TOUR 1 - EXPLORING THE WONDERLAND ETHIOPIA - 18 DAYS

Only few nations can boast the historic splendor of Ethiopia the evidence of whose glorious past is well preserved to date in the form of mind-boggling rock hewn complexes, incredible giant monoliths, legendary palaces and castles, priceless collections of ancient paintings, icons and manuscripts as well as other countless artifacts and treasures. More over Ethiopia’s history encompasses legend and tradition, mystery and fact, from a powerful and religious ancient civilization. These 18-days, fascinating tour takes you through a magnificent scenic world of fairy-tale names such as ADDIS ABABA with "MESKEL", AXUM, LALIBELA, GONDAR, BAHIR DAR, HAWASSA, BALE, and LANGANO which every destination contributes by making the past to come alive and the legend become real in the form of strange and beautiful landscapes, writings, churches, castles and untouched exotic cultures.

DAY 1 - ARRIVAL IN ADDIS ABABA Arrive in Addis Ababa, in the early morning, and after a warm greeting at the airport by the tour organizer / Tour Guide (HenokTsegaye), transfer to your hotel for check in. In the afternoon, start the city tour with the National museum (The house of the oldest, 3.2 million years old, hominid, “LUCY / DINKNESH”) and drive above 3000 masl to enjoy the panoramic view of Addis Ababa and visit the 19th century palace of MENELIK II. In the evening, @19:00Hour, be a guest of HENOK TSEGAYE (Your Guide) for a welcome dinner in one of the traditional restaurants of Addis Ababa. Overnight SAROMARIA Hotel or similar. St. Mary Church at Menelik II. Palace - Mount Entoto DAY 2 - ADDIS ABABA In the morning, @9:00, visit the remaining sits of Addis Ababa which will include the Trinity Cathedral church (The final resting place of Haile Selassie I & his wife, Empress Menen) and MERKATO, the largest open air market in the eastern Africa. In the afternoon, drive to the Meskel square to attend the colorful “MESKEL/The finding of the true Cross” celebrated by the Ethiopian Orthodox church. MESKEL means Cross in Ge’ez, ancient language, considered the predecessor of both Tigrigna and Amharic languages in Ethiopia. According to Church teachings, Queen Helena (Saint Helena) was the one who found the True Cross, the actual cross of the crucifixion. In Ethiopia, what makes the ceremony unique is that bonfire, Demera, is lit to commemorate the event that happened centuries ago. Why Bonfire? Church teaches Queen Helena was told in a dream to make a bonfire whose smoke would show her where the True Cross was buried. After the revelation the Queen asked her people in Jerusalem to make the bonfire as told, which led her to the exact location of the Cross. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church teaches a quarter, or a piece of, the Cross was given to Ethiopia, which has kept it at Gishen Mariam monastery (450 kms to the north) where it is secretly guarded. Overnight SAROMARIA Hotel or similar. Holy Trinity Cathedral - Addis Ababa DAY 3 - ADDIS ABABA - LALIBELA Early in the morning fly to LALIBELA the previous “ROHA” used as the capital city of the ZAGWE Dynasty and check in to your hotel. In the afternoon, Start visiting the rock hewn churches of Lalibela which includes: Bet Medhanealem, Bet Mariam, Bet Meskel, Bet Denagil and Bet Debre-Sina/Gologota, called the 1st group according to their geographical location. Overnight MARIBELA Hotel or similar. Biete Medhane Alem - Lalibela DAY 4 - LALIBELA In the morning, take a trip to visit the church of Yimrehanne Kristos, one of the most popular churches found outside of Lalibela, is built with layers of wood and granite stone, set in the entrance to a large cavern which makes it to be a witness showing the technological transition of AXUM to ZAGWE. After the visit, return to Lalibela for lunch and, start visiting the remaining churches which includes: Bet Emanuel, Bet Rafael-Gabriel, Bet Merkorius and Bet Aba-Libanos, often called the 2nd group of churches according to their geographical location; finally, visit the most famous of all churches – “BET GHIORGIS” constructed in honor of the patron saint of Ethiopia – Saint George. Overnight MARIBELA Hotel or similar. Saint George Church - Lalibela DAY 5 - LALIBELA - MEKELLE In the morning, @8:00, drive out 445 kms (8-9 Hours) to the capital city of TIGRAY regional state “MEKELE” and on the way admire the most beautiful sceneries of Ethiopia. Overnight PLANET Hotel or similar. Landscape on the way DAY 6 - MEKELLE - AXUM In the morning, at about 8:00, if it is open visit the palace of Emperor Yohannes IV and drive about 290kms to the ancient city of AXUM, home of Obelisks. on the way visit the oldest settlement of the country “YEHA” (A temple erected for the well-known middles east sun & moon God “ALMUQAH”). Overnight SABEAN Hotel or similar. Landscape in Yeha DAY 7 - AXUM In the morning, after breakfast, visit the extraordinary 1st century AD obelisks of AXUM recorded as a world heritage site, the tomb of king Remhay (1st to 3rd century AD), the church of St. Mary of Tsion (17th & 20th century AD), in one of which the Ethiopians hosted the Ark of the Covenant. In the afternoon visit the remaining