World Heritege North Historic Tour

Welcome! Upon your arrival at Bole International Airport and you will clear immigration and proceed to baggage claim, after collecting your checked bags, clear customs and pass through the arrivals hall where you will be meet Our tour guide or representative, who will assist you with your transfer to your hotel.

Based on your time, you will have half day a city tour. Visiting Addis Ababa will begin with seeing the orthodox cathedral of the Holy Trinity. It is the most important church in Ethiopia. Then, we will see the National Museum, which is said to be one of the most important museums in whole Sub-Saharian Africa. 3.2 million-years old bones Lucy, are one of the most famous exhibits of their collection. Next, we proceed to the ethnographic museum, which is a next stop on our trip in Addis Ababa, is in the University. The most interesting part of the exhibition is a collection of crosses and icons. Amateurs of folklore instruments should visit the museum, since the collection of them gathered in the museum is impressive. If time permits, you will drive to Mount Entoto and visit the panoramic view of the city and visit St. marry church and the oldest palace of Emperor Minilik II.

Early in the morning, we transfer you to Bale International Airport to make a domestic flight to Bahirdar. After arrival, directly transfer to the hotel. After lunch, we take a boat cruise on Lake Tana Entos Eyesus Monastry. The boat ride from the mainland to the monastery island I would say is maybe 20 to 25 minutes in duration (one way) but a scenic boat ride over Lake Tana all the same. It is not until you arrive on the island that you start to see habitation. The walk through the Entos Eyesus Monastery and up to the church is all through thick tropical forest stopping along the way to see a small museum and crafts stall. A church is located on top of a hill and offers pretty amazing views out over Lake Tana. But it is on the inside of the church that showcases some of the brightest and most colourful paintings that we had seen in Ethiopia to date. We continue our cruse to the Zeghie peninsula. On the peninsula, we do a short walk and visit two monasteries from the 14^th century, Azwa Mariam and Ura Kidanemehret. Under the thatched roof of the monastery, there are some distinctive colorful frescoes of religious scenes an impressive display of illuminated bibles written in “Geez” the religious language from which derived from Amharic. The architectural style of both monasteries is a typical example of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, with its round shape, mud walls, and conical straw roofs. In Zeghie, we also find diverse bird species and Columbus monkey in the forest. If you are interested in birding then please do not forget your birding lenses, these Island and Peninsula has some amazing birdlife. We back to our hotel late in the afternoon. 

After breakfast, we continue driving to Gondar. The town is the gateway to the Simien Mountains and lies at an altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level. After lunch, we will visit the famous castles of the town, where former rulers built numerous palaces for themselves and their families. Gondar was the 17^th and 18^th century capital city of Ethiopia, which founded by Emperors Fasiladas (1632 – 1667) and was home to a number of emperors and warlords, curtsies and kings who built several castles and palaces around the area. Visit the oldest and the most impressive Gondarian structure, the magnificent castle compound including the two storied palace of emperor Fasiladas, built of roughly hewn brown basalt stone held together with mortar. Afterwards, we will go to the bath of King Fasilidas, where Timket Fest is annually hosted. Timket is one of the famous festivals in Ethiopia and held annually to celebrate the baptism of Jesus Christ. We finish the day with a visit to the church of Debre-Berhan Selassie, which is famous for its beautiful ceiling paintings. The motif of the angelic face became a symbol of Ethiopian art.

