Combined Tours for 10nights - 11Days

Welcome to Addis Ababa.

Addis Ababa “New Flower” is the third highest capital in the world. It is located at 3,000m above sea level. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of jacaranda trees, interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, “Mercato”.

Addis Ababa is Africa’s diplomatic capital with headquarters for the Organization of African Unity and the United Nation Economic Commissions for Africa. The capital is rich in impressive monuments of colonial architecture that are scattered among stretches of sun-bleached shacks.

On your arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, after clearing immigration and customs welcome by Absolute Ethiopia Tours staff and get transferred to your hotel.

Depending on your arrival time it is possible to arrange sightseeing in 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 at the top of Mount Entoto, the 16th C St. George’s Cathedral, the stunning stain-glassed windows of the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the largest open market in Africa, Merkato.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner are included

In early morning, transfer to Addis Ababa (Bole) int. airport for your flight to Bahir Dar (1hr flight).

Bahir Dar is the capital of the Amhara region situated on the shores of Lake Tana, the largest lake in the country. Bahir Dar is one of the best well-planned cities in Ethiopia. Bahir Dar means “by the side of the sea”.

After check into your hotel go for the alluring Blue Nile Falls, “Tissisat” (smoking water), a spectacular view of Bezawit hill top, & the open air market of Bahir Dar to meet up with locals.

Following lunch, explore the 12th-14th century treasured Monasteries of Lake Tana by a cruise, round, grass roofed of the Zeghie Peninsula,, witness the Ethiopia's links with the ancient world by the papyrus Tankwa that sail the lake bear a striking resemblance to the boats of Ancient Egypt.  

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

In early morning leave your hotel and head to the magnificent Simien Mts. National Park via Gondar. Road/ Surface transfer 295kms/5hrs.

The Simien Mts. dramatic topography resulted from the volcanic activity, Ascribed it as the world natural heritage site, graced by exceptional botanical phenomena and a zoo of wild life Walia Ibex, Red fox, and Chilada/ bleeding heart Baboons are few to site.

Visit Sankaber the first camp sight of the Simien Mts. Here you will find one of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Ethiopia. Stop to watch Ghelada Baboons and observe their foraging habits, and take a short walk to a waterfall (the ground here is uneven).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Today you will return back to Gondar by drive 110kms/2hrs. Enjoy the scenic view & real country side feeing on your way.

Gondar “the Camelot of Africa,” is the medieval royal city, distinguished by its castles and imperial compound and by its churches, particularly Debre Berhan Selassie, the walls and ceiling of which are completely covered in murals - the angels’ faces on the ceiling have become a common motif in Ethiopian design.

Tonight enjoy the traditional Ethiopian Music at Four sisters- Gondar is famous for the Azmari bet, and enjoy the Ethiopian indigenous traditional songs mainly praising and singing with lots of Funs. Young couples, a man playing Masinko (one string instrument) and a woman performs the singing in the mean while if you like you will have the chance to try the dances.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Fly to the small town of Lalibela, which is home to one of the world's most astounding sacred sites, comprising eleven medieval rock-hewn churches, each carved entirely out of a single piece of stone.

Lalibela also called as the "New Jerusalem"  - a town for internationally renowned rock hewn churches known as ‘Eight wonders of the world’, physically praised from the rock in which they stand, these towering edifices seems to be superhuman creation in scale workman ship and concept.

After check in to your hotel visit the north-west cluster of churches consists of Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet Debre Sina, and Bet Golgotha. Also included in this tour is the isolated monolith of Bet Giyorgis (the Church of St George). Bet Medhane Alem is the largest monolithic rock-hewn church.

Take a part in a traditional coffee ceremony.

Ethiopia's coffee ceremony is an integral part of the social and cultural life. It is an important cultural ritual that's been passed from generation to generation.  An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered as a mark of friendship or respect and is an example of Ethiopian hospitality.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Today visit the cave church of Yimrehane Kirstos, 40kms from the city, built by the king of the same name before the reign of King Lalibela.  The church is constructed inside a cave, in Axumite style, similar to the church at Debre Damo, with alternating levels of wood and stone. Then return back to the town.

And visit the churches in the south-east cluster include 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 in Lalibela or learn about Ethiopian culinary, you'll experience how to make injera, shiro and other vegetarian options & dine. To the people of Ethiopia, Injera is the staple food, eaten with every meal of the day. Injera is a pancake (tasted a bit sour) shaped product mostly made from teff, although other grain products, like maize are sometimes also used. Injera is eaten with hands, by picking up meat or vegetables first and then dipping and soaking it in sauce of gravy.  Teff is a gluten free grain, grown in the highlands of Ethiopia.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Today, transfer to Lalibela airport for your connection ET flight to Jinka via Addis Ababa.

Visit the South Omo Research Museum & local villages in Jinka and get acquainted to the local life, how they make local liquor made of Sorghum, Garlic and maize and how they make a pot. 

Meals: Lunch & Dinner are included

Total driving distance 230kms/6-7hrs.

Mago National Park, one of Africa’s vast wildernesses, was founded in the 1960s and it encloses dense acacia forests and open savannah. Drive to visit the Mursi villages; they go in for body scarification and among the women the wearing of lip plates. They are known for fierce warrior disposition and wildly decorative appearance, with large circular clay labrets that the women wear in the lower lip.

Turmi is a place for the Hamer tribes, visit the Hamer village they are a fine looking people, both men and women take great pride in their appearance, shaving and coloring their hair, oiling their bodies and decorating themselves with beads and bracelets worn around arms and legs. They are famous for their body decoration, moonlight dance (Evangedi Dance) and bull-jumping. Bull jumping marks the rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. It is not a done every day.

If Tuesday or Thursday attend the beautiful Omo Valley market on the way to Turmi - the best colourful ones in the Omo Valley Markets.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner are included

Total driving distance 150kms/3-4hrs.

Drive and cross the Omo River to visit the Bumi tribe on the Side of the Omo Valley. The Bumis are great warriors. They are also specialized crocodile hunters using harpoons from a dugout canoe. Cross back to the Omo River and drive to the village of Kolcho and visit the Karo tribes. They are considered the masters of body painting, in which they engage when preparing for a dance, feast or celebration. Finally drive back to Turmi.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner are included

Total driving distance 280kms/5-6hrs.

Say hello to the beautiful women of Arbore tribe with their black veils, but are half nude and head shaved, so the contrast is really amazing. Make a drive through the Konso village; whose people are known for their intricately terraced hillsides, they make recognized and prized by UNESCO, fine woven materials and the carved totems with which they decorate their graves.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner are included

Detour to Chencha 40kms/1hr, the home of the Dorze people, known for their bamboo, bee-hive shaped houses and their fine quality cotton “shamma”.

Or enjoy the boat trip on Lake Chamo – with a very close viewing of large number of hippos and crocodiles. Then transfer to Arba Minch airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa.

Day use in one of the nearby airport hotel in Addis Ababa & get transferred to the airport for your departure flight.

Tonight you will have a wonderful cultural evening at one of Addis Ababa Restaurant; Ethiopia is a mosaic of people with more than 80 languages, different lifestyles, costumes and cultural dances. Take a chance to experience some of these cultural dances and traditional meals with a drink of Tej, a type of wine made from Honey.

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included