Historic Route for 7nights - 8Days

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

Transfer to Gondar airport to catch your flight to Axum. Axum is once the capital of the Axumite Empire and an important trading centre in antiquity.

Axum is the land of the Queen of Sheba, with its own alphabet and notational system the home of original Ark of Covenant and Monolithic stelaes, reckoned for its constructed great engineering works in the 4th century -one of the four great powers of the ancient world. 

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. If the day meets, attend the yearly celebration of King & Saint Yimrehane Kirstos which is attended by tens thousands of pilgrims from all over Ethiopia, making it one of the most joyous annual pilgrimages in Lalibela. It is celebrated with greater devotion, the congregation wrapped in white shawls sing with joy along with the priests’ one after the other and among the swaying choir the priests chanting, dancing, and singing around the church letting out a deep boom of the drums and female’s voice respond in a piercing chorus of ululations. 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 flight back to Addis Ababa.  Spend the rest of the day at leisure or go for shopping or more sightseeing in Addis.

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