Early in the morning after breakfast, we drive the base camp the Simien Mountains to the town Debark. On the way, there may be the opportunity to visit a Falasha village. The Falasha Jews are thought to have arrived in Ethiopia 3,000 years ago at the time of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, but their history is shrouded in mystery. Translating to 'exiled' in Amharic, the Falasha claim to be descendants of Moses. It is a scenic route along the northern highlands (the Kossoye viewpoint is particularly spectacular on the road to Debark and worth a quick visit). After a quick stop for the formalities at the headquarter offices of the national park and for collecting entrance fee, local guide and scouts; we drive to your hotel and check in and have lunch. After lunch, we will take a short hike for a couple of hours to enjoy the wilderness of this mountain region, and here both gelada monkeys and lammergeyer can often be spotted. The mountains are marked with tracks worn out by the local people travelling from village to village or moving their animals to fresh pastures. The combination of these tracks and the spectacular scenery make for excellent walking. After taking our picnic lunch, we will depart for Chenek where it is possible to spot another endemic mammal- the Walia Ibex. The landscape in the area is remarkably picturesque with panoramic vistas overlooking the deep gorges of the escarpment. We will also be able to spot troops of Gelada baboons. From Gich camp, we pass endless fields of giant lobelia before the high pasture gives way to the towering cliffs of Chennek (3926m). (An optional extended route from Gich camp to Chennek meets the escarpment further north, at the gelada baboon-covered, 3785m-high viewpoint of Saha, before following the precipitous cliffs southwards up to Chennek.) We arrive at Chennek campsite in plenty of time to appreciate the spectacular views in all directions, and to spot Walia ibex grazing close to the edge of the escarpment and sometimes skirting the edges of the campsite. Time spent at Chennek is rewarded by superb views over the mountain valleys below and the strikingly shaped domes in the distance. We then descend into the Jinbar River Valley; the contrasting view of Imet-Gogo and the volcanic landscape from here gives the impression that vast chunks of the mountains have been blown-away. If time and the road allow us, we climb from the valley to the summit of Inatye (4070m), a spectacularly scenic spot for lunch. After lunch, we descend for about two hours along a steep drive to reach Debarik and drive to Gondar. The day concludes with a well-deserved dinner served in pleasantly in you Hotel! 

Fly from Gondar to Lalibela around 30 minute. When you will arrive at Lalibela check in to your hotel. You will visit the first cluster of Lalibela churches. You will start your visit Lalibela the brilliant feats of engineering and by many architectures referred as the “8^th wonder of the world” which is exceptional to find eleven rock-hewn churches of such master artisanship in one place. The guide will accompany you to fly to Lalibela. We spend today exploring one of the world's most remarkable historic sites and its 11 rock-carved churches. Although churches carved in rock are not found in other parts of the world, those found in Ethiopia are particularly interesting. Generally, they were excavated on all sides of a rectangle, leaving a large block of stone isolated in the center. This rock was then shaped and formed both inside and out and the carvings show extremely skillful workmanship. Lalibela, the 'New Jerusalem', is thought to have been constructed some 800 years ago by King Lalibela. Once his capital city, this former bustling city is today a small village, virtually cut off from the outside world. You will start visiting of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the Northwestern Cluster of churches - Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet Mikael & Bet Golgotha (entry not permitted for women). 

After breakfast, you will continue with the Southeastern Cluster of churches – Bet Gabriel-Rufael, Bet Merkorios, Bet Amanual, and Bet Abba Libanos.  Finally, you will visit the most famous of all the churches – Bet Giyorgis, constructed in honor of the patron saint of Ethiopia – Saint George. The exploring will include a certain amount of scrambling between rocks and through tunnels. The churches stand in two main groups on either side of a stream; known locally as 'The River Jordan' and between they are considered to be one of the great wonders of the world. Most of the churches now have a permanent roof built over them to preserve them and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

After an early breakfast, leave Lalibela en-route visit the monastery of Nakutolab- a cave church. This is the easiest of all the outlying churches to reach in the monastery of Nakutolab, which named after its constructor, the nephew and successor of king Lalibela. The monastery accredited to Nakuotolab consists of a relatively simple church built around a shallow cave in which several holy pools fed by natural springs. After visiting you will get domestic flight takes us back to Addis Ababa.

In the evening, farewell party dinner invitation by our with cultural dinner and traditional special buffet and local drinks to experience Ethiopia’s cultural meals and drinks. Here you will enjoy and experience several tribal dances. After farewell dinner party, we transfer you to Bole International Airport for international departure.