5-Day Northern Ethiopia Heritage Tour with Lalibela and Simien

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Explore the medieval monasteries on Lake Tana
• 02 Visit Lake Tana Island and the Ura Kidane Miheret church
• 03 Admire the Blue Nile Falls near Bahir Dar
• 04 Be mesmerized by the Royal Castles of Gondar
• 05 See endemic Gelada baboons in Simien Mountains National Park
• 06 Explore the ancient rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela

Embark on a 5-day tour through Northern Ethiopia, visiting medieval monasteries on Lake Tana, the Blue Nile Falls, the Royal Castles of Gondar, Simien Mountains National Park, and the rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela. Delve into the beauty and quietude of these remarkable sights as you travel through breathtaking topographies densely populated with endemic species of flora and fauna.

Embark on a 5-day tour through Northern Ethiopia, visiting medieval monasteries on Lake Tana, the Blue Nile Falls, the Royal Castles of Gondar, Simien Mountains National Park, and the rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Addis Ababa, Gondar, Bahir Dar, Lalibela, Simien Mountains National Park

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Fly to Bahir Dar and Visit Lake Tana and Blue Nile Falls

• Transfer to the airport from Addis Ababa for an early flight to Bahir Dar. Have breakfast and pay a morning visit to the medieval churches of Ura Kidane Miheret on the Zege Peninsula, on Lake Tana.
• Return to Bahir Dar for lunch, and in the afternoon drive 37 kilometres to the small town of Tis Abay to visit the Blue Nile Falls.
• Head back to Bahir Dar for an overnight stay. You could visit cultural nightclubs that display folkloric dances nightly, or choose to call it a day.

2

Day 02

Drive to Gondar and Explore Its Royal Heritage

• Drive to Gondar after breakfast. Once there, head to a cultural restaurant in town to taste the local food and drink.
• In the afternoon, visit the Royal Castles of Gondar, the Bath of Emperor Fasiledes, and Debrebirhan Selassie Church with its magnificent paintings.

3

Day 03

Day Trip to Simien Mountains National Park

• Take a day trip by road to Simien Mountains National Park, one of the first natural sites in the world registered by UNESCO. Here, you will have the chance to see a troop of endemic Gelada baboons up close and take pictures. Despite being home to some of Ethiopia's endemic mammals, Simien Mountains National Park also offers breathtaking scenery, giving you a chance to relax and hike. Drive back to Gondar in the afternoon, where you could spend the evening at leisure.

4

Day 04

Fly to Lalibela and Explore the Rock-Hewn Churches

• Fly to Lalibela in the morning and explore the 11 rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela. By far one of the most visited religious sites, Lalibela was built by King (Saint) Lalibela, who set out to create a "New Jerusalem" when Muslim conquests had halted Christian pilgrimage in the area. Spend the night in a hotel in Lalibela.

5

Day 05

Return to Addis Ababa for Markets, Souvenirs, and Cultural Dining

• Head to Addis Ababa, where you could spend half a day visiting interesting sites in the city such as Mercato, the largest market in Africa. Or, you could go to coffee and souvenir shops in the city.
• In the evening, you will be our guest at one of the cultural restaurants in Addis Ababa to see a variety of Ethiopian traditional dances while enjoying the country's most delicious food and drinks. Then you will be transferred to the airport or your accommodation.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Ground transportation in a comfortable 4x4 vehicle
• Professional, English-speaking Ethiopia tour guide
• Hotel accommodation
• Boat trip on the lakes
• Entrance fees at all the sites to be visited
• Park rangers
• Government tax (VAT)
• Meals

What's Not Included

• International and domestic airfare
• Alcoholic beverages
• Tips
• Personal expenses
• Visa charges
• Expenses for anything not mentioned in the itinerary

What to bring

• Most places in Ethiopia are free of malaria, as they are located in areas higher than 2000 meters above sea level. However, bring mosquito repellent for your convenience.
• While walking outdoors, it is advised that you use sunblock, so you need to bring sunblock.

Know before you go

• Visitors coming to Ethiopia should have a tourist visa. For information on how to obtain a visa, please follow this link.
• Be advised to cover your head, especially for females, and your body while visiting religious places.
• Ethiopia has a unique cuisine. The most famous is a flatbread known as 'injera', prepared from a gluten-free grain, 'teff', and served with a variety of stews and hot sauces.
• Ethiopia also requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travelers aged 9 months or older arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission, and for travelers who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Cancellation policy/default and payment can both be made by cash or card.
• All passengers traveling to Ethiopia must present a negative PCR test certificate for COVID-19 before boarding a flight. The certificate validity should not exceed 120 hours on arrival from the date the sample is given.
• Children aged 12 years or younger are exempt from the PCR test certificate requirement.
• There shall be no COVID-19 test done on arrival at Addis Ababa.
• Rapid diagnostic test (RDT antibody test) certificates are not acceptable.
• The above requirement does not apply to transit passengers.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Bole International Airport, Airport Parking, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tour start

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.