Spend 7 days exploring the most popular highlights on this 7-day Ethiopia tour. Start with time in Axum to visit St. Mary’s Church and the claimed home of the Ark of the Covenant. Continue to tour the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, including the more distant Genete Mariam. Finish up the cultural tour with time in Addis Ababa to visit national museums and their open air market.
Learn the country’s dark history at Red Terror Martyrs Museum and see the famous hominid “Lucy” at the National Museum. See weavings and handicrafts at the Muya Abyssinia craft and experience the warm hospitality of the Ethiopian people. This introductory cultural tour of Ethiopia can easily be combined with a trek in the Simien Mountains or visits to the Bale Mountains or a tour of the tribes of Omo Valley.
From Airport or Place of Residence in Nairobi
What makes our safari experience stand out from our competition? It’s the way we handpick our hotels, lodges and camps.
We go through a rigorous process of ensuring all our accommodation partners meet both your and our high expectations. Our travel team has carefully selected the following hotels and lodges four your stay in this safari.
Visit the Ethnographic Museum, a great introduction to Ethiopian culture and history. Tour the Mercato, one of Africa’s largest outdoor markets, and Trinity Cathedral, resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie.
Overnight Hotel – (B, L, D)
Fly to Bahar Dar on Ethiopian Airlines. Visit the marketplace in Bahar Dar. Take a boat tour on Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile and tour ancient island monasteries.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)
Drive through the countryside to Gondar. Tour the Royal Enclosure, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring five castles built by a succession of Ethiopian kings beginning in the early 17th century. Having survived several wars, including air raids during World War 2, the castles are a testament to the resilience of this once mighty empire. Visit the church of Debre Birhan Selassie, famous for its religious art and especially its iconic ceiling depicting angels.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)
Fly to Lalibela on Ethiopian Airlines. Tour the magnificent rock-hewn churches, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This group of eleven monolithic churches were carved directly into the stone mountainside at least 800 years ago. This complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, a maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and fabulous examples of icon paintings.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)
For the morning we have two options: Take a morning hike with mules to the 13th century rock-hewn monastery of Mount Asheton. The walk provides wonderful views of Lalibela and the surrounding countryside. – OR – Drive to Yemrehanna Kristos, a beautiful church situated in a shallow cave that predates the churches of Lalibela. The drive to Yemrehanna will give you the opportunity to view the rural countryside and villages of the Ethiopian highlands. Following either option above continue with tour of Lalibela’s churches in the afternoon.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)
Fly to Axum on Ethiopian Airlines. Tour the ancient stelae fields, standing for 2000 years. Visit the new and impressive Archeological Museum. Visit other tombs and archeological sites as time permits.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)
Fly to Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines. Visit either the Ethnographic Museum or the National Museum, home of the 3.18 million year old skeleton “Lucy.” Optional souvenir shopping in the afternoon. Farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country’s many ethnic groups. Transfer to airport for late night departure if needed.
(B, L, D)
End of Tour
(Sani Holidays will arrange additional hotel nights in Addis Ababa upon request.)
Sani Holidays
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