Addis Ababa, Lalibela, Danakil, Omo Valley and Return
Day 1: Addis Ababa City Tour
Arrive at Bole Airport and transfer to your desired hotel. Visit the National Museum of Ethiopia and the Holy Trinity Cathedral Orthodox Church.
Day 2: Fly to Lalibela
Fly to Lalibela on Ethiopian Airlines. Tour the magnificent rock-hewn churches, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This group of eleven monolithic churches was carved directly into the stone mountainside at least 800 years ago. The complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, a maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and fabulous examples of icon paintings. Overnight in Lalibela.
Day 3: Lalibela
This morning, you have two options. Take a morning hike with mules to the 13th-century rock-hewn monastery of Mount Asheton. The walk provides wonderful views of Lalibela and the surrounding countryside.
Or drive to Yemrehanna Kristos, a beautiful church in a shallow cave that predates the churches of Lalibela. The drive to Yemrehanna allows you to view the rural countryside and villages of the Ethiopian highlands.
Following either option above, continue touring Lalibela's churches in the afternoon. Overnight in Lalibela.
Day 4: Lalibela - Semera
Early in the morning at 7 am, pick up from the hotel and continue visiting the churches. If it is a special holiday or Sunday, there will be Mass, and it is not allowed to go inside the churches, but you can instead attend the Ethiopian chanting. Continue the drive to Semera through the low and arid lands of Wollo and Afar. Arrive in Semera in the late afternoon. Overnight at a hotel in Semera.
Day 5: Semera - Hamedella
Pick up from the hotel or airport in Semera at 8 am, then drive through Lake Afdera, the Salt Lake. Pass through the beautiful Lake Afdera and a breathtaking landscape, and arrive in Dallol in the afternoon to visit Lake Asebo. Asebo is the place where the salts are mined. Observe the salt being broken from the ground, cut into rectangular pieces, and loaded onto camels.
Drive ahead to Dallol (-130 m) and visit the different landscapes formed by volcanic activity, Dallol, Lake Assal (-130 m), and camel caravans. Please note that there are no camel caravans in July, August, and early September.
Enjoy an excursion to Dallol, 116 meters below sea level and one of the lowest places in the world. See colourful salt mining, visit Lake Assal, follow camel caravans, walk with the Afar people, and watch the sunset in the beautiful and colourful landscape. Drive back to Hamedela. Overnight camping.
Day 6: Hamedella - Erta Ale Volcano
Early morning pickup from Hamedela campsite, then drive to Dallol to see the sunrise and continue to Hamedela through Berhal'e. Pass through the small town of Berhal'e, where the camel caravans stop before heading to the Northern Highlands. En route, you will see many long camel caravans going to the salt mine and others coming out of Danakil with their salt loaded on the camels.
Then drive to Askoma, which is around 80 km away and may take about 6 hours because of the rocky, solidified lava and sand. Stop at Askoma, then trek for 10 minutes from Askoma, followed by a longer trek of around 3 hours. Arrive at Erta Ale in the late afternoon and have an early dinner at around 17:00, then trek up to the new Erta Ale and reach it around 20:00.
Camels transport all the camping materials, some food, sleeping materials, mattresses, and water to the rim of the volcano, where you spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. New Erta Ale ranks as one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and a 1 km square caldera at its summit. New Erta Ale is part of the world's only permanent lava lake, and you will spend an unforgettable night atop the mountain. The magma flow moved 3.5 km south from old Erta Ale to the new eruption site. Overnight camping.
Day 7: Fly to Addis Ababa and Drive to Arba Minch
Fly to Addis in the morning from Semera, Afar. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your private car and drive to Arbaminch town after a short break.
The drive takes around 7 hours. After checking in at the hotel, visit the village of the Dorze people, who live on the huge mountain. They are famous for their beehive bamboo houses and weaving skills. In their society, only the women spin the cotton, while only the men weave the traditional cloth. You will arrive in Arba Minch in the late afternoon. Overnight in Dorze.
Day 8: Arbaminch - Konso - Jinka
Take a boat trip on Lake Chamo and view some of the largest crocodiles in the world sunning on the banks of the lake. Hippopotami and birdlife are also abundant.
Drive to Konso, recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Konso are a highland people known for the ancient and intricate terraces that encircle their well-planned settlements.
After lunch, drive to Jinka via various peoples such as the Gamo and Derashe. Stop at Key Afar's weekly market, if it is Thursday, and wander among the various tribes such as the Benna and Ari who have gathered to barter their goods. Arrive in Jinka in the late afternoon.
Day 9: Mago National Park Excursion - Turmi
Early in the morning, drive to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people. The Mursi women are known for the clay plates they insert into their lower lips. After returning from Mago, make a quick stop for lunch in Jinka and drive to Turmi in the evening.
Day 10: Turmi
Visit the Hamer people, who are well known for the scarring of their bodies, using clay to shape their hairstyles, and the unique practice of bull-jumping, which every young man must accomplish before marriage. En route to Turmi, visit the Benna and Ari people.
In the afternoon, drive to Murele and visit the Karo people, known for their body painting.
Day 11: Turmi - Arbaminch - Addis Ababa
Early in the morning, visit a village of the Dassanech people. Return to Turmi and, after a quick stop for lunch, drive to Arbaminch. Arrive in Arbaminch in the late afternoon and enjoy some private time in the afternoon.
Drive from Arba Minch to the airport for a flight to Addis Ababa. Visit the National Museum and see the oldest hominid,
