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9-Day History and Culture Tour of Northern Ethiopia

Instant confirmation
Free cancellation

9-Day History and Culture Tour of Northern Ethiopia

Next available dates
Sat
Jan 17
Sun
Jan 18
Mon
Jan 19
Bestseller

9-Day History and Culture Tour of Northern Ethiopia

Instant confirmation
Free cancellation
Pickup included

From

USD 3,515.04

Highlights

On this trip, you'll see the spectacular "Smoking Water" of the Blue Nile Falls and take a boat trip to the famous island monasteries of Lake Tana. You can enjoy the breath-taking scenery of the Simien Mountains National Park and spot endemic Gelada baboons and other wildlife. You'll also explore the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, carved over 800 years ago, and admire the mediaeval castles of Gondar, described as Ethiopia's "Camelot".

Itinerary

Addis Ababa
  • National Museum of Ethiopia

    2 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    you'll head to the National Museum or other museum of your choice (see options below). The National Museum is the oldest museum in Ethiopia. Its most famous exhibit is "Lucy", the 3.5 million year old skeleton whose discovery in 1974 demonstrated that bipedal hominids evolved much earlier than previously thought. The museum also holds many other palaeontological and archaeological artifacts, as well as ethnographic and modern art displays.
  • Holy Trinity Cathedral

    1 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    After the museum, there will be the chance to visit Holy Trinity Cathedral, built to commemorate Ethiopia's emancipation from the Italian occupation. The cathedral is an important focal point for the Ethiopian Orthodox church. As a place of worship, it is considered second only to the Church of Our Lady Zion in Axum (where the original Ark of the Covenant is believed to be held). The Cathedral also has its own museum with interesting artifacts from the history of the Ethiopian Church. Alternatively, you can choose to visit Entoto mountain or St George's Cathedral instead of Holy Trinity.
  • Mercato Market

    1 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    Next, you will visit the Mercato, reputedly the largest market in Africa. The Mercato is the commercial hub of Addis Ababa. A close-knit grid of streets crammed with stalls, kiosks and shops, you can buy virtually anything here, but be prepared to negotiate! Alternatively, you can choose to visit Shero Meda, a more traditional market, or seek out Addis' best souvenir shops.
  • Tomoca Coffee | Atlas Branch | ቶሞካ ቡና | አትላስ

    30 minsAdmission Ticket Included
    The afternoon finishes with either a traditional coffee ceremony or a trip to Tomoca, Ethiopia's most famous coffee shop, before heading to your hotel at around 6:30pm.
  • Accommodations
    Overnight at a hotel in Addis Ababa
    Food And Drinks
    Lunch
    Dinner
Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar
  • Bahir Dar

    9 hoursAdmission Ticket Free
    The journey to Bahir Dar will take most of the day, but it's a good chance to view the changing landscapes of the highlands and to see day-to-day life in rural Ethiopia.
  • Accommodations
    Overnight at a hotel in Bahir Dar
    Food And Drinks
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner
Bahir Dar
  • Lake Tana

    4 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    In the morning, you'll take a boat cruise on Lake Tana, stopping to explore some of the island churches and monasteries containing relics and frescos dating from the 16th century.
  • Blue Nile Falls

    2 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    In the afternoon, you'll take a trip to the Blue Nile Falls at Tisisat, meaning "smoking water" in Amharic. The spectacular falls are 100m wide and plunge 45m, sending spray high in the air. A short walk and a trip across a 17th century bridge gives a great close-up view of the falls.
  • Accommodations
    Overnight for a second night at the hotel in Bahir Dar
    Food And Drinks
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner
Bahir Dar to Gondar
  • Gonder

    5 hoursAdmission Ticket Free
    From Bahir Dar, it's about a 3 hour drive to Gondar, after which you'll take a sightseeing tour of the city. Gondar is a historic settlement with an atmosphere of mystery and there are views from the city which extend across the surrounding farmland back to Lake Tana. Founded by Emperor Fasilidas around 1635, Gondar has become one of Ethiopia's largest and most impressive cities.
  • Fasil Ghebbi

