TOUR OVERVIEW

Arrival: Bole International Airport

Our Dejene Ethiopia Tours representative will meet all clients upon arrival at the airport, regardless of their arrival time. For morning flight arrivals, you may begin your tour right after checking into your hotel. For afternoon or evening arrivals, you’ll have to begin your tour on the following day.

Day 01: Addis AbabaStart with a visit to the Ethnographic Museum, giving you a great introduction to our Ethiopian culture and history. Continue with a tour of the Mercato, which is one of Africa’s largest outdoor markets, and the Trinity Cathedral, the final resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie.

Spend the night at a hotel.

Day 02: Addis Ababa – Bahir DarEnjoy a flight to Bahir Dar with Ethiopian Airlines. Visit Bahir Dar’s lively marketplace. Have a soothing boat ride on Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile. And tour the ancient island monasteries.

Spend the night at a lodge.

Day 03: Bahir Dar – GondarEnjoy the scenic drive to Gondar, with an admirable view of the countryside. In Gondar, you get to tour the Royal Enclosure, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring five castles built by a succession of Ethiopian kings starting in the early 17th century. Having endured several wars, as well as air raids during World War 2, the castles are a present witness to the resilience of this once-mighty empire. Visit the church of Debre Birhan Selassie, renowned for its religious art, especially its iconic ceiling portraying angels.

Spend the night at a hotel.

Day 04: Simien Mountain National Park Start the day with a drive to Sankaber, the entryway to the Simien Mountains National Park, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue with a casual hike (2 – 3 hours) and absorb the incredible scenery, possibly see some of the wildlife such as the endemic Gelada Baboons. Return to Gondar as evening settles.

Spend the night at a hotel.

Day 05   Gondar – LalibelaEnjoy a flight to Lalibela with Ethiopian Airlines. Explore the magnificent rock-hewn churches, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These eleven monolithic churches were carved directly into the rocky mountainside over 800 years ago. This incredible complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, an ancient maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and cryptic examples of icon paintings.

Spend the night at a hotel.

Day 06: LalibelaThe morning comes with two options:(1) Take a morning hike, with mules or on foot, to the amazing monastery of Mount Asheton, rock-hewn in the 13th century. The journey there offers a wonderful view of Lalibela and the surrounding countryside.(2)Drive to Yemrehanna Kristos, a beautiful church situated in a shallow cave that admirably predates the churches of Lalibela. The drive to Yemrehanna will give you the opportunity to view the rural countryside and villages of the Ethiopian highlands.Following either of the morning options, you’ll continue with a tour of Lalibela’s churches in the afternoon.

Spend the night at a hotel.

Day 07: Lalibela – AxumFly to Axum with Ethiopian Airlines. Explore the ancient stelae fields, which have stood for roughly 2000 years. Enjoy a visit to the new and impressive Archaeological Museum. And as time permits, you can also visit other tombs and archaeological sites.

Spend the night at a hotel.

Day 08: Axum – Addis Ababa – Lake LanganoReturn to Addis Ababa, and then drive south to the Rift Valley Lake Langano. Take time and relax at the Sabana Lodge. Lake Langano is not only a beautiful sight to take in, it is also safe for swimming.

Spend the night at a lodge.

Day 09: Lake Langano – Arba MinchDrive to Arba Minch via several stunning locations and sights, including; Melka Kunture, a stone-age archaeological site; Adadi Mariam, a church rock-hewn in the 12th-century; and Tiya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its cryptic stelae, said to be grave markers, dating back to the 12th century. You also get the chance to visit a Dorze Village in the Guge Mountains. The Dorze are renowned for their tall, beehive-shaped bamboo houses. If termites were to infest the base, the entire house can be lifted and moved to a better location.Spend the night at a lodge.

Day 10: Arba Minch – JinkaWith a boat trip on Lake Chamo, you get the opportunity to view some of the largest crocodiles in the world sunbathing on the lakeshore. Hippopotamus and birdlife are equally present to behold. Continue with a drive to Jinka, and visit different peoples such as the Gamo and Derashe. Stop by Key Afar’s weekly market (if on a Thursday) and wander among unique tribes like the Benna and Ari that have come together to trade their goods. Spend the night at a lodge.

Day 11: Mago National ParkStart the morning with a drive to the Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people. The Mursi women are famous for the clay plates they insert into their lower lips. You can even make a visit to the Omo Valley Museum in Jinka if time permits.

Spend the night at a lodge.

Day 12: Jinka – TurmiDrive to Turmi for a visit to the Hamer people, well known for the scarring of their bodies, using clay to configure their hairstyles and the unique practice of “bull-jumping” – which every young man must accomplish to gain the right to marry. On the way to Turmi, stop by for a visit to the Benna and Ari people.

Spend the night at a lodge.

Day 13: OmorateContinue your adventure with a venture to Omorate to visit the Dassanech people, famous for their detailed body paintings. Take part in the thrill of crossing the famous Omo River by canoe. And then return to Turmi as the evening settles.

Spend the night at a lodge.

Day 14: Turmi – KonsoStart the day with a morning drive to Konso, recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Konso are a highland people famous for the ancient and intricate terraces that surround their incredibly well-planned villages.

Spend the night at a lodge.

Day 15: Konso – HawassaEnjoy a scenic drive to the lakeside town of Hawassa. Here you get to relax at one of Hawassa’s fine resorts and recover from your thrilling adventure.

Spend the night at a resort.

Day 16: Hawassa –  Addis Ababa

Explore the Hawassa fish market in the early morning. Drive back to Addis Ababa, stop by the Rift Valley Lakes along the way. Once the evening settles, enjoy a farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant, which features dancers and musicians symbolizing some of the nation’s numerous ethnic groups. And if needed, you’ll be transferred to the airport for a late-night departure.