This fascinating Ethiopia Tour flies to northern Ethiopia to explore the famous historical sites of this ancient country and the Simien Mountains Park, before flying back to Addis Ababa.
Experience holy cities, ancient palace ruins, old monasteries, historic churches, and rugged mountains on this scenic Ethiopia Tour of Historic Highlights & Simien Mountains. A short, yet incredible journey to Ethiopia's ancient and sacred sites!
Your guide welcomes you to the Horn of Africa upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport and transfers you to your first overnight hotel in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia is one of the oldest places where human societies have lived and for most of its history, it has been a monarchy, with its roots dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. Ethiopia is also considered to be where Homo sapiens migrated to the Middle East and beyond.
Addis Ababa, located at the foot of the Entoto Mountains, is the capital of Ethiopia, founded in 1886 by Emperor Menekil. Known locally as the "new flower", the city is dotted with Eucalyptus trees and surrounded by mountains. Addis is a regional hub with quite a cosmopolitan feel, offering interesting sights and delicious Ethiopian cuisine. Places of interest include the national and ethnological museums, Trinity Cathedral, and Merkato, one of Africa's largest open-air markets.
On day two of our Historical Ethiopia Tour, we fly from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar, Ethiopia's third largest city located in north-western Ethiopia. Bahir Dar is known for its wide palm-lined avenues and colorful mix of flowers. From Bahir Dar, we visit the scenic Blue Nile Falls, about 35 km from the city, before lunchtime. Bahir Dar is set on the southern shore of Lake Tana, and in the afternoon we embark on a boat trip on the lake.
Lake Tana covers about 3600 km² and is Ethiopia’s largest body of water, featuring islands that host some of the oldest churches and monasteries in the world. On our boat trip, we visit the island monasteries of Ura Kidane Mihret (14th Century AD) and Azwa Mariam (14th Century AD). This gives us a chance to see the elaborate murals painted on the interior walls and ceilings, as well as ancient manuscripts and artifacts, and perhaps even some brightly-robed monks.
Today we leave Bahir Dar for the ancient royal city of Gondar - the former capital of Ethiopia back in the 17th century. Since the 12th century Gondar has been home to numerous emperors and princesses, and today it is called "The Camelot of Africa" because of the old castles, palaces, and churches.
In the afternoon we visit Gondar Castle, the UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of a complex of castles and palaces called the Imperial Castle Compound of Gondar. We also visit the ‘Bath of Emperor Fasiladas’ who founded Gondar in about 1635 and the church of Quskuam Mariam dating back to the 17th century AD. Last but not least we visit the residence of Empress Mintwab, and the church of Debre Birhan Selassie, famed for its ornate wall and ceiling paintings.
This morning our Historical Ethiopia Tour travels from Gondar to the Simien Mountains National Park.
We make our way to Debark, the headquarters of Simien Mountain Park, before continuing 36 km to the jagged Simien Mountains. This incredibly scenic mountainous area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, for its globally significant biodiversity, including rare and endemic species. The national park is home to threatened and endangered species such as the iconic Walia ibex, an endemic wild mountain goat species, the Gelada baboon, and the Ethiopian wolf.
The spectacular scenery of the Simien Mountains was created by millions of years of large-scale erosion on the Ethiopian plateau, giving rise to the deep valleys, rugged mountain tops, and sheer precipices of some 1500 meters.
On day seven, we fly to Lalibela in the morning, leaving the scenic Simien Mountains behind. Lalibela, formerly known as Roha, was home to King Lalibela after whom it was named in the late 12th century AD.
In the afternoon we visit the first group of famous rock-hewn churches built by King Lalibela. The churches of King Lalibela are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Lalibela itself is one of Ethiopia's holiest cities, central to pilgrimages in Ethiopia. Some Ethiopian legends say that God instructed King Lalibela to build the unique churches that have been central to pilgrimages over the centuries and that angels helped to build the churches of Lalibela.
On the morning of day eight in Ethiopia, we take a short muleback ride to Asheton Mariam church, perched on the top of a hill.
The semi-monolithic Asheton Mariam church dates back to the 13th century AD and is well worth the mule ride. From the hilltop, we get to admire the beautiful views over the surrounding area. This afternoon we visit the second and the third groups of King Lalibela churches, cut out of the rocks in an architectural triumph.
Today we catch a return flight to Addis Ababa. In the afternoon we embark on a half-day city tour of the capital, Addis Ababa, which includes visiting the National Archaeological Museum and the Merkato, the largest open-air market in Africa. After sightseeing in the city we drive up Mount Entoto, at an elevation of 3200 meters, and enjoy the panoramic views of Addis.
On the final evening of our Ethiopia Tour, you are welcome to join a celebratory dinner at one of Addis Ababa's top traditional restaurants. This is a great chance to sample a variety of Ethiopian flavors and watch some symbolic folk dances. After dinner, our Historical Ethiopia Tour draws to a close and you are transferred to the airport for your onward flight.
This tour does not take children.
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