Wonders of Ethiopia

Upon your arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your reserved hotel. Take some time to refresh and unwind before we start our guided city tour of Addis Ababa – Ethiopia's capital and the third largest capital in the world.

Your tour will start with a visit to the National Museum – home to one of the world's most important paleontological exhibits "Lucy". Next, you will visit Entoto Mountain, which overlooks the whole of Addis Ababa. Marvel at the panoramic views of the capital amidst the fresh breeze of the eucalyptus forests.

From there, we will visit the Holy Trinity Cathedral Church. As the final resting place of much-loved Emperor Haile Selassie, Holy Trinity Cathedral is one of the country’s most sacred places of worship. The city tour will end with an exploration of the colorful Merkato, Africa’s largest open-air market. Overnight in Addis Ababa.

After breakfast, our representative will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport for your flight to Jinka. Upon arrival in Jinka, our representative will meet you and take you to your hotel.

Jinka is located on the hills north of the Tama Plains and is famed for its indigenous communities. Here not far from Jinka town, you will meet the Ari tribe and their village. The Ari people are the largest tribe in the Omo Valley and are well-known for their pottery and distinctive scarring. You will take a walk through the village, learning about different aspects of their lives, including blacksmithing and distillation of the local liquor, known as Areki. Return back to your hotel after the tour for overnight stay.

In the morning, our representative will pick you up at the hotel and together you will drive through Mago National Park to a local village of the Mursi tribe. Famous around the world for their instantly recognizable 'lip plates', the Mursi are one of Ethiopia's most famous tribal people. They are pastoralists who keep herds of cattle and goats and are most famed for the lip-piercing custom of their women who, at the coming of age, insert clay disks into incisions made in their lower lips.

In addition, they are the warrior tribe of the Omo Valley. After the tour, we will head back to Jinka and then drive to Turmi town, home of the famous Hamar tribe and center to explore the Omo Valley Tribes. Depending on the day, it is also possible of visiting markets – Saturday (Dimeka market) , Thursday (Keyafer market).

In the morning, we will enjoy an excursion from Turmi to meet the Karo Tribe. Your morning is dedicated to visiting the village of the Karo people, who are best known for their skin scarification and ornamental painted body and face decorations. They use white chalk, black charcoal, and red and ochre earth and are considered the masters of body painting.

Then, we will return to Turmi and drive to Omorate town to visit a village of the Dassenech tribe who settled adjacent to the Omo River. The Dassenech live in the fertile Omo River delta, close to Kenya and Lake Turkana where they hunt crocodiles. You will cross the Omo River by a local boat to reach and visit their village. Because they are semi-nomadic, they live in small, lightweight huts, designed for easy movement if the village changes location. After the tour, we will return to Turmi.

Possibility of visiting markets – Saturday (Dimeka market).

This morning, we will leave Turmi and continue driving towards Arbaminch, a town spectacularly perched on the western escarpment of the Great Rift Valley, overlooking the twin lakes of Abaya and Chamo.

Along the way, we will visit a local village of Konso Tribe. The Konso people are famous for their intricately terraced hillsides, fine woven materials and the carved totems with which they decorate their graves. A site of immense cultural importance, these old villages stand as a testament to the enduring adaptability of the people who have called these lands or hills home for generations. Konso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, we proceed to Arbaminch. In the afternoon, we will go on a cultural safari drive to explore an authentic Dorze village, set in the mountains overlooking Arbaminch, and learn about the Dorze people. The Dorze are best known for the design of their homes (tall beehive-like houses) and their weaving abilities. Overnight in Arbaminch.

Possibility of visiting markets; Saturday (Dimeka market) , Thursday (Keyafer market).

In the morning, you will have a boat safari onto Lake Chamo to see the Nile crocodiles, hippos, and birds that call the region home. This 1h to 2h hours boat ride takes you to the “crocodile market”, an area of the lake nicknamed as such due to the impressive crocodile population usually found there, and the local hippos. Then, you will fly back to Addis Ababa and then fly to Bahir Dar.

In the morning, we will go on a boat and sail on Lake Tana to visit Ethiopian Orthodox monasteries hidden on the islands and shores of this sacred lake. Lake Tana is famous to be the largest lake in Ethiopia and the source of the famous Blue Nile River.

After a short walk, you will visit the monasteries of Ura Kidane Miheret and Azwa Maryam which are located on the Zege Peninsula and are famous for their beautiful mural paintings and ancient religious manuscripts. On your way back to Bahir Dar, you will also visit the outlet of the Blue Nile River, hippos and some aquatic birds.

After lunch and a short break, you will visit the colorful Bahir Dar Market, where you can see locals selling and buying products. End the day with a beautiful sunset view from Bezawit Palace.

In the morning, we will set off towards Gondar, passing through picturesque farmlands and highland mountains. Gondar was Ethiopia’s capital during medieval times and often referred as the ‘Camelot of Africa’. This city is famed for its medieval castles and churches.

After lunch break, we will start exploring the sites of Gondar. First, you will discover the complex of medieval castles and ruins in the Royal Enclosure, a testament to the majesty of the Ethiopian Empire. Afterwards, we will visit the peaceful Bathing Pool of Emperor Fasilidas. Then, explore the famous church of Debre Berhan Selassie, one of the finest in Ethiopia with walls and ceilings covered with stunning murals of angels. Overnight in Gondar.

After breakfast, we will travel by road to the famous Simen Mountains via Debark town, the gateway to Simen Mountains National Park. The Simien Mountains is Africa’s highest mountain range, with a dozen peaks exceeding 4,267 meters in height. This National Park is a World Heritage Site and contains some of the most dramatic scenery and is best known for its endemic Ethiopian Wildlife.

This afternoon, you will have easy walks (2-3 hours) and your guide take you to some awe-inspiring viewpoints. You will mostly walk on Afro-Alpine moorland, which is the favored habitat of endemic Gelada Baboons. These friendly Baboons are known for their golden manes, bright pink breasts, and comical facial expressions. We will have time to spend with these baboons also called “Bleeding-heart Baboons”. Then, drive back to Gondar for overnight.

In the morning, you will catch your flight to Lalibela to explore Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches. Lalibela is the most famous of all of Ethiopia's historic cities and contains the most stunning Christian architecture in Africa. Often referred to as ‘New Jerusalem’ and ‘The Eighth Wonder of the World’, the town’s eleven beautiful rock-cut churches draw pilgrims from all over the world. Built during the 12th and 13th centuries, these religious monoliths are carved from the red volcanic rock. The 11 rock churches of Lalibela are grouped into two parts and each church has a unique architectural style and all are superbly carved.

In the afternoon, we will visit the rock hewn churches of Lalibela. We will discover the Northwestern group of churches, Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet Mikael, and Bet Golgotha.

In the morning, we will visit Bete Amanuel, Bete Merkorios, Bete Abba Libanos, and Bete Gabriel- Rafael (possibly a former royal palace). Finally, discover Bete Giyorgis, often regarded as Lalibela’s most beautiful church.

Then, board a flight to Addis Ababa, and spend some time shopping around after arrival. In the evening, before your international flight, enjoy a farewell dinner at Ethiopian Cultural Restaurant.

Finally, your driver will take you to Bole International Airport for your flight back home.