13-day journey to the heart of the former territory of the Abyssinian kingdoms, in Ethiopia.

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival and visit of the capital, Addis Ababa.

  Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by your driver and your guide, who will take you to the hotel. You will begin a tour of the capital, Addis Ababa, with a discovery of the Menelik 2 Palace, located on Mount Entoto, which was the former imperial palace of the emperors. You will also have the chance to observe the city from Mount Entoto, with a splendid panoramic view. Before lunch, you will visit the National Museum of Ethiopia, where Lucy, the most famous fossil representative in the world, rests. In the afternoon, you will continue the visits to the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Addis Ababa, as well as the largest market in Africa.

• day 2

  Addis Ababa - Gonder

  This morning, you will leave for Gonder, one of the former capitals of Ethiopia and an imperial city, where you will have the opportunity to visit its castles dating from the 17th century, as well as its palaces, monasteries, and churches, representing the capital of the Abyssinian empire from the 17th to the 19th century. At the end of the morning, you will have the opportunity to prepare traditional meals. After lunch, you will discover the city center, including the fortified castle of King Fasiladas and his descendants. You will stay in a hotel in Gonder.

• day 3

  Visit to the Semein park.

  

  Today, you will visit the famous Ethiopian Orthodox church, Debre Berhane Selassie, located on a hill. Then, you will head towards the Simien National Park, with a stop at the old village of the Fellashas/Black Jews and the town of Debark. Upon your arrival at the Simien National Park, you will begin a 1 to 2 hour hike to discover the park. You will also have the opportunity to encounter the Gelada baboons as well as other rare endemic species, such as the Simien fox or the Walia ibex. This national park, created in 1969, is full of a diversity of magnificent landscapes, narrow valleys, and flat-topped plateaus overlooking dizzying gorges. You will spend the night in a lodge in the Simien National Park.

• day 4

  Semein Park - Axum

  After breakfast, you will head north. On the way, you can visit the city of Zarima before arriving in Axum, the oldest city in Ethiopia and Africa. You will enjoy a free afternoon to fully explore the city.

• day 5

  Visit of Axum

  Today, you will have the immense privilege of exploring the archaeological sites of Axum, listed as UNESCO World Heritage. The city of Axum is the cradle of one of the most important Ethiopian civilizations. There you will see, among other things, the obelisks, the archaeological museum, as well as the tombs of Kings Caleb and Guebre Mesquel dating from the 6th century. You will also be able to admire the Ezana Stone, inscribed in 3 languages: Ge'ez, Sabaean, and Greek. You will have lunch in a city restaurant before continuing your visits with the most famous Orthodox church in Ethiopia, the Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion, the palace of the Axumite kingdoms, and the palace of the Queen of Sheba. After these intense and discovery-rich visits, you can enjoy a half-hour walk in the old city center of Axum.

• day 6

  Adigrat - Wukro

  On this new day, we will take you towards Adigrat with a stop at the Yeha temple dating from the 7th century BC. On the way, you can admire the splendid Adwa mountain ranges. After lunch, you will take a short break to discover the lifestyle and culture of the Tigrayans, inhabitants of the Horn of Africa. You will have the chance to visit a typically traditional house of this region. At the end of the afternoon, you will arrive in Wukuro where you will spend the night.

• day 7

  Hawzein - Wakuro

  You will head towards the city of Hawzein with a stop at the Abreha We Astbeha monastery, which is also one of the oldest and largest monolithic churches in the Gheralta (21 meters wide, 6 meters high, and 16 meters deep). There, you can admire a ceiling carved with a frieze featuring a cross motif, as well as beautiful frescos of more recent execution. This monolithic church is the site of one of the most important Ethiopian pilgrimages, taking place on October 14th each year. Then, you will continue on to the weekly local market in Hawzein. After lunch, you will return to the city of Wakuro, where you can take a peaceful walk in the city center.

• day 8

  Visit of Mekele

  In the early morning, you will visit the semi-monolithic Orthodox monastery of Wukro Ctherkos before heading to the city of Mekele, where you can visit the palace of Emperor Yohannes IV. If you wish, you can continue your visits freely in Mekele. We particularly recommend the church of Petros and Paulos, the most impressive in the White Mountain.

