Ethiopia · UNESCO Heritage Sites

4-Day Historic Ethiopia Tour with Gondar, Lalibela and Simien

4 Days Round trip from Addis Ababa Moderate pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Be mesmerized by the Royal Castles of Gondar
02 Have a thrill at Simien Mountains National Park
03 Explore the ancient Churches of Lalibela
04 Visit Mercato, the largest market in Africa

Embark on a 4-day journey through Northern Ethiopia, visiting the Royal Castles of Gondar, Simien Mountains National Park, and the Churches of Lalibela. Delve into the beauty and quietude of these remarkable sites as you travel through breathtaking topographies densely populated with endemic species of flora and fauna. You will also have the chance to enjoy folkloric dances and shop at the famed Mercato market in Addis Ababa.

Here, you will have the chance to see up close and take pictures of a troop of the endemic Gelada Baboon.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

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

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Fly to Gondar and Explore Its Royal Heritage

Fly to Gondar from Addis Ababa in the morning.
Once in Gondar, 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 Debre Birhan Selassie Church with its magnificent paintings.

Spend the night in a hotel in Gondar.

Day 02

Simien Mountains National Park Day Trip

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 up close and take pictures of a troop of the endemic Gelada Baboon.
Besides being home to some of Ethiopia's endemic mammals, Simien Mountains National Park has breathtaking scenery that offers a chance to relax and hike. Drive back to Gondar in the afternoon, where you can spend the evening at leisure.

Day 03

Fly to Lalibela and Visit the Rock-Hewn Churches

Fly to Lalibela in the morning and explore the 11 rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela with your tour guide. 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.

Day 04

Return to Addis Ababa for Markets and Cultural Performances

Head to Addis Ababa, where you can spend half a day visiting interesting sites in the city, such as Mercato, the largest market in Africa. Alternatively, you could visit coffee and souvenir shops in the city.
In the evening, 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.
Be transferred to the airport or your accommodation.

Where this trip takes you

Royal Castles of Gondar, Simien Mountains National Park escarpments, Churches of Lalibela

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Addis Ababa 4 cities · 4 Days

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 repellents for your convenience.
While walking outdoors, it is advised that you use sun-block, so you need to bring sun-block.

Know before you go

Coming to Ethiopia, visitors should have a tourist visa. Regarding how to obtain a visa, please follow the tourist visa process online.
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 the gluten-free grain 'teff' and served with a variety of stews and hot sauces.
Ethiopia also requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travellers aged 9 months or older arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, and for travellers who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

The following information concerns precautions travellers should take while coming to Ethiopia in connection with Covid-19:

All passengers travelling 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 less than or equal to 12 years of age are exempted 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) certificate is not acceptable.
The above requirement does not apply to transit passengers.

Logistics