Trip Info
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Suitable for solo travelers and groups
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This tour begins and ends in the capital city of Addis Ababa
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Extensions before and/or after the tour as well can be arranged in the same hostels at an extra cost
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Normal 4x4 vehicle & air transfer
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Can start any day
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Mid-range, shared tour
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All meals included
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English
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2
Overview
Embark on a 7-Day Northern Ethiopia Safari, exploring ancient history, stunning landscapes, and diverse wildlife. Visit iconic sites like Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches, the Simien Mountains, and wildlife-rich highlands, for a truly unforgettable Ethiopian adventure.
This tour will enable you to visit the most fascinating and historic sites in the country including the rock hewn churches of Lalibela, the Royal Enclosure of Gondar, the source of the Nile in Lake Tana, Axum and the Tigray churches.
Highlights
- Can start any day
- Shared tour
- Mid-range tour
- Cannot be customized
- Suitable for single travelers
- Minimum age of 2 years
- A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Itinerary
In the evening you will visit Trinity Cathedral, which has the tombs of Emperor Haile Selassie. You will then visit the Ethnographic Museum, an insightful beginning to about the culture and Ethnology of the people of Ethiopia. You will be taken in a short drive to the Entoto Hills for a view of the city and Maryam Church. During the tour, you will visit Sheromeda traditional cloth market. You will be visiting two of the largest and a major highlight of Addis Ababa, markets known as the Mercato or the Sholla Markets.
Main Destination:
Addis Ababa (City)
Accommodation:
Best Western Plus Pearl Addis
- 3-Star Hotel positioned in City-Hotel City in Addis Ababa
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
You will have flown to Bahir Dar on Ethiopian Airlines. You will use a boat to visit the source of the Blue Nile that is Tana, and also take a tour of monasteries in Zege Peninsula. You will visit two of either Ura Kidane Mehiret, Azwa Maryam, Mehal Zege Giorgis or Bete Maryam monasteries. You will end the day with a beautiful sunset that you will watch from Bezawit Hills that faces the Nile River.
Main Destination:
Bahir Dar (City)
Accommodation:
Sky Resort
- A mid-range hotel mainly operating in Bahir Dar (City).
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
You will spend time driving on the roads with beautiful countryside scenery to Gondar. You will then visit the Royal Enclosure, a group of five castles that was constructed by a series of Ethiopian kings in the early 17th century; the Royal Enclosure is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of the castles were constructed as early as 15th century and most of them have gone through several wars including the World War 2 air raids; this itself speaks volumes of the prowess of this empire. The church of Debre Birhan Selassie that I will visit is located near the city of Bahir Dar and is renowned for mural paintings and especially the paintings of angels on the ceiling.
Main Destination:
Gondar (City)
Accommodation:
HaZ Hotel
- The enterprise is a mid-range hotel based in the City of Gondar.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
You will use Ethiopian Airlines to fly to Lalibela. There, there is a chance to visit a World Heritage site, the rock-hewn churches. This is a group of eleven monolithic churches carved out of the living rock of the mountain at least 800 years ago. This complex offers the world’s largest monolithic church, and passageway and tunnel systems; beautifully decorated reliefs; and striking examples of iconographic artwork. In the evening, learn to make traditional coffee and see how injera (a staple food in most of Ethiopian families) is baked.
Main Destination:
Lalibela (Town)
Accommodation:
Tabor Hotel Lalibela
- It is a mid-range, town hotel that is situated in Lalibela.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
For morning tour, you have two choices: Morning hike with mule to the 13 th century Monastery of Mount Asheton. This trek is perfect for getting a glimpse of Lalibela town and the countryside around it. THUS: OR Drive to Yemrehanna Kristos, this is a church situated in a shallow cave that dates earlier than that of the famous Lalibela churches. The drive to Yemrehanna will afford opportunities to observe the countryside of Ethiopia’s highlands and the associated villages. If either of the above options is chosen, you will proceed to the tour advance of the Lalibela church in the afternoon.
Main Destination:
Lalibela (Town)
Accommodation:
Tabor Hotel Lalibela
- It is a mid-range, town hotel that is situated in Lalibela.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
The group travel to Axum on Ethiopian Airlines. You are going to visit the stelae field which has been standing for 2000 years. Visit the new and impressing Archeological Museum. You will find St. Mary Tsion Church where according to the Ethiopian orthodox church the Ark of the covenant is kept; the Ark, however, is not accessible for viewing. Depending on time, you will be taken to other tombs and other archeological sites of interest.
