7-Day Ethiopia Heritage Tour with Lalibela and Lake Tana

Visit Trinity Cathedral, the resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie. Tour the museum, a great introduction to Ethiopian culture and history. Take a short drive to Entoto Hills for a view of the city and visit Maryam Church. En route, stop at Sheromeda traditional cloth market. Visit the Mercato or the Sholla Market, two of Addis Ababa's main markets. Overnight at New Day Hotel.

Fly to Bahar Dar on Ethiopian Airlines. Take a boat tour on Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, and tour ancient monasteries on the Zege Peninsula. We will visit two of the following monasteries: Ura Kidane Mehiret, Azwa Maryam, Mehal Zege Giorgis, and Bete Maryam. End the day with a sunset visit to Bezawit Hills overlooking the Nile River. Overnight at Naky Hotel.

Drive through the countryside to Gondar. Tour the Royal Enclosure, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring five castles built by a succession of Ethiopian kings beginning in the early 17th century. Having survived several wars, including air raids during World War 2, the castles are a testament to the resilience of this once-mighty empire. Visit the church of Debre Birhan Selassie, famous for its religious art and especially its iconic ceiling depicting angels. Overnight at Ag Hotel.

In the morning, after breakfast, drive to the jagged panorama of the Simien Mountains National Park, famed for its exclusive landscape, afro-alpine vegetation, and unique wildlife, where you may spot the endemic Wallia Ibex, Gelada Baboon troops, Bushbuck, and Klipspringer. Then, drive back to Gondar. Overnight at Ag Hotel.

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 mountainside at least 800 years ago. This complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, a maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and fabulous examples of icon paintings. In the late afternoon, enjoy a traditional coffee ceremony and learn the process for baking injera (a staple food for much of Ethiopia). Overnight at Panoramic View Hotel.

For the morning, we 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 situated in a shallow cave that predates the churches of Lalibela. The drive to Yemrehanna will give you the opportunity to view the rural countryside and villages of the Ethiopian highlands.

Following either option above, continue with the tour of Lalibela's churches in the afternoon. Overnight at Panoramic View Hotel.

In the morning, fly back to Addis Ababa and shop at souvenir shops. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner and transfer to the airport for departure.