Combined tours of 10 nights - 11 days

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  ADDIS ABABA

  

  Welcome to Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa, "New Flower", is the third highest capital city in the world. It is located at an altitude of 3,000 m. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city, with wide avenues lined with jacaranda trees, interesting museums, and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, the "Mercato". Addis Ababa is the diplomatic capital of Africa and is home to the headquarters of the Organization of African Unity as well as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The capital is rich in impressive colonial architecture monuments, scattered among stretches of sun-bleached shacks. Upon your arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, after completing immigration and customs formalities, you will be welcomed by the staff of Absolute Ethiopia Tours and transferred to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, it is possible to organize a sightseeing tour of Addis Ababa with a national guide. Explore the 3.5-million-year-old bones of Lucy at the National Museum, the panoramic view of Addis Ababa from the top of Mount Entoto, the 16th-century St. George's Cathedral, the superb stained glass windows of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and the largest open market in Africa, the Merkato. Meals: lunch and dinner are included.

• day 2

  FLIGHT ADDIS ABABA - BAHIR DAR

  

  In the early morning, transfer to Addis Ababa (Bole) int. airport for your flight to Bahir Dar (1h flight). Bahir Dar is the capital of the Amhara region, located on the shores of Lake Tana, the largest lake in the country. Bahir Dar is one of the best-developed cities in Ethiopia. Bahir Dar means "by the sea." After checking in at your hotel, go see the stunning Blue Nile Falls, "Tissisat" (smoking water), enjoy a spectacular view from the top of Bezawit Hill, and visit the Bahir Dar open-air market to meet the locals. After lunch, explore the precious monasteries of Lake Tana, dating from the 12th to 14th centuries, during a cruise on the grass-covered Zeghie peninsula. Discover Ethiopia's links to the ancient world through the Tankwa papyrus boats that sail on the lake and strikingly resemble the boats of ancient Egypt. Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

• day 3

  ROAD FROM BAHIR DAR TO THE SIMIEN MOUNTAINS VIA GONDAR

  

  In the early morning, leave your hotel and head towards the magnificent Simien Mountains via Gondar. Road/transfer by land: 295 km / 5 h. The spectacular topography of the Simien Mountains is the result of volcanic activity. They have been classified as a World Natural Heritage site and are adorned with exceptional botanical phenomena as well as remarkable wildlife: the Walia Ibex, the red fox, and the Chilada (the bleeding-heart baboons) are rare on the site. Visit Sankaber, the first campsite of the Simien Mountains, where you will discover one of the most spectacular mountain landscapes in Ethiopia. Stop to observe the Ghelada baboons and their eating habits, then take a short walk to a waterfall (the ground is uneven at this spot). Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

• day 4

  SIMIEN MOUNTAINS ROAD TO GONDAR

  

  Today, you will return to Gondar by road, a distance of 110 km in 2 hours. Enjoy the panoramic view and the countryside on your way. Gondar, "the Camelot of Africa," is a medieval royal city distinguished by its castles, its imperial enclosure, and its churches, especially Debre Berhan Selassie. The walls and ceiling of this church are entirely covered with murals; the faces of angels on the ceiling have become a common motif in Ethiopian design. This evening, enjoy traditional Ethiopian music at Four Sisters. Gondar is famous for the Azmari show; enjoy traditional indigenous Ethiopian songs, mainly praises and songs with lots of entertainment. Young couples, a man playing the masinko (a string instrument) and a woman singing at the same time, perform. If you wish, you will have the opportunity to try the dances. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

• day 5

  FLIGHT GONDAR TO LALIBELA

  

  Take a flight to the small town of Lalibela, which is home to one of the world's most amazing sacred sites, comprising eleven medieval churches carved out of rock, each entirely sculpted from a single block of stone. Lalibela is also called the "New Jerusalem": a city that houses internationally renowned rock-hewn churches, known as the "Eight Wonders of the World." These imposing buildings seem to be a superhuman creation in terms of scale, craftsmanship, and concept. After checking in at your hotel, visit the northwestern group of churches, consisting of Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet Debre Sina, and Bet Golgotha. This visit also includes the isolated monolith of Bet Giyorgis (St. George's Church). Bet Medhane Alem is the largest monolithic rock-hewn church. Take part in a traditional coffee ceremony. The coffee ceremony in Ethiopia is an integral part of social and cultural life. It is an important ritual that has been passed down from generation to generation. An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect and is an example of Ethiopian hospitality. Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

