The Essentials of the North

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Wukro

  

  Immersed in the historic region of Tigray To quickly reach the North of Ethiopia and spare you a whole day of driving, we offer you a domestic connecting flight to the city of Mekele, capital of Tigray (ET 160, 8am-9:25am). The language spoken there is Tigrinya, just like in neighboring Eritrea. Your vehicle will be waiting for you at Mekele airport to drop you off in the cobbled alleys of this beautiful ancient city. We will visit the Palace of Yohannes IV, former Ethiopian emperor native to the area. We will take the time to have a calm lunch in one of the excellent local establishments. After lunch, your vehicle will finally hit the road. Not far from Wukro, a single easily accessible visit is planned for this day to facilitate your acclimatization: Wukro Chirkos. Dated to the 10th century AD, this church is dedicated to a child martyr. The interior layout is of cruciform architecture; the capitals and friezes are noteworthy. Some modern improvements do not detract from the centuries-old interior rooms. A short walk in the quiet streets of Wukro if you wish. Overnight at Wukro Lodge (Wukro) Breakfast not included. Lunch (in town) and dinner (at the hotel) included.

• day 2

  Gheralta

  

  The Gheralta massif reveals its treasures After this day of acclimatization, we get up very early to hit the road. In the morning, we visit on the way the church of Abreha Atsbeha, named after twin kings. Built in the 4th century AD, it is one of the oldest in the country, featuring unique arches. We arrive quite quickly at the Gheralta massif, made up of a single rock of truly astonishing size and a most unusual shape. It is the cradle of Orthodox Christianity, where countless churches were built directly into the rock to absorb the faith of many worshippers. Depending on the artistic interests and physical condition of each traveler, a meeting will be held with the local English-speaking guide to determine the church of the day that will suit you best, and from which you will bring back an invariably unforgettable memory. As a purely indicative guide, here is a brief summary of the difficulty of ascending to the following churches. Easy physical level: Maryam Papaseti & Giorgis Maikado Moderate physical level: Debre Tsion & Yohannes Maiqudi Experienced physical level: Maryam (and Daniel) Korkor & Abune Yemata Guh. We also encourage you to consult a specialized guidebook to determine which church or churches would best suit your wishes. In the middle of the afternoon, continue towards the ancient city of Axum via the Adwa shortcut; this is the site of a great Ethiopian victory over the Italians in 1896, the first success of an African army over European colonizers. However, there is no commemorative site to note. Overnight at Sabean Hotel (Axum) Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (picnic), and dinner (at the hotel) included.

• day 3

  Axum

  

  Discovering the kingdom of the Queen of Sheba The ancient city of Axum is home to the seat of the Queen of Sheba, who is said to have reigned a millennium before B.C. Her brief union with King Solomon of Jerusalem is said to have produced a son, Menelik, founder of the Ethiopian royal dynasty of the Meneliks. The city of Axum was the center of a vast empire, the richest in the world at its time, which covered a geographical area including present-day Eritrea and Yemen, and dominated the trade route of the Red Sea, from which goods were channeled to Europe and the Near East. The city of Axum remains today the spiritual and religious center of Ethiopia, as it is said to house the relic of the Ark of the Covenant (stolen by Menelik from his father Solomon in Jerusalem), and this is why the Patriarch of Ethiopia (the national equivalent of the Catholic Pope) is based there alternately with Addis Ababa. During this day, we will visit the field of stelae of the Axumite kingdom and its adjoining museum, as well as the church complex housing the Ark of the Covenant, which no one is allowed to see except its eternal Guardian. Various archaeological sites are scattered around the city, bearing witness to its past greatness: the tombs of Kaleb & Gebre Meskel, the baths of the Queen of Sheba, and the Palace of Dongar will all transport you back through the millennia. Overnight at Sabean Hotel (Axum) Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (in town), and dinner (at the hotel) included.

• day 4

  Scenic route

  

  Towards the infinite summits by the most beautiful road in the country This magnificent road passes through the Simiens and Tsellemti massifs, whose construction has just been completed. You will be able to admire the famous ridges of the Simiens through your vehicle's windows and, if you wish, capture them during photo stops on request. This road also takes us out of the Tigray region (where Tigrigna is spoken, a regional language also derived from ancient Ge'ez and shared with the neighboring country, Eritrea), to enter the Amhara region, where Amharic is now spoken – the only official language of the Ethiopian nation. We will arrive at your accommodation in the late afternoon. Overnight at Jeramba Hotel (Debark) Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (picnic), and dinner (at the hotel) included.

