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Ethiopian Historic North Explorer
Day 1: Arrival to Addis Ababa ”Late Evening”, once clear-ing through Customs & Immigration, you will be met at the exit gate for a transfer to your hotel. Addis Ababa, the name of the city, in Amharic, means «new flower». Found-ed in 1886 by Menelik II, it is located at 2,500 m (8202 ft) above sea level in one of the highest parts of the Entoto Mountain chain (3,000 m/9842 ft above sea level). Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of jacaranda trees, interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as the «Mercato». Overnight Hotel
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Day 1: Addis Ababa (2400m): Meeting at our hotel this morning ”Morning Arrivals”, there will be time to rest be-fore having lunch and an orientation tour around Ethio-pia’s bustling capital, including the Trinity Cathedral and the Mercato, the biggest open-air market in Africa. We’ll have an early dinner at an excellent local restaurant tasting traditional food and atmosphere. Overnight Hotel
Day 2: Addis Ababa – Gonder: A morning flight takes us to Gonder where we’ll visit the Debre Birhan Selassie church (Light of Trinity) with its wonderful murals. We’ll also visit the Royal Enclosure, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its medieval castles; architecturally unique & unlike anything else found in Sub-Saharan Africa. Overnight Hotel
Day 3: Gonder – Simien Mountains NP: We enjoy the Simien Mountains (Simien National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). In the park, many of the mountain peaks exceed 4,000 m; the highest is Ras Dejen, at 4,543 m above sea level. These mountains consist of volcanic masses that have been eroded away by centuries of rain. Today they have amethyst-colored peaks and deep gullies which have been further deepened by rivers. The crevic-es play host to the Walya ibex.
We will spend the entire day exploring the area of Sankaber at an altitude of 3550 m. The escarpment offers scenic views and the chance to see the endemic Gelada baboons, sometimes in herds of over a hundred, along with the endemic Walya ibex. Cliff-nesting birds are also common, including lammergeyer. Overnight stay in Simien Moun-tains. Overnight Lodge
Day 4: Simien NP – Axum: We will have the whole morning for 3 to 4 hours of trekking in the mountains before we journey to Axum. Overnight Hotel
Overnight Hotel
Day 5: Axum: Axum — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The legends narrated in the Kebre Nagast (Book of Kings) recount how the city of Axum as early as the 10th century B.C. was already the city in which the Queen of Sheba resided. It is recounted that the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant to Axum and it remains there to this day, preserved in a sanctuary.
Famous long before the time of Christ, Axum was the capital of the long Axumite reign — one of the oldest African empires, and represented a crucial connecting point between Africa and Asia for almost a thousand years.
We visit the stelae: granite monoliths dating from pre-Christian times and decorated with symbolic engravings. There is also a visit to the church of Saint Mary of Zion. A chapel in the church is believed by many to contain The Ark of the Covenant. This chapel is protected by “The Guardian,” who is the only person allowed into the chapel and the only person who may set eyes on it. There is also a small museum here, which contains the crowns of Ethi-opian kings and other treasures. Overnight Hotel
Day 6: Axum – Tigray: After breakfast we will drive to the wonderful Gheralta Lodge, stopping en route at the Yemeni influenced, Yeha temple (also known as the temple of the Moon), (5th century BC) and then drive on to some rarely visited rock hewn churches. It should be noted that some churches require a certain agility to visit (and one in fact requires their visitors to be male!) but being a small group we will have maximum flexibility to select the most appropriate churches to visit. Overnight Hotel
Day 7: In Tigray: We will have a full day to explore this rarely visited corner of Ethiopia. You can be as active or as relaxed as you like, enjoying the wonderful serenity of the Gheralta Lodge. Overnight Hotel
Day 8: Tigray – Lalibela: We have a full day driving through stunning countryside, to Lalibela. This is a full day’s drive, but there is little traffic and we can stop and take in the epic landscape which we’re passing through. Over-night Hotel
Day 9: Lalibela and the Northern Churches
A short flight takes us from Axum to Lalibela. The city contains 11 monolithic churches that were built in the 12th century and are carved out of the pink granite rock; they have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Each church has a unique architectural style; all are superbly carved and most of them are decorated with well-preserved paintings. The entire city may be described as a sculpture dedicated to the glory of God.
The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the first group of churches, known as the Northern Group of Churches. We walk from the hotel to Bet Medihanialem which is the largest, supported by 72 pillars and houses the 7kg (15 lbs) gold Lalibela Cross. We go through a tunnel from Bet Medihanialem to Bet Mariam, in which there is a pillar that it is said that Jesus Christ leaned against when he appeared in a vision to King Lalibela. Bet Mariam also contains fab-ulous carvings of various birds and animals.
We also visit Bet Danaghel; a chapel built in honor of martyred nuns. Bet Golgotha and Bet Mikael are twin church-es and many believe that a visit to Bet Golgotha alone can guarantee your place in heaven! The twin churches also contain many important religious items and some of the best examples of early religious art in the country.
The last church we visit today is Bet Giyorgis, one of the more recent churches and among the best preserved. We walk on our return to our hotel and if time allows, we will have a stop in the souvenir shops and around the city center. Overnight Hotel
Day 10: Lalibela and the Eastern Churches
In the morning we go for an approximately 3-hour hike (those who prefer can ride mules) to visit the Eastern Rock Churches. Bet Amanuel is one of the most beautifully carved churches in Ethiopia in the Aksumite style. Bet Merko-rios has a wonderful painting of The Three Wise Men, which dates back to the 15th century A.D.
We also stop to see Bet Abba Libanos and Bet Gebrieal — Reafael, which might have once been the home of the roy-al family before becoming a church.
This afternoon, we visit the Nakutelab Rock Hewn Church, built under a natural cave. Tonight, we have a special treat, participating in the Coffee Ceremony; a ceremony of hospitality in Ethiopia. Overnight Hotel
Day 11: To Bahir Dar: Early morning we will picked up and driven to Bahir Dar, on the shores of Lake Tana, aim-ing to arrive early evening. Overnight Hotel
Day 12: In Bahir Dar: We will have a full day to enjoy this relaxed lakeside town and its surroundings. In the morning we’ll take a look around town, see the papyrus boat makers and the market before driving to Tisissat (45mins) to visit the Blue Nile falls. After taking in the ‘Smoke of the Nile’ from a classic vantage point we will then take a beautiful walk, via the base of the falls and a short boat trip across the river, back to Tisissat. In the after-noon we’ll take a boat trip out onto Lake Tana, visiting some of the highly distinctive monasteries found there, re-plete with some truly spectacular frescoes. Overnight Hotel
Day 13: Bahir Dar – Addis Ababa: We fly back to Addis Ababa this morning. The afternoon is free for last minute shopping or resting. This evening we will enjoy a farewell 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 or on-ward connection.
Here are some extension ideas...
Harar: For a completely different side of Ethiopia, why not visit the walled city of Harar – Islam’s 4th holiest city. This fascinating city is famous for its chat market, ornately decorated traditional houses, vibrant mix of local peo-ple (including Afars & Somalis), historical links with Richard Burton, and the “hyena man” who feeds wild hyenas outside the city walls each night — this extension is the perfect complement to a trip to the predominantly Christian northern highlands! A 3-4-night extension is possible.
The Great African Rift Valley: For nature lovers, this extension to one of Africa’s predominant geological features gives you the opportunity for some great bird watching and relaxing on the shores of beautiful Lake Langano. 3-4 days extension is possible.
Omo Valley: Visit one of the most culturally diverse regions in Ethiopia, home to several unique and fascinating tribes. 12-15 days extension is possible.
