16 days: Bahir Dar, Gondar, Lalibela, Axum & Harer by surface
TOUR CODE DURATION SITE TRANSPORT
AAT-HT-004 16 DAYs/15 nights HISTORIC ROUTE, AWASH & HARER SURFACE

Itineraries

Day 1Arrive in Addis Ababa, city tour of Addis Ababa
On arrival in Addis Ababa you will be met by our representatives and transferred to Ghion Hotel. In the afternoon, city tour of Addis Ababa.   O/n Ghion Hotel 
Day 2: 
Addis Ababa - Debre MarkosAfter breakfast drive to Debre Markos via Dejen (the famous area for growing Teff, which is staple food of Ethiopians), after 103 kms drive, visit the 13th C monastery of Debre Libanos and the 17th C Portuguese Bridge. En route have stop over to visit the Oromo tribal village.  Further down, you will enjoy the fabulous Blue Nile Gorge. Similar to the Grand Canon of USA. Overnight Debre Markos Shebel hotel.  
Day 3: Debre Markos - Bahar Dar
Drive about 250kms to Bahar Dar (Bahar Dar is a modern town on the shore of Lake Tana,) through the beautiful scenery and visiting the Amhara people & their villages. Have a lunch at Bahar Dar, the capital of the Amhara National Regional State. Afternoon, we make city tour of Bahir Dar  that includes: Colorful market where someone could find the pottery, traditional hand-made woven clothes, etc. The Woito Basket market  and Mount Bezawit where the palace of Emperor Haile Selassie is gracefully situated. This hilltop is the best viewing point for the town , the lake and the river. Overnight Tana Hotel.

Day 4: 
Bahar DarAfter breakfast drive to the small town of Tiss Abay to  visit to the impressive Blue Nile Falls, locally known as Tis Isat or 'Smoke of Fire'. The falls throws up a continuous spray of water droplets which drench onlookers up to a kilometre away. Much of the water is diverted to for Hidro electric Generation but it is worth visiting for the walk around and see the rural life.  The area around the river is extremely fertile and the Amhara people who live here farm wheat, sorghum and Teff (from which injera, the national bread, is made. After the Falls, return to Bahir Dar  for lunch The rest of the afternoon visit the local market of the town where local people from the country side and the people from the town gather for selling and buying the produce. Overnight Tana Hotel.
Day 5: Drive Gondar Tour of Gondar
 We experience typically in an Ethiopian African landscape as we drive from Bahir Dar to Gondar- 180 kms over wide grazing land, hilly mountains with numerous farmlands. The rest of the day visit attractions in Gondar. The attractions that we visit in Gondar includes: Castles of Gondar- are included in the World Heritage List. the royal Fasiledes Bath and the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie with its unique murals. Overnight Goha Hotel

Day 6: 
Drive Simien MountainsAfter breakfast departure for Debark town (100 Kms from Gondar), where the head quarter of Semien Mountains National Park is found. Here we pay the entrance fees and a scout and a local guide will accompany us. Then we continue driving to the gravel road to Buyit Ras, the first campsite of the National Park and your lodge for the night.   On this drive you will gain your first impression of the scale and beauty of this highland region, the extraordinary scenery, enjoying the endemic Gelada Baboons and the bone breaker giant bird Lammergeyer roaring around. O/n Simien Mountain Loge – (3200 m)
Day 7: Drive Axum
On this day, you drive long (280kms) but enjoying very beautiful and spectacular landscape along the Semien Mountains and Tekeze Gorge. The road descends from 3100 metres through hairpin bends down the mountain side to 1400 metres in just 40kms! The drive down and back up to Adi Arkay showcases not only the immensely beautiful Simien Mountain massifs but also the people who eke out an existence in this unforgiving countryside.  The drive continues through the Tekeze valley, crossing the Tekeze River, and onto Askum in the far north.  Overnight Remhay Hotel
Day 8: Visit of historical and archaeological sites in Axum
The   ancient city of Aksum is found close to Ethiopia's northern border. It marks the location of the heart of ancient Ethiopia, when the Kingdom of Aksum was the most powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia. The archaeological and historical attractions in Axum include: the archaeological museum,  monolithic steles or obelisks, the tombs of King Kaleb and King Gebre Meskal, and the legendary Bath of the Queen of Sheba, and the ruins of ancient palace of  Queen Sheba.  We also visit the new and the old Cathedral of St Mary of Zion and the sanctuary that houses the original Arc of the covenant.  The 16th Century Cathedral of St Mary of Zion was probably built on an earlier 4th century church, and is the holiest church in Ethiopia. In its sanctuary is said to rest the original Ark of the Covenant. Overnight Remhay Hotel
Day 9: Drive from Axum to Mekele
After breakfast drive through the historical town of Adwa, which is the major African battlefield and drive to the very small town of Yeha to visit the 5th century B.C imposing ruins of Yeha’s temple. It was a large pre-Christian temple consisting of a single oblong chamber. The temple is believed to be the oldest standing building in the country. You will also visit the 6th century A.D church of Aba Afse –the church, sharing the same compound with the temple, is rectangular in shape. Continue driving to Mekele-the capital of Tegray region en route visit Rock church of Wekro Cherkos and Abreha WE Asbeha. Overnight Mekele Axum Hotel. 
Day 10: Mekele - Lalibela
On this day, you will have the longest drive through the rough nature of road but nice to experience along with the magnificent scenery (gigantic, ups and downs landscape). You will have a chance to visit Lake Ashenge and good for birding. Proceed to Lalibela for dinner and overnight at Jerusalem Hotel Hotel. 
              
Day 11: 
Lalibela
Full day sightseeing tour of Lalibela:  Lalibela, famous for its rock hewn churches dating back 800 years, There are no less than 1000 churches in the Lasta Region of Lalibela, some hidden in enormous caves, but it's exceptional to find 11 churches of such master craftsmanship in one locale. These brilliant feats of engineering and architecture are often referred to as the "Eighth wonder of the world". The afternoon is spent exploring the atmospheric subterranean complex of passages and the 11 remarkable rock-hewn churches. Overnight Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 12: Lalibela - Kombolcha
After breakfast drive through the highland area of Delb where you can see the endemic mammal of Gelada Baboon. Have stop over at Hayk to visit the 13th C monastery of Hike Istifanos on the island of Lake Hike. Proceed to Dessie for dinner and overnight at Fasika Hotel.
Day 13: Kombolcha - Awash
Drive to Awash National Park the best game viewing reserve in Ethiopia.     Over night Genet Hotel
Day 14: Drive - Harar
After breakfast drive from Awash Sebat Killo to Harar. We will be driving through the Hararghe Mountains and we will see plenty of coffee and ‘chat’ fields. The region is well known in growing one of the best qualities of coffee in the country. Finally we will arrive in Harar early in the afternoon. Overnight Belayneh hotel
Day 15: In Harar
The same day you visit the colorful Muslim and Christian markets (known for basketry), the museum, and the traditional Hararie houses situated within the famous walled city. In the evening visit the hyena man while he feeds the hungry hyenas (wonderful experience). Overnight Belayneh hotel
Day 16: Drive to Addis Ababa Evening departure
After breakfast we drive   to Addis Ababa.  Evening we will have a fare well dinner in one of the Ethiopian restaurants for cultural dinner and dances from the different ethnic groups.  Then after transfer to the airport for flight back home.

 


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