• day 9

  Mekele - Lalibela

  

  We will accompany you to visit the city of Lalibela via Weldiya. Nicknamed the Black Jerusalem, Lalibela was once the capital of the Zagwe dynasty between the 10th and 13th centuries. First known as Roha, it was renamed by the famous King Lalibela (1205-1225), who gave it his own name and undertook the construction of eleven rock-hewn churches, now listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. You will continue the journey by crossing the Dilb hill and the town of Gashena, with its breathtaking landscapes. You will arrive in Lalibela at the end of the afternoon.

• day 10

  Discovery of the 11 rock-hewn churches of Lalibela

  In Lalibela, you will visit the eleven rock-hewn churches of Lalibela: the church of Bete Medhanialem, Bete Maskal, Bete Mariam, Bete Denagel, Bete Golgota, and the church of Bete Senai. In the afternoon, you will continue visiting the rock-hewn churches, including those of Bete Guebriel, Raphael, Bete Merkorios, Bete Emmanuel, Bete Aba Libanos, and Bete Giorgis.

• day 11

  The surroundings of Lalibela

  After a good local breakfast, you will discover the ancient monastery of Yemrehane Kristos dating from the 11th century. In the afternoon, you can attend a local tradition: the coffee preparation ceremony. A symbol of humanity, coffee plays an important role in the daily life of Ethiopians, both in the countryside and in the city. Enjoyed with family, friends, or to honor a stranger, women do everything they can to organize a grand and memorable ceremony. You can enjoy the rest of the day to go about your activities and/or explore the city of Lalibela.

• day 12

  Blue Nile Falls - Boat trip on Lake Tana

  

  Before departing for the Blue Nile Falls, you will visit the village of Weito to meet the inhabitants who build papyrus boats called Tankua. The women of this village also engage in basketry crafts. After visiting the Blue Nile Falls, you will return to Bahir Dar to have lunch in a restaurant on the shore of Lake Tana, the largest body of water in Ethiopia, covering 90 km from north to south and 40 km from east to west. Seven centuries ago, monks would retreat to the islands near Lake Tana, where there were about twenty churches and monasteries, the most important of which are Ura Kidane Merehert and Azoua Mariam. After lunch, you will embark on a private boat excursion on Lake Tana with a visit to the two most important monasteries.

• day 13

  Addis Ababa and return flight

  After this 13-day journey to the heart of the former territory of the Abyssinian kingdoms in Ethiopia, filled with discoveries, knowledge, and experiences, your driver will accompany you to the capital Addis Ababa, where you can make your last purchases. Before heading to the airport, you will have dinner in a traditional restaurant where you can also attend a folk dance show from different regions of the country. The price includes: • Accommodation in lodges and hotels with breakfast • Meals with non-alcoholic drinks, as below • One liter of water per person per day for the day in the vehicle • The vehicles • A professional French-speaking guide for the entire stay of the trip • All fees for local English-speaking guides and scouts/rangers for stays in the Semein park (according to the indicated program) • All entrance fees for visits and the cost of a half-day boat excursion on Lake Tana, as indicated in the program • All expenses to allow meetings and visits to villages, as indicated in the program • The price of tickets for the 2 domestic flights (Addis-Gonder and Bahir Dar-Addis), as indicated in the program • The fee for traditional food preparation classes (from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm), as indicated in the itinerary section of the program • Government tax The price does not include: • The prices of international flights • Tips for the French-speaking guide, scouts, drivers, porters at the airport for domestic flights and in hotels, as indicated in the program • Personal expenses • Travel insurance • The visa for the trip Practical information: • Deposit of 30% of the total net price of the trip: transfer to be made to the agency's account upon your confirmation of the trip. We must receive your final confirmation of the trip. • Balance of 70% of the total net price of the trip: transfer to be made 20 days before the departure date of your trip or payment on site in Addis Ababa before the start of your trip.