• day 5

  Simiens NP

  

  On the Roof of Africa: the Peaks of the Simiens The Simien National Park (duly listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) offers both breathtaking viewpoints and the chance to observe many endemic animals (unique to Ethiopia), among which are the famous Gelada baboons with the "bleeding heart," or the "Walia" ibex if you are lucky. The Austrian government (an alpine country if ever there was one) has greatly contributed to the creation and then the management of this national park listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, by mapping out hiking trails and gathering scientific knowledge specific to the local fauna and flora, which was then passed on to local Ethiopian guides, who are now transmitters of this knowledge. It is an ideal breath of fresh air that you will experience on the roof of Africa. "Civilization" is less than two hours away by road, at the former royal capital of Gondar, where we will sleep. Night at Goha Hotel (Gondar) Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (picnic), and dinner (at the hotel) included

• day 6

  Gondar

  

  A magical page with the colorful castles of Gondar After centuries of the royal court moving between various temporary locations, King Fasilidades established the national capital in Gondar in the 17th century. Inspired by the aesthetic influence of the Portuguese father Pedro Paéz (leader of the expeditionary force who came to support the Christian army of the highlands against Muslim invasions from Harar), Fasilidades built a magnificent castle there, to which his successors each added their own castle or particular building. We will therefore visit these unique buildings, at the crossroads of Europe and Africa, as well as the Baths of Fasilidades – moreover, a major place to attend Timkat (Orthodox Epiphany), on January 19! Excellent lunch at the colorful restaurant "Les Quatre Sœurs", masterfully run by these admirable women. The Debre Birhan Selassie church is also renowned for the quality and quantity of its mural and ceiling paintings. Between these visits, you will stroll through the old streets of this peaceful city, with its pleasant climate and welcoming population. In the middle of the afternoon, we head towards Bahir Dar to spend the night there. Night at Solyana Hotel (Bahir Dar) Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (in town) and dinner (at the hotel) included.

• day 7

  Bahir Dar

  

  Lake Tana, epicenter of the country's history For several decades, Bahir Dar has been the capital of the Amhara region, located on the shores of Lake Tana, which is a true inland sea. It is a city with wide sidewalks, locally called the "African Riviera," where it is particularly pleasant to stroll in the shade of palm trees. Its port is the starting point, in the morning, for a cruise on Lake Tana to discover the very ancient hidden monasteries of the Zeghie peninsula. In the afternoon, a short drive will take us to the starting point of a small hike in the countryside, whose highlight is the Blue Nile Falls (always impressive after the end of the rainy season, from September to December inclusive). It is an opportunity to remember that Ethiopia is the water tower of Africa. You will have two choices for dinner: either an excellent fish restaurant on the shores of the lake, or a traditional restaurant in the city center (with music and traditional dance if the day is suitable). Overnight at Solyana Hotel (Bahir Dar) Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (in town), and dinner (at the hotel) included.

• day 8

  Lalibela

  

  Pilgrimage in Black Jerusalem Today we are flying over the "Chinese Road" (ET 126, 08:35 > 09:05), which finally connects two major axes of the country that were previously separated, and especially the village of Lalibela with its regional capital, Bahir Dar. Around the 11th century, many Christians from Abyssinia went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. As this journey from Africa to the Near East was particularly perilous (passing through the Sudanese and Egyptian deserts), King Lalibela decided to build a "Black Jerusalem," in parallel with the schism of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church emancipating itself from that of Alexandria (Egypt). Thus was born Lalibela, a group of rock-hewn churches, each with its own unique character. The main churches of Lalibela are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are considered one of the wonders of the world. President E. Macron stopped there during his state visit in March 2019 and initiated a conservation program in collaboration with French academics. Today we will visit this group of churches, under the attentive guidance of your French-speaking guide, who will show you the best details of the rocks and paintings. Overnight at Cliff Edge (Lalibela) Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (in town), and dinner (at the hotel) included.

• day 9

  Addis Ababa

  

  Everything has an end... even the most beautiful journey Lalibela being located two days' drive from the capital of Ethiopia, we indeed prefer a domestic flight in the middle of the morning (ET 126, 10am > 11am). Addis Ababa was founded at the end of the 19th century, when Queen Taitu, wife of King Menelik, saw a green valley from her palace at the top of Entoto hill; Addis Ababa means "New Flower" in the official language of Ethiopia, Amharic. Upon landing, we will begin, if you wish, a brief visit of Addis Ababa: visits to choose from include the National Museum (where Lucy is located), the Ethnographic Museum in the former palace of Negus Haile Selassie (now located in the heart of the university), or a drive up to the viewpoint on Entoto hill overlooking Addis, where King Menelik's Palace is located. This indicative program remains subject to modifications: depending on your wishes and your level of fatigue, we can plan a souvenir shopping session and/or take you to a courtesy room so you can freshen up and reorganize your luggage. A colorful farewell dinner with your French-speaking guide and a member of the Monpays Tours office will be a wonderful goodbye to the Horn of Africa, where we hope to see you again very soon. Courtesy room in Addis Ababa Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (in town) and farewell dinner-show included.