Main Destination:
Axum (City)
Accommodation:
Brana Hotel
- Economy hotel situated in Axum (City)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
You will then take a flight back to Addis Ababa. You will tour the National Museum and its paleontological treasure – the 3 million-year-old remains of ‘Lucy’. There is an optional visit to the shops in the afternoon. If the situation requires so, you will proceed to the airport for a late-night flight.
Main Destination:
No major destination visited
Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
End of tour
- There is also the possibility for further accommodations for an extra charge.
- You will be dropped at the airport.
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- • Park fees (For non-residents)
- • All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- • A professional driver/guide
- • All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All flights during the tour
- • All Taxes/VAT
- • Roundtrip airport transfer
- • Food (In detail under the day-by-day schedule)
- • Drinking water (On all days)
Cost Excludes
- • International flights (From/to home)
- • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- • Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- • Luggage and personal effects (Permit souvenirs, insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- • Government imposed new and/or higher taxes and fees for parks
- • Italbe some meals (See day-by-day section for details).
FAQs
Northern Ethiopia tour takes 7 days, including a number of important historical and historical sites of the country. Technically it starts from Addis Ababa where tourists take a city tour before proceeding to other attractions like museums. Specific highlights of the Bahir Dar tour are the Lake Tana with its monasteries on islands and the Blue Nile Falls. Gondar often referred to as the ‘Camelot of Africa’, boasts 17th century castle-like structures. Besides, Lalibela is famous for its rock-hewn churches known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. Ethiopia’s long historical story can be discovered through aksumite obelisks and the church of St. Mary of Zion in Axum. The trip ends in Addis Ababa giving a perfect opportunity to look back at the journey before leaving.
The ideal time to travel to Northern Ethiopia is during the dry season, which starts from October through to March. this period of the year is characterized by relatively good weather and hence rough terrains as well as poor road networks which hinder easy transportation from one location to the other are more manageable. Two of the specific months include September, which is exceptional because it aligns with an Ethiopian Festive month called Enkutatash Festive month and another one is January festive month. The religious festivals includes the Meskel or the Finding of the True Cross held in September and fieted by colorful processions and special masses, and Timkat or Epiphany observed in January. They include asexual variations characterized by a rainy season that extends from June to September, during which access to remote areas becomes difficult.
When packing appropriately for a 7 day visiting over Northern Ethiopia, the packing should reflect the variations in climate and activities to be undertaken. A good pair of shoes that are suitable for hiking are needed for the churches of Axumis, especially those in Lalibela and the castles of Gondar. A light jacket or sweater should be worn when it is getting cooler in the evening especially in highland cities such as Lalibela and Axum. When visiting religious sites, people should dress modestly; women should bring a scarf in order to cover their heads in churches. The use of sunglasses, hat and sunscreen is essential especially if one is planning to go on the Blue Nile Falls walk as well. A power bank and an adapter is also a necessity since there may be random power blackouts in some regions.
Transport in a 7 day visit to Northern Ethiopia involves the use of flight to different destinations within Ethiopia, use of private car and at times water transport in some regions. Domestic Flights: Ethiopian airlines has established a strong domestic service schedule that connects major Ethiopian cities like Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Lalibela and Axum thus cutting down the travel time to a drastically manageable level. In fact, in cities, people prefer to use their comfortable private car with a driver for sightseeing. In Bahir Dar, the way to go around Lake Tana to visit monasteries are by boats. But road travelling from one destination to another can be time consuming but has striking features such as Simien mountains and a huge piece of extra rural areas.
When it comes to accommodation in Northern Ethiopia, visitors can choose from budget options to luxury tourists’ hotels during a 7-day visiting Northern Ethiopia trip. There are varieties of accommodation types in Ethiopia; these include luxury hotels, mid-range and low budget hotels in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar and Gondar among other cities and towns. Lodging in these places is of simple nature and there are mainly local boutique hotels and traditional lodges. Located in the Ethiopian highlands, many of the lodgings are picturesque, and most lodgings have facilities such as internet connection and hot water. For those willing to lay out additional money there are luxury eco-friendly lodges or historical hotels.
Baek in 7 days, you can get a beautiful chance to enjoy visiting the cultural and historical attractions of Northern Ethiopia. It is the place which offers the first glimpse of Ethiopian monastic history with early chapels built on Islands of this lake. The Royal Enclosure at Gondar provides two medieval castles or fortresses that have harmonious exteriors and interiors personifying the imperial era. Eleven churches hewn out of stone, are some of the finest examples of medieval architectural engineering in Ethiopia. Axum is home to historical and cultural attractions such as obelisks and royal cemeteries that date back to the ancient Ethiopian civilization. During their travels, tourists have a chance to explore definably Ethiopian spirit, ancient Christianity, traditions and genuine friendliness of the Ethiopian locals.
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