9-Day Historic Route Tour of Ethiopia with Lalibela and Aksum

Morning (8:30 am): the visit starts with a tour of the capital city, Addis Ababa, which literally means "New Flower." Addis Ababa is Africa's undisputed diplomatic capital and is home to the headquarters of the African Union (AU) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

The city tour includes the National Museum, home to "Lucy," the 3.2-million-year-old humanoid skeleton, the Ethnological Museum, and either Trinity Cathedral or Saint George Cathedral.

In the afternoon, visit Mount Entoto, the peak point and birthplace of the capital, and conclude the city tour with a visit to Africa's biggest open market, Merkato.

Overnight at hotel.

In the morning, transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Bahir Dar.

Upon arrival, check in to your hotel room and take a half-day boat cruise on Lake Tana to visit the ancient 14th-century island monasteries of Ura Kidane Mehret and Azwa Maryam.

In the afternoon, drive 35 km to visit the majestic Blue Nile Falls.

Overnight at hotel in Bahir Dar. Experiencing the nightlife in Bahir Dar is optional.

After breakfast in the morning, drive to Gondar, the Camelot of Africa. Visit a total of eleven 17th-century palaces located within one compound.

In the afternoon, visit Berhane Selassie church, which is famous for its mural art, and then return to the hotel.

After an early breakfast, drive to Simien Mountains National Park. The park is renowned for its special collection of mountain summits, breathtaking terrain, and endemic wildlife.

On the same day, go trekking around the park to explore its stunning views and wildlife.

Late in the afternoon, drive back to your hotel in Gondar for an overnight stay.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and fly to Lalibela.

Upon arrival, check in to your hotel rooms and begin visiting the churches of Lalibela, including the famous rock-hewn church of St. George, which is carved in a cross shape out of a monolithic rock.

Lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, continue visiting other medieval rock-hewn churches that are protected by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, and then return to the hotel.

In the morning, trek and ride on muleback to the top of Asheton Mountain for a visit to the first monolithic rock-chiseled church, Asheton Maryam, built by King Lalibela.

In the afternoon, return to the hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure while enjoying the scenery of Lalibela town.

Early in the morning, transfer to the airport and fly to Aksum, a town with more than 3,000 years of history. The day includes visits to the palaces and tombs of King Kaleb (6th century AD), the extraordinary stelae field, and the tombs of kings including King Remhay (1st to 4th century AD), followed by a trip to St. Mary of Zion church, which is believed to be the final resting place of the original Ark of the Covenant, built by the prophet Moses some 3,500 years ago at the foot of Mount Sinai.

Then drive 4 km out of town on the way to Gondar to see a rock-carved lion dating back to the 4th century AD.

Then visit the perceived ruins of the palace of the legendary Queen of Sheba, known as Queen Makeda, dating back more than 900 years BC, and then return to the hotel.

At the hotel in Aksum, during or after dinner, there will be a comprehensive facilitated discussion and briefing on the mysteries of Lalibela and Axumite civilization in Ethiopia (optional).

Early in the morning, transfer to the airport in Aksum to catch the morning flight to Addis Ababa.

Upon arrival in Addis, transfer to the hotel for day-use rooms and safe keeping of luggage. Then enjoy time at leisure and shopping.

In the afternoon, attend a farewell party at one of the traditional restaurants to experience Ethiopian traditional dance, followed by a warm farewell session and transfer to Bole International Airport for departure.