    3 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    Gondar is famed for its walled Royal Enclosure which contains several well-preserved and very medieval-looking castles, dating from as early as 1650. The castles are unusual for the Horn Of Africa, deriving their architectural style from the Moors and the Portuguese.
  • Debre Berhan Selassie Church

    1 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    Gondar has dozens of churches but the most important is Debre Berhan Selassie (Trinity Church of the Mountain of Light), which has an impressive hilltop location. The priest there will explain the story of the many paintings and carvings inside the church.
  • Accommodations
    Overnight in a hotel in Gonder
    Food And Drinks
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner
Gondar to the Simien Mountains
  • Debark

    2 hoursAdmission Ticket Free
    Leaving Gondar, you'll have a scenic 2 to 3-hour drive to Debark, a small market town at an altitude of 2,700 metres, on the edge of the Simien Mountains National Park.
  • Simien Mountains National Park

    4 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    After lunch, there's a trip into the park to see the spectacular landscapes which led to it being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There'll be a chance to stretch your legs, appreciate the views and possibly even spot some endemic wildlife before returning to Debark for the night.
  • Accommodations
    Overnight at a hotel in Debark
    Food And Drinks
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner
Simien Mountains to Lalibela
  • Lalibela

    8 hoursAdmission Ticket Free
    A scenic day of driving to the city of Lalibela with the spectacular Ambalage mountains as a backdrop.
  • Accommodations
    Overnight at a hotel in Lalibela
    Food And Drinks
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner
Lalibela
  • Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela

    6 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    A full day of sightseeing in and around Lalibela. Lalibela is one of Ethiopia's holiest cities and a centre of pilgrimage for much of the country. It was built in the 12th century to be the ‘New Jerusalem’ following the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin, and was laid out to resemble that city. Lalibela is most famous for its rock-hewn churches which, like those of Tigray, are literally carved out of the surrounding rock. In all, there are 11 ‘rock churches’.
  • Bete Giyorgis of Lalibela

    1 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    Bete Giyorgis (the Church of Saint George) in the Western group is the best known and most impressive. Described as the eighth wonder of the world, the church is carved in the shape of the cross and stands 12m high in a square cut ‘hole’ in the rock outcrop from which it is carved.
  • Accommodations
    Overnight for a second night in the hotel in Lalibela
    Food And Drinks
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner
Lalibela to Kombolcha
  • Kombolcha

    8 hoursAdmission Ticket Free
    From Lalibela, you'll start the journey back towards Addis, stopping overnight at the town of Kombolcha.
  • Genete Mariam Rock Church

    2 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    Genete Maryam is a monolithic rock-hewn church with interesting architectural representations. According to local tradition, the church was established by Yekuno Amlak, the king who 'restored' the Solomonic Dynasty in the late 13th century. The church resembles Bete-medhane Alem, the house of the redeemer of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela.
  • Accommodations
    Overnight in a hotel in Kombolcha
    Food And Drinks
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner
Kombolcha to Addis Ababa
  • Ankober

    2 hoursAdmission Ticket Free
    From Kombolcha, you'll complete the journey back to Addis, stopping on the way to see the historically important town of Ankober.
  • Yod Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant | Karl Square | ዮድ አቢሲኒያ የባህል ምግብ ቤት | ካርል አደባባይ

    2 hoursAdmission Ticket Included
    The tour ends with dinner at a cultural restaurant in Addis Ababa, where you can sample local dishes and watch energetic traditional dances from across the country.
  • Food And Drinks
    Breakfast
    Lunch
    Dinner

What's included

INCLUDED

Private transportation
Lunch (9)
Dinner (9)
Breakfast (8)

NOT INCLUDED

Gratuities
Alcoholic beverages

Additional information

Must Know
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Good To Know
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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Location

Provider

Venture Ethiopia

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