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Home6-Day Visit To Ancient Ethiopian Cities And Lake Tana
Description
Start your 6-day tour from Ethiopia's cultural hub, Addis Ababa and explore the incredible rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. Visit the Zion Cathedral containing the Ark of the Covenant and Bath of Queen Sheba in Aksum and learn about Fasilides in the Gondar city. Drive towards the magical Blue Nile Falls in Bahir Dar and end your tour with a boat ride through the islands of Lake Tana.
Highlights
- Tour of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa
- See the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela
- Visit the archaeological museum and the Zion cathedral in Aksum city
- Explore the church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar
- Explore the eleven rock-hewn churches in Lalibela, a 12th-century heritage site
- Pass through villages and visit the Blue Nile Falls in Bahir Dar
- See where the Blue Nile River and Lake Tana meet
- Board a boat trip in the beautiful Lake Tana and visit its islands
Itinerary Expand All Collapse All
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Day 1: Arrival expand_more
- You will be picked by our guide from the airport and then, transferred to the hotel.
- Start the tour of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital which means 'new flower' in the local language. Addis is located at 2,500 meters above sea level in one of the highest parts of the Entoto mountain chain which was founded in 1886 by Menelik II. It enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25ºC. Addis 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 'Merkato'.
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Day 2: Lalibela expand_more
- In the morning, take a flight to Lalibela, located at an altitude of 2,600 meters above sea level, which was called Roha until the end of the 12th century. Check out the remarkably excavated 12th-century eleven rock-hewn churches that are registered as one of the world's wonders.
- Once you've checked into your hotel, take some rest. In the evening, start visiting the first group (consisting of 6 churches) of the incredibly hewn-out churches, which symbolizes the New Jerusalem and the city itself.
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Day 3: Aksum Tour expand_more
- Early in the morning, you will have the option to attend the everyday mass that would take place from 6:00 am to 7:00 am in the church.
- Return to the hotel for breakfast and then, take a flight to Aksum city.
- When you reach the city, visit the Archaeological Museum and the Zion Cathedral where you can find the original Ark of the covenant.
- Visit Stele park where the magnificent single block of stones was erected in the 3rd century. The ruined palace, the Bath of Queen Sheba, who was the mother of king Menelik I of 950 BC, and the tombs of the early century Kings, are some of the other attractions in Aksum.
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Day 4: Gondar expand_more
- Visit the first capital city of the Ethiopian empire, Gondar. There are a dozen castles built by various emperors over 236 years.
- In the afternoon, visit the palaces, residences and baths of Fasilides.
- In the evening, visit the church of Debre Berhan Selassie (Light of the Trinity), which is located at the summit of a hill and surrounded by fortified walls. The interior is amazingly decorated with beautiful frescos.
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Day 5: Bahir Dar expand_more
- After breakfast, depart for a three-hour drive to Bahir Dar, the beautiful lakeside city of Ethiopia. The journey will take you through rural villages and cross mountain passes with stunning vistas. Here, you can get your first glimpse of the impressive city of Bahir Dar.
- In the afternoon, drive to the waterfalls of the Blue Nile, which are approximately 100m wide, and the water plunges for 45 meters, giving rise to steam clouds and rainbows.
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Day 6: Lake Tana & Zege Peninsula expand_more
- In the morning, head out to Lake Tana and Zege Peninsula to visit its famous monasteries. There are 37 islands on the lake and 30 of them have churches and monasteries of considerable historical and cultural interest.
- Board a boat trip on the lake to explore some of the islands. You can join one of the many organised walks, from that of Ura Kidanemihret, Kibran Gabriel, to the Azewa Mariam to see mural paintings, crowns, crosses etc.
- On the way back to Bahir Dar see the place where the Blue Nile River and Lake Tana join.
- In the afternoon, visit the market and the palace of former Emperor Haile Selassie. Then, take a flight back to Addis Ababa.
What's Included
- All accommodations are based on twin sharing
- All ground transportations with fuel/ Ground transportation by the newest model air-conditioned 4WD, Minibus or coaster bus
- Private vehicles with driver (road tax, vehicle and driver insurance, accommodation of the driver and allowance)
- The services of an escort guide, qualified in English, during the whole trip
- Services of local guides during site visits
- Meals: Breakfast
- Airport transfers
- City transfers
- All entrance fees as per the program
- Boat trip on Lake Tana
- Mule riding
- Scouts
- Government tax
What's Excluded
- International airfare
- Domestic flight
- Any alcoholic drinks
- Single accommodation (available on request)
- A personal expense like souvenirs, laundry, etc
- Meals: Lunch and Dinner
- Tips
- Visa expenses
- Video or photographing fees or tips at different sites
- And any personal item expense
- Any expense which is not stated in the 'Included List’ above
Know before you go
- Essential equipment and Clothing
- Clothing: Daytime temperatures are mainly warm and comfortable but evenings in the highlands can be cold. We recommend a thick jumper or warm fleece and lightweight wind/waterproof clothing. Carry a sun hat.
- Footwear: Comfortable, good walking shoes with ankle support are strongly recommended as well as comfortable sandals. Also:
Daypack
Light jacket or fleece
Good walking footwear/boots
Walking if you normally use them
Insect spray
Sunhat
Sun cream
Sunglasses
Water bottle
Wet wipes
Anti-bacterial hand gel
Torch and spare batteries
Meeting Point
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Cancellation Policy
For cancellations upto 2 days before the tour -
Refund of 80% of the tour price.Price Details
| Standard | |
| 1 To 6 | USD 1315 Per Person |
This is a group tour | |
Starting From
see details
USD 1315 / person