Our representatives will be waiting for you at the airport. After checking in to your hotel, you will embark on a city tour of bustling Addis Ababa. Your visit includes:
Afterwards, you will be dropped back at your hotel.
Overnight: Cassiopieia Hotel
You will fly to Lalibela in the morning. Upon arrival, you will transfer to your hotel (approximately 40 minutes). After lunch, continue with an afternoon tour of the rock-hewn churches.
Explore the “Eighth Wonder of the World” – the 12th-13th century rock-hewn churches, which are still active places of worship and host many major religious ceremonies. Marvel at the unique architectural features of each church carved from solid rock. Wander through the tunnels and stairways connecting the churches.
Overnight: Lalibela Sora Lodge
Finally, visit the famous Bet Giyorgis Church, dedicated to Saint George, Ethiopia’s patron saint.Experience local life by visiting an Amhara village in the outskirts of Lalibela and witness the preparation of traditional food. End your day with a breathtaking sunset over the Lasta mountains.
Overnight: Lalibela Sora Lodge
In the morning, proceed 8hrs driv3 to Gondar via Woreta, passing through Amhara state.You will have stunning views of the Guna Mountains as you travel through this dramatic landscape.
Overnight: in Gondar Hill resort.
After breakfast , we take a 100 km drive north on the Ethiopian highland to Debark, a small town of about 35,000 inhabitants at the border to the famous Simien National Park.After a quick stop for the formalities at the headquarter offices of the national park and for collecting cook and scouts we drive out on a rough road to the Sankaber area at about 3,100 m sea level from where we take a short walk of 2-3 hours to assist the acclimatization process.
We get a first impressive view over the dramatic mountain range and see some typical plants of that area such as big Heather Trees , St. John swort or the Abissinian Wild Rose . This is also the area in which the largest number of Gelada Baboons can be found.
Semien Mountains Lodge
After breakfast , we will drive back to Gondar city where we do a city tour for the rest of the day.Gonder known as the “Camelot” of Africa, nestled in the foothills of the breathtaking Semien Mountains National Park in the northwestern part of the country.It was the 17th and 18th century capital city of Ethiopia, which was founded by Emperors Fasiladas (1632 – 1667) and was home to a number of emperors & warlords, curtsies and kings who built several castles and palaces around the area.
Visit the oldest and the most impressive Gonderine structure, the magnificent castle compound including the two storied palace of emperor Fasiladas, built of roughly hewn brown basalt stone held together with mortar, the fantastically decorated Debre Brehan Silassie Church (light of Trinity),the bath (now baptismal place during Ethiopian epiphany, January 19) of king Fasiladas and the ruined palace of Queen Mintiwab at Qusquam, were the Scottish explorer James Bruce used to reside for sometimes.
Afterwards , we drive back to the hotel.
Overnight Hill Resort
Early morning after breakfast, transfer to the Airport for a flight further north takes you to the oldest city in Ethiopia, Axum. Eight Km drive to the Town check in hotel. Then start exploring Axum, a place where the cradle of Ethiopian culture Christianity and the first capital of Ethiopia until the 9th century A.D.
On this day you will visit the small but rich archaeological museum, the famous stele park, where the magnificent single block of stones erected since 3rd century, the Saint Mary of Zion Cathedral, where the original Holy Ark of the Covenant is still sheltered, however except one guardian (priest) no one is allowed to enter in to the sanctuary where the ark is stayed. Continuing your visit which includes the subterranean tomb of king Kalbe and his son king Gebremeskel, 6th Century AD, the trilingual inscription of king Ezana and finally visit the ruin palace and bath of Queen of Sheba who was the mother of king Menilik I of the 950 B.C.
Overnight: Sabean Hotel
Today we will do the rest of the excursion in Axum then fly back to Addis with the afternoon Afterwards , drive back to the airport for the early flight to Semera via Addis. Semera is the city in the Easter Ethiopia abd the Capital of Afar regional state , abd the gate way to Danakill Depression. Today, since the connection flight from Addis is late in the afternoon , we will have a relaxing day in Semera to get ready for Danakill adventure on the following day.