• day 6

  LALIBELA

  

  Today, visit the rock-hewn church of Yimrehane Kirstos, 40 km from the city, built by the king of the same name before the reign of King Lalibela. The church is built inside a cave, in the Axumite style, similar to the church of Debre Damo, with alternating levels of wood and stone. Then return to the city. And visit the churches of the southeast group, notably Bet Gebriel-Rafael, Bet Abba Libanos, Bet Lehem, Bet Emanuel, and Bet Mercurios. According to legend, Bet Abba Libanos was built overnight by Lalibela's wife, Meskel Kebre, who was assisted by a group of angels. You can also visit the markets of Lalibela or learn about Ethiopian cuisine. You will learn how to make injera, shiro, and other vegetarian options, then have dinner. For the Ethiopian people, injera is the staple food, eaten at every meal of the day. Injera is a pancake-shaped product (with a slightly sour taste), mainly made from teff, although other cereals, such as corn, are sometimes also used. Injera is eaten with the hands, first taking some meat or vegetables, then dipping them in a sauce. Teff is a gluten-free cereal, grown in the highlands of Ethiopia. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

• day 7

  FLIGHT LALIBELA - ADDIS-ABEBA - JINKA

  

  Today, transfer to Lalibela airport for your connecting ET flight to Jinka via Addis Ababa. Visit the South Omo Research Museum and the local villages of Jinka. Get to know the local life, discover how they make the local liquor from sorghum, garlic, and corn, as well as pottery making. Meals: lunch and dinner are included.

• day 8

  ROUTE JINKA - MURSI - TURMI

  

  Total driving distance: 230 km / 6-7 hours. Mago National Park, one of Africa's vast wilderness areas, was founded in the 1960s. It includes dense acacia forests and open savannah. By car, you will visit the Mursi villages; they scarify their bodies and, among the women, wear lip plates. They are known for their fierce warrior character and wild decorative appearance, with large circular clay labrets that the women wear on their lower lips. Turmi is a place for the Hamer tribes. Visit the Hamer village: they are a very beautiful people, men and women are very proud of their appearance, shaving and coloring their hair, oiling their bodies, and decorating themselves with beads and bracelets worn around their arms and legs. They are famous for their body decoration, moonlight dancing (Evangedi Dance), and bull jumping. Bull jumping marks the rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. It is not practiced every day. If it is a Tuesday or a Thursday, attend the magnificent Omo Valley market on the way to Turmi: these are the most colorful markets in the Omo Valley. Meals: lunch and dinner are included.

• day 9

  ROUTE BETWEEN TURMI - BUME - KARO - TURMI

  

  Total driving distance: 150 km / 3-4 hours. Drive and cross the Omo River to visit the Bumi tribe, located on the Omo Valley side. The Bumis are great warriors. They are also specialized crocodile hunters, using harpoons from a dugout canoe. Return to the Omo River and drive to the village of Kolcho to visit the Karo tribes. The latter are considered masters of body painting, which they practice when preparing for a dance, a party, or a celebration. Finally, return to Turmi. Meals: lunch and dinner are included.

• day 10

  Road between Turmi and Arba Minch

  Total driving distance: 280 km / 5-6 hours. Say hello to the beautiful women of the Arbore tribe with their black veils. They are half-naked and have shaved heads, which creates a truly astonishing contrast. Take a drive through the village of Konso, whose inhabitants are known for their hills with complex terraces. They are recognized and appreciated by UNESCO for the quality of their woven materials and the carved totems with which they decorate their graves. Meals: Lunch and dinner are included.

• day 11

  FLIGHT FROM ARBA MINCH TO ADDIS ABABA

  

  Detour via Chencha, 40 km/1h. The Dorze people's house is known for its beehive-shaped bamboo houses and its high-quality cotton "shamma." You can also take a boat ride on Lake Chamo, where you can observe a large number of hippos and crocodiles up close. Then, transfer to Arba Minch airport for your return flight to Addis Ababa. Enjoy the day at one of the hotels near Addis Ababa airport, then transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Tonight, you will spend a wonderful cultural evening in one of Addis Ababa's restaurants. Ethiopia is a mosaic of peoples speaking more than 80 languages, with different lifestyles, costumes, and cultural dances. Take the opportunity to discover some of these cultural dances and traditional meals, while drinking Tej, a type of wine made from honey. Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.