninsula, known for its 14th century, round, grass-roofed churches and their magnificent wall murals, the Azoa Mariam and Ura Kidane Mihret churches. The monastery is found hidden in the forest of the Zege peninsula. Ura is especially well known for its fine frescoes, manuscripts, ecclesial objects, such as the crown of various emperors dating from the 14th century, gold and silver processional crosses, silver drums and royal vestments. On the lake, you will also have a chance to see hippos and more wildlife.

 After lunch we will visit to the magnificent Blue Nile Falls. It is about 35km/1hour drive from town. drive back to Bahir Dar and discover the market, if the day is, market day or simply watch the indigenous culture of the local community.

Overnight Avanti Blue Nile Resort or similar standard

Morning: After breakfast we drive to Gondar, a 17th century royal city of Ethiopia, affluent in the imperial structure of a Castle Compound and the spectacularly painted Debre Birhan Selassie Church.

Afternoon: After lunch, we visit to the royal enclosures of Fassil Ghibe and all the castles of the Gonderian emperors The numerous castles and palaces that remain within the walls of the enclosure are a testament to the royal capital’s former splendor as well as the famous Debre Berhan Selassie Church, which is completely covered in murals, with the angels’ faces on the wooden ceiling that have become a trademark of Ethiopian art and design. And visit to Emperor Fasiledes’ Bath.  During the Timkat festival, the pool is filled with blessed water and devotees are invited to swim and frolic in the pool in a ceremonial replication of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River

Hotel: Goha hotel or similar standard

Early morning, we continue our visit to the Simien Mountains National Park. We will reach the Simien Lodge, after lunch, we start exploring the Simien Mountains National Park. Due to its unique landscape and its endemic fauna the park has been declared a UNESCO world nature heritage site in 1996. In the park, you may experience the very close interaction with the friendly Gelada Baboons. We drive up to Sankaber (3’220m) and admire the impressive scenery with its deep gorges and valleys and the highest waterfall in Ethiopia. Here a gentle walk would take us about 2 hours. We hope to encounter further endemic animals, such as the Walia Ibex and the Simien fox. In the late afternoon, we return to the lodge

Overnight: – semian lodge or camping  

After breakfast, we continue to Axum with once again stunning views. Axum at an altitude of 1637m is considered a holy city in Ethiopia where Ethiopian Christianity is said to have begun, dating back over 2000 years. The Axumite kingdom is also considered the cradle of Ethiopian civilization.

Overnight: – Yared Zema International Hotel or similar stand

The city tour of Axum includes: Axum stelae or obelisks, the largest single piece of stone erected by human beings anywhere in the world, castles of former monarchs, Mariam Tsion Church which is built on the site of Ethiopia’s first church, the Palace of Queen Sheba, the inscriptions King Ezana and the tombs of the kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel.

Overnight: – Yared Zema International Hotel or similar standard

Morning After breakfast, we will visit the temple of Yeha. The way passes through Adwa, where in 1896 the famous battle between the Ethiopians and Italians tool place. Yeha was a pre-axumite settlement and is famous for its well-preserved stone temple with 12m high walls estimated to be 2‘500 years old.

Afternoon After lunch, we will drive through the amazing rocky landscapes of Tigray to Mekelle On the way, we will visit the churches of Gheralta Mountains, Wukro Cherkos and Abreha We Atsbeha, among the most famous churches of the Tigray region.

Overnight:-Plant hotel or similar standard,

Morning / Afternoon:

Today we continue our drive through ever changing landscapes to Lalibela .We will reach Lalibela in the late afternoon.

Overnight: Hotel in Maribella Lalibela or similar standard

Today we will visit the 11-renowned rock hewn churches of Lalibela, also known as the “8th wonder of the world”. The Lalibela rock hewn churches are physically carved from the rock on which they stand. Some are sculptured out of a solid volcanic rock, others are connected by long underground tunnel and mazes. Some are quarried enlargements of caves. The first group of six churches lies in rock cradles, one behind the other: Bet Golgotha, Bet Mikeal, Bet Mariam, Bet Maskel, Bet Dangal and Bet Medhanealem. Bet Medhanealem, after lunch we will visit to the second group of churches located to the south of the river Jordan. The second group comprises Bet Giyorgis, possibly the most elegant of all the Lalibela churches. Bet Giyorgis lies somewhat isolated to the southwestern part of the village on a slopping rock terrace and can only be reached through a tunnel.

The group of four churches, south of the river Jordan River, comprises Bet Emanuel, Bet Mercurios, Bet Aba Libanos and Bet Gabriel and Rufeal. Bet Emanuel’s elaborated exterior has been much praised by international art historians.

Overnight: Hotel in Maribella Lalibela or similar standard

After breakfast we will drive to airport and fly back to Addis Ababa

You will be picked up at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa and taken to your hotel. According to your interests, there are various sightseeing and shopping opportunities.

In the evening you will be invited to a memorable farewell Ethiopian cultural dinner in one of Addis Ababa’s traditional restaurants with cultural songs, dances and traditional food and drinks. You will then be transferred to either Bole International Airport or, if you continue your stay in Ethiopia, to your reserved hotel.

Departure or individual extension