It’s the ideal combination for who has short time, or travels in a small group and/or prefers to avoid long car transfers, combining historic and naturalistic content.
VISITED PLACES
Bahir Dar: pleasant city on the shore of the biggest lake in Ethiopia, lake Tana, that hides richly decorated monasteries in its tropical islands.
Gondar: Africa’s Camelot, capital city during the seventeenth-century , it’s unique thanks to its castles and particular style that is a mix between the Asian and European one.
Simien Mountains National Park: Unesco Heritage site since 1979, the National Park offers wide views on the valley of Tekeze’ river, and also a unique overview of endemic fauna and flora of afro alpine ecosystem.
Axum: the capital of Ethiopian Orthodox Church, famous for the spectacular megalithic stele that prove the pre Christian roots of the great Ethiopian civilization
Lalibela: Jerusalem of Africa, well known for its monolithic rock-hewn churches so rich of symbolism, mystery and spirituality.
-
- Gondarian painting
-
- Gondar
-
- Simien Mountains National Park
-
- Axum
-
- Lalibela
ITINERARY
1. Addis Ababa: city tour
2. Addis Ababa-Bahir Dar: flight to Bahir Dar and visit of monasteries and falls
3. Bahir Dar-Gondar: Transfer and city tour
4. Gondar-Simien-Gondar: Visit of Simien Mountains National Park
5. Gondar- Axum: Flight to Axum and city tour
6. Axum- Lalibela: Flight and beginning of the city tour
7. Lalibela: Visit of a church out of town and finish the city tour
8. Lalibela – Addis Ababa: Flight to Addis at lunch time and in the evening connection to international flight
PERSONALIZATIONS AND EXTENSIONS
It is possible to combine the itinerary with market days or religious celebrations of Coptic church, to add one night in the pleasant locality of Gorgora and arrive to Bahir Dar by boat, or to extend one or two days to visit the hidden churches in Tigray.
We also suggest to add the following extensions:
High mountain itinerary with landscapes full of escarpments and deep canyons that are populated by the Simien walia ibex, the Ethiopian wolf and many droves of Gelada baboons . The landscapes running over the Tekeze [...]
Three days extension that offers to the trekking lovers the opportunity to live an intense experience with the local community: Tesfa organizes several trekking circuits using guesthouses managed by the community. They are clean accommodations, [...]
Essential 3 days extension that allows you to visit the ancient Muslim city of Harar and its surroundings, with the colorful variety of its people. An essential impression for those interested in all shadows of [...]