Historic Route

🗓️ Itinerary

• Day 1 Arrival in Addis Ababa– - City tour
  Arrive Addis Ababa in the morning. After a leisurely morning to relax we will spend the afternoon on a site-seeing tour of Addis Ababa. you will visit the National Museum which houses some of the country’s historic treasures. The collection of fossils and bones of early hominids discovered in Ethiopia include the 3.5 million year old remains of “Lucy”, the oldest hominid every found. We will also visit the Holy Trinity Church, Ethiopia’s main cathedral and home to the remains of the last emperor, Haile Selassie. Finally we will visit Menelik”s Mausoleum.
  Overnight hotel in Addis Ababa
• Day 2: Drive to Bahirdar
  We will start our journey today with a drive to Bahir Dar. 501 Km, Drive time –7 – 9 .Visit one of Ethiopia’s most holy sites, the monastery of Debre Libanos which was founded in the 13th century. The site is beautifully set beneath a cliff on the edge of gorge and is a peaceful place to wonder. There is a good chance of seeing gelada baboon and lammergeyer along the way. Then proceed to a truly magnificent Blue Nile gorge where you will admire the expansive views over terraced slops and euphorbia studded cliffs on the opposite wall. It is the most dramatic stretches of road in Ethiopia dropping over 1000m.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 3: Bahirdar
  A full day visit of Bahirdar. It is a small but fast growing town on the southern shore of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile. It has long attracted religious men and the area contains numerous churches and monasteries, many of them on the thirty or so islands of Lake Tana. 
 Have a boat excursion to Lake Tana islands and medieval monasteries of Kibran Gabriel, Mitsle Fasiledes & Tana Cherkos. The most famous is Ura Kidanemihret of the Zege peninsula with its very beautiful painted temples.

  In the afternoon we travel to the Tississat, or Blue Nile, Falls, located about thirty kilometers from Lake Tana. It is still amazing to see the Blue Nile pouring over the fern-fringed lip to be channelled into the incredibly narrow gorges on its journey to Khartoum in Sudan. We take a gentle walk to the falls (approx two hours round trip) before stopping to admire them. From here we head back to the river for a short boat ride to meet the vehicle. (N.B. A shorter visit to the falls can be arranged for those who don’t want such a long walk).

  
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 4: Drive to Gondar
  Visit Ethiopian medieval capital Gondar, with its large royal enclosure containing grand castles, palaces, houses and outbuildings. See King Fasiladas’s palace, the oldest and perhaps most impressive of the castles. Behind the castle are various ruined buildings including the remains of a bathing pool, a chancellery and a library of Fasiladas’s son Yohannes I. Marvel at Debre Birhan Selassie, one of the country’s most famous churches that lies
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 5: Drive to Aksum via to Semien Mountains
  Leaving Gondar behind and continue the journey 8 hours of driving through the foothills of the Simien Mountains to reach the ancient town of Axum in the far north of Ethiopia. The roads here are very tough, but rewarded with more truly breathtaking scenery.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 6: Axum
  Have a sightseeing tour of Axum which includes visiting the Archaeological museum of Axum, the famous stele park (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the church of St. Mary of Zion which is believed to be the last resting place of the original Ark of the Covenant, the palace and tomb of King Kaleb and Gebre Meskel (6th Century AD) as well as the ruin palace of the Queen of Sheba (9th Century BC).
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 7: Drive to Mekele
  Journey to a little visited but peaceful and astonishing spot ‘Yeha’ which is Ethiopia’s first known capital and considered the birth place of the country’s earliest civilization. Its ruins are impressive for their sheer age, dating from around the 5th century BC. Also the monastery of Debre Damo which is the first monastery in Ethiopia dates back to Aksumite times. It boasts the oldest standing church in the country.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 8: Drive to Lalibela
  journeying through more incredible mountainous scenery in central Ethiopia to reach the small medieval town of Lalibela.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 9: Lalibela
  Have a full day visit to first cluster of rock-hewn churches in the morning . These churches are Ethiopia’s top attraction. The churches are mostly cut from solid rock, and therefore have the appearance of being underground. The most famous church is Bete Giorgis (St George, patron saint of Ethiopia), carved in the form of a Greek cross. It is exceptionally well preserved and visually almost flawless.

  probably one of the most fascinating places not only in Ethiopia but also in the world. In fact it was included in the World Heritage list by the UNESCO. Lalibela is one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities, second only to Axum, and is a center of pilgrimage for much of the country. Unlike Aksum, the population of Lalibela is almost completely Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. Lalibela was intended to be a New Jerusalem in response to the capture of Jerusalem by Muslims in 1187, and many of its historic buildings take their name and layout from buildings in Jerusalem b/n the 12th and 13thC. There are 11 churches, assembled in 3 groups.

  In the afternoon visit another cluster of churches that include the churches of Bete Gabriel and Rafael, Merkorous, Emanuel and Abba Libanos. Bete Emanuel is the best in this group and exceptionally carved with unique Axumite building features, such as the indentations on the walls, symbols of the multi-storey building taken from the stelae of Axum, monkey heads and false windows. The rest of the day is spent absorbing the atmosphere of this extraordinary town with its Tukul or round houses. Made as two-storey buildings, they are unusual in Ethiopia.

  
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 10: Lalibela:- Mule riding to Ashatan Maryam
  In the morning enjoy an optional adventurous mule journey to visit Ashetan Maryam (St Mary), built on a ridge with excellent views over the surrounding countryside. The trip takes approximately 4 hours (round trip) and will start early to avoid the heat. will ride the mules up the mountain for approximately an hour, before hiking the rest of the way up the mountain to the church. After visiting the church will walk back down to the village on slippery mountain paths.
  Overnight Hotel.
• Day 11: Drive to Dessie
  On route you will experience the rugged mountains and beautiful scenery.
  Overnight Hotel
• Day 12: Drive to Addis
  For sight seeing the beautiful landscape and mountain scenery. In the evening, join us for a farewell dinner at one of the best traditional restaurants in Addis, where we sample cuisine from around the country while enjoying folkloric dances and the music of various Ethiopian peoples. After dinner, we transfer you to the airport for your evening flight onward.
  Overnight Hotel