Overnight: Semera Kuriftu Resort.
Today we start our Danakill adventure and drive to Erta Ale Volcanic Field through the Old Danakil sea .
Today you have a chance to see a glance of the fresh lava flow and tectonically affected mountain ranges. Both recent basalts of spreading Axes, recent sediments and Highland rock sequences dominate the road Geology of the area where you are driving through. Paper work Processing with Erta Ale area chief and administrators for further continue of Erta Ale active volcano and get a permission for the visit. More to see the fresh lava flows.
Overnight: In a matress admiring the stars. Feeling the basalt lava field of Erta Ale. (At the car parking of Erta Ale)
This morning will be an early start as we leave camp before dawn. On arriving at the bottom of the volcano we will freshen up before driving to Dallol. The driving is all off road, through the desert. We stop at a palm grove for lunch and should have a chance to try some of the local palm wine. In the evening we will arrive at Ahmedela, a small settlement where the salt caravans meet before their long walk to the north and the last village before Dallol.
Overnight at Hamed Ela, in traditional beds in open air.
Dallol is like nowhere else; a bizarre landscape of colourful mineral deposits, sulphur pools and geysers, where we’ll have the morning to explore this seemingly alien terrain. We will also visit the bizarre landscape of the salt canyons before we drive back, where en route we may get the chance to see the arduous work of salt being extracted by hand and loaded onto the camels.
Afterward, drive back to Semera.On the way back, visit Afdera it is a wonderfully bright green lake situated with black basalt mountains behind. It’s a stunning location. There is a hot spring nearby where you may take a bath and like the dead sea float on the lake.
Fly back to Addis by the evening flight. 440km (8hrs)
Overnight Addis Cassiopeia Hotel.
Take the early flight to Jinka , then proceed driving to Turmi.
Turmi is an area located at the southeastern part of Omo and where the Hammer people lives by. The Hamers are a fine looking people, both men and women take great pride in their appearance, shaving and coloring their hair, oiling their bodies and decorating themselves with beads and bracelets worn around arms and legs. So, you will drive to one of the local Hammer Village and spend the rest of the days visit the Hammer people.
Overnight: Turmi Paradise Lodge
Early morning after breakfast, proceed to Omorate(a home of the Dassanech tribe),a tribe who setteled at the last border nearby where Omo river inter to the Kenyan lake Turkana.Then after you arrive Omorate, you will take the local wooden boat in order to cross the majestic Omo river and meet the Dassanech people at one of their local village.
Then after the Dassanech visit, drive back to Turmi till a mid day. Then after lunch in Turmi continue drive to Dimeka in order to visit one the second largest weekly market of the area in which two interesting tribes( Hamer and Kara) will show up together with their goods.
Further this day, if there is any ceremony like bull jumping, then that will be seen.
Overnight Turmi Paradise Lodge
Today, early in the morning, we will drive to Kara village. The Kara tribe are among smallest tribe in the area numbering only 3000 people.They settled on the west bank of the Omo river, and believed to be as a master of body painting that they use for beutifiying purpose. So today you will meet this authentic people at one their second bigest village called Dus(one of the furthest village which isnot often visited by tourist) and the most important place for entire Kara people.
And you will spend some time with the Kara people. Afterward, you will drive Kangaten in order to meet the Nyangatom tribe who settled on the other side of Omo River and said to be descendant of Toposa tribe in South Sudan.
Then you will drive back to Jinka by the evening.
Overnight Jinka Resort
Today again early in the morning,you will drive to Mursi (70km) in order to visit Mursi tribe who settled inside the Mago National Park, they are renowned for the strange custom followed by their women who, on reaching maturity, have their lower lips slit and circular clay discs inserted. And this day you will be arrive the Village in the late morning, and then you will spend some time visiting the Mursi village and share some experiences with the local Mursi people.
Then you will drive back to Jinka where you will catch the flight back to Addis.
Dending your free time for Shopping and evening head to the farewell Evening cultural dinner party in one of the Traditional Ethiopian restaurant with dances from the different ethnic Groups then transfer to airports for your departure back home.