sites of Axum like: - Dingur Palace (believed to be the palace of the queen of Sheba) and the tombs of King Kaleb & G/Meskel. Overnight SABEAN Hotel or similar. Stelae field in Axum DAY 8 - AXUM - SIMIEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK Early morning, drive about 293 kms (8hours drive with stopovers) to Simien Mountain National Park, one of Ethiopia’s UNESCO registered heritage site for its dramatic landscape and endemic flora & fauna. Late in the afternoon enjoy the sunset from your room balcony or from the bar. Overnight SIMIEN Lodge or similar. On the way to the Simien Mountains DAY 9 - SIMIEN MOUNTAINS - GONDAR In the morning, drive to the first campsite of the National park "SANKABER" for a 3hours hiking around camp site; en-route spot Animals & Bird species. To name some of the species that we will spot: Klipspringer, Menelik Bushbuck, Gelada Baboon and Lammergeyer/Bearded Vulture/. In the afternoon, drive about 123kms to the city of Castles / The CAMELOT of AFRICA, GONDAR, the 17th century capital city of Ethiopia and one of the nine Ethiopia’s UNESCO registered World Heritage Sites. Overnight GOHA Hotel or similar. Simien Mountains DAY 10 - GONDAR In the morning explore the sites of Gondar, including a visit to the Royal Enclosure, with six castles and several other buildings. In addition, visit traditionally known as Fasilidas swimming pool which has a size larger than the international swimming pool, still used for Timket celebrations and the Debre Birhan Selassie church, with the most famous FRESCOE ceiling in Ethiopia. Overnight GOHA Hotel or similar. Gondar DAY 11 - GONDAR - BAHIR DAR In the morning, drive about 170 kms to the city of Bahar Dar, a modern town on the shore of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile River that, contains about 37 islands. After check-in to the hotel, In the afternoon drive to Blue Nile falls “Tis-issat” about 32 kms (1hour drive with stopovers). After we take our entrance ticket from the tourist information office, we drive to start our walking of 35 minutes till the waterfall. On the way we will see and admire still working bridge of 16th century Portuguese bridge. On arrival at Tis-issat, you will get a chance to see the “smoke of the Nile” with its astonishing rainbows. Overnight KURIFTU Resort or similar. Tis-issat - Blue Nile falls DAY 12 - BAHIR DAR In the morning, @08:30, make a half day boat trip on the largest highland Lake of the country “Lake Tana (the source of blue Nile)” and enjoy visiting the ancient island monastery of URA KIDANE MEHERET (one of the several in the area containing 17th century ANTIQUE mural paintings), the outlet of Blue Nile river and if time allows, KIBRAN GABRIEL Church (Allowed only for men). In the afternoon, wonder around the city to visit the Summer Palace of Haile Silasie I "BEZAWIT PALACE" with some stopovers in the local market and fresh juice houses. Overnight KURIFTU Resort or similar. Painting in the Ura Kidane Meheret DAY 13 - BAHIR DAR - ADDIS ABABA - HAWASSA Fly from BAHIRDAR back to Addis, with ET, & you will have your lunch in one of the restaurants of ADDIS ABABA. After lunch drive to the rift valley lake city of Hawassa and in the late afternoon enjoy the sunset on the Lake. On the way have a stopover at Lake ZIWAY and enjoy the aquatic birds. Overnight HAILE Resort or similar. DAY 14 - HAWASSA - BALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK After a relaxing breakfast in the hotel, leave for Bale mountain National Park which is one the few most beautiful National Parks of the Country. On the way visit the Hawassa fish market. After the visit continue driving and arrive to the head quarter, walk a little bit and you will witness at least two endemic mammals of Ethiopia (Mountain Nyala & Menelik Bushbuck). In the afternoon continue driving for your check in to the hotel. Overnight WABISHEBELE Hotel or similar. Bale Mountains National Park DAY 15 - BALE GOBA - BALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK Early morning, have a picnic and leave your hotel to spot the rarest canid in the world and a magnificent endemic animal “Ethiopian Wolf”. Overnight WABISHEBELE Hotel or similar. The Ethiopian Wolf DAY 16 - BALE GOBA - LANGANO After breakfast, leave Bale for the very famous weekend place “Lake Langano” and try to relax with sun bathing, walking on the beach and swimming. Overnight SABANA Lodge or similar. DAY 17 - LANGANO - WOLLISSO In the morning drive to the beautiful Wollisso town visiting the UNESCO registered site of “TIYA”. Overnight NEGASH Lodge or similar. Stelae field of Tiya DAY 18 - WOLLISSO - WONCHI - ADDIS ABABA In the morning, drive about 38 kms to the magnificent crater lake of “WONCHI”. At WONCHI, enjoy the scenic beauty of the surrounding and the lake from the view point. Then drive for the capital city, ADDIS ABABA, an extra of 150 kms and late in the afternoon you will be a guest in our home for farewell dinner and coffee ceremony. Then when the time comes, sadly, you will get a transfer to the airport. Wonchi Crater Lake We will gladly make the plan according to your wishes! Please contact us.

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