2-Day Tigray Churches Tour from Mekelle with Gheralta Rock Churches

• To get to the church of Wukro Chirkos, drive about 47 kilometres to Wukro. This monolithic Orthodox Tewahedo church is located in northern Ethiopia, on the northern edge of Wukro, near the main highway. Until the early 20th century, when members of the 1868 British Expedition to Abyssinia reported its existence, it was the only rock-hewn church known to the outside world. Wukro Chirkos is dedicated to the child martyr Cyricus of Tarsus of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. This church remains the most accessible example of these structures due to its location. The layout of this church is generally described as cruciform, or cross-in-square.
• Afterwards, drive to the beautiful Abreha Church, 15 km west of Wuqro. This church is one of Tigray's largest and finest rock churches, dedicated to the famous Axum kings, Abreha and Atsebha. Although their names are known in history, Ethiopian legends suggest they were kings who adopted Christianity in the 4th century. King Ezana was the historical king of Axum who adopted Christianity around that time, but his name is not mentioned in Ethiopian legendary accounts. The church is cut into the red rock overlooking a valley and stands out with its white-painted facade sheltering two tall blue doors under arches. The church is decorated with splendid post-17th-century mural paintings depicting Biblical scenes and saints. It also has several valuable treasures, the most important being the prayer cross, which, according to church officials, belonged to Frumentius - the first Bishop of Ethiopia, whose ecclesiastical name was Abba Salama (Father of Peace).
• Afterwards, you will drive to Axum and stay overnight at a hotel.

• After an early breakfast today, you will visit three churches. You will leave the hotel and head to the Tigray Churches. The three churches you will visit are Abuna Yemata Guh, Maryam Korkor, and Daniel Korkor. Each of these churches has a unique style, and they are all breathtakingly beautiful in their own way.
• To visit Abuna Yemata Guh, walk for about an hour to commence a steep ascent up the side of the Gheralta massif. This steep ascent soon turns into a climb using footholds and handholds chipped into the sandstone rock by the passage of many hands and feet. The climb and the walk along very narrow ledges with sheer drops to the side are not for the faint-hearted. The church itself can be reached by walking out on a ledge one metre wide with a 200 m drop to the left-hand side. At the entrance, there is a small cave and a wooden door built into the rock. Of the three, Maryam Korkor is the most impressive architecturally. A huge, high ceiling is supported by 12 free-standing pillars. Looking at it, you cannot help but wonder how the architect managed to carve so high from the ground.
• Afterwards, you will drive to Axum and stay overnight at a hotel.

NB: This tour can be arranged from Axum to Mekelle or from Mekelle to Axum.