NORTH HISTORIC TOURS 13 DAYS/ 12 NIGHTS

Arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, usually in the morning. Visa service and custom clearance may take some time. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your central hotel. After a rest and refresh at the hotel, your guide will take you around the highlights of Addis. Depending on time and how you feel after your flight, you can choose to sample some of the best coffee in the world in the Piazza (old town), explore the National Museum (home to the 3.5 million year old remains of Lucy) and Archaeological Museum or explore the largest open air market in Africa.

O/N SAPPHIRE HOTEL ADDIS ABABA

This morning will be a drive to BAHIRDAR En route, you will visit the Blue Nile Gorge comparable in size to the Grand Canyon in the USA and supposedly the largest canyon of Africa. In addition, a short walk leads to the so-called Portuguese Bridge, which was built around the turn of the 20^th century across the Blue Nile Gorge;

O/N AVANTI Hotel BAHIRDAR.

This morning you will go for an early morning boat excursion on Lake Tana, the highest and largest lake in Ethiopia and also the source of the Blue Nile. Take a boat ride where you will visit two examples of the medieval period island monasteries (beautiful mural paintings, religious books & sacred) on Lake Tana. You will have the afternoon to visit the Blue Nile Falls (40 minutes from Bahir Dar). Although the power of the falls has been subdued by the hydroelectric plant, they are still an incredible sight. After visit you will be heading to Gondar. You will have dinner and stay the night at the hotel.

O/N GOHA Hotel GONDAR.

After breakfast you will visit to the Royal Castles & the Bath of Emperor Fasiledes (the bath is filled with water for the important Timkat (epiphany) ceremony once a year. You will continue your visit to Debre Birhan Selassie Church (Trinity at the Mount of Light), the Castle of Empress Mintewab, and Kuskwam Complex which is a royal compound built by the Empress Mentewab.

O/N stay in Simien lodge, inside Simien Park or camping. 

Today you will spend the day visiting the Simien Mountains National Park (registered by UNESCO as a world heritage site, with endemic mammals, birds, natural vegetation, & wonderful landscape).

Late in the afternoon drive back to lodge. You will check into a lodge and take a break. Dinner will be at the lodge.

O/N stay in Simien lodge, inside Simien Park or camping.

Right after breakfast, an early morning drive will take you to Axum (270 Km from Debark) through the Simien Mountains & magnificent topography & scenery, the Limalimo Gorge, Tekeze Valley. You will arrive in Axum late in the afternoon. You will check into a hotel and take a break. Dinner will be at the hotel.

O/N AXUM Yared Zema hotel or similar standard

Today is an opportunity to explore ancient archaeological sites of Axum, your local guide will show you around the historic and archaeological sites of Axum including the ancient stelae and tombs, some dating to before the birth of Christ, Zion Maryam Church, the Queen of Sheba’s bath and palace and the museum.

O/N AXUM Yared Zema hotel or similar standard

After breakfast, you will be driven to Mekele On the way you can visit Ethiopia’s earliest known capital city of Yeha which is considered as the birthplace of the country’s earliest civilization. Its single most remarkable antiquity is the well-preserved walls of the 12m-high stone temple of the moon that is thought to be over 2500 years old.

Another possible excursion is to Debre Damo monastery (only accessible for men). The Debre Damo Monastery is built on the flat- topped mountain of Debre Damo. The monastery is only accessible by climbing a rope which hangs down from a perpendicular rock, an adventure in itself.

O/N MEKELE planet hotel or similar standard

After breakfast, you will visit some of the most beautiful medieval churches on impressive viewpoints such as: Abuna Yemata Guh, Debre Maryam Korkor or Abreha WeAtsheba church, all situated near to the road between Mekele and Hawzien. It requires climbing a steep mountain to reach these churches so good walking/mountain shoes are recommendable.

O/N MEKELE PLANET HOTEL

After breakfast, you will be driven to Lalibela through the Ambalage Chain of Mountains. Your arrival in Lalibela will be late in the afternoon. You will check into a hotel, have dinner and spend the night there

O/N LALIBELA Maribella or similar standard

Early in the morning, after breakfast, your visit will be to the eleven rock–hewn monolithic (carved from a single rock) churches of Lalibela (UNESCO World heritage site, with magnificent architecture & paintings inside the churches). In the evening you will get back to the hotel, rest, have dinner and relax

O/N LALIBELA Maribella or similar standard

An early morning drive after breakfast will take you to Kombolcha. En route visit Hayk Estifanos Monastery (45 Km before Kombolcha, famous for its variety of bird life near the town of Hayk). Later, you will drive to Kombolcha & upon arrival, you will check into a hotel & stay the night there

O/N Kombolcha

After breakfast, you will be driven back to Addis Ababa (375 Km). You will arrive in Addis Ababa late afternoon where you will do some shopping for souvenirs.

Finally you will be taken to a farewell dinner to Ethiopian (Habesha 2000 or YOD Abyssinia) traditional restaurant where you will taste Ethiopian food & drinks and a live music & dance.

Then depending on your scheduled flight; you will be transferred out to Bole International Airport for return flight back home.