Itinerary

1. Day 1: Addis Ababa

   • Transfer to the hotel.
   • Visit the National Archaeological Museum, where the 3.2 million-year-old bones of Lucy (a female Australopithecus aphaeresis skeleton) resides, followed by the Ethnographic Museum, Holy Trinity Cathedral renowned for its stunning stain-glassed windows.
   • If you have a full day, you may have the chance to see the biggest market in Africa, Merkato.

   Overnight stay at Sidra International hotel.

2. Day 2: Bahir Dar

   • Fly to Bahir Dar, located on the southern shore of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile.
   • Visit the Blue Nile Falls, also known as 'great smoke' in Amharic.
   • After lunch, take a city tour and drive up to Bazawit Hill for spectacular views in the evening.
   • Drive past the 1960s palace of Emperor Haile Selassie and on to the open-air market, one of the largest in Northern Ethiopia. 

   Overnight stay in Kuriftu resort.

3. Day 3: Gondar

   • In the morning, take a boat trip on Lake Tana to visit the nearby monastery of the Zeghie Peninsula, known for its 14th century, round, grass-roofed churches and their magnificent murals.
   • Then drive to Gondar, the capital and commercial center of Ethiopia from the 17th to mid-19th century. 
   • After lunch, explore the sites of Gondar, including a visit to castles of the Royal Enclosure. Continue to Emperor Fasiledes Bath, now best known for the annual Christian festival of Timket, where local worshipers descend into the pool to commemorate the baptism of Jesus.
   • Head to see Ras Gimb Palace Museum and the Debre Berhane Selassie church, with Ethiopia's most iconic ceiling murals.

   Overnight stay in Gonder Goha hotel.

4. Day 4: Lalibela

   • Fly from Gondar to Lalibela, home to one of the world’s most outstanding sacred sites comprising 11 medieval rock-hewn churches.

   • First, the first group of Churches,

   Overnight stay in Sora lodge.

5. Day 5: Lalibela day tour

   • Today, visit the Monastery of NakutoLa’ab hewn out of a rock cave. Alternatively, take a mule trek to the Asheton Mariam Monastery. 
   • After lunch, visit the second group of cave churches built by King Lalibela, including the famous Bete Georgis, located in a deep pit and accessible only by a tunnel.
   • Also, visit the four churches south of the Jordan River.
   • A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony is a highlight this afternoon.

   Overnight stay in Sora Lodge.

6. Day 6: Aksum

   • Fly from Lalibela to Aksum and take the city tour. The tour includes the central Stelae Park. These famed granite obelisks are relics of this time and have gained UNESCO World Heritage site status. The tallest, the Great Stelae, has fallen and broken into six massive pieces, but when standing, it was 33 meters (108 feet) tall and weighed about five hundred twenty tones and other remarkable pre –Christian monuments.
   • You will continue the city tour, visiting the swimming pool of Queen of Sheba, Ezana Inscription, Tomb of King Kaleb and his son King Gebremeskel, Queen of Sheba’s palace, St. Mary Zion church and the Ark of the covenant.

   Overnight in Sabean Hotel.

7. Day 7: Gheralta

   • After breakfast, drive to visit the temple of Yeha, dating from the 8th to 7th centuries BC, and thought to be the capital of pre-Aksumite civilization and the museum. 
   • Head to Adigrat and have lunch.
   • After lunch, proceed through the state of Tigray, stopping en-route for a visit to the rock-hewn church of Medhani Alem Adi Kesho. 

   Overnight stay in Hawuzien (Gheralta lodge)

8. Day 8: Mekele

   • In the morning, visit Abune Yemata Guh church and Daniel Korkor church.  
   • Drive back to the town of Hawuzien for lunch.
   • After lunch, drive to the west of Wukro to visit the churches of Abreha. 

   Overnight stay at Planet hotel.

9. Day 9: Departure

   • After breakfast, visit Mekelle in the morning and fly back in the afternoon to Addis.

   End of the tour services.