DAY 1: ADDIS ABABA – 5 JANUARY –

• Arrival to Addis Ababa Bole International airport, meet and greet with a welcome gesture by our representative from the company.
• After a hotel check-in and an hour rest, we will proceed on a drive through the city on a tour to visit;
– Merkato – the biggest open air market in Africa, whereby you will interact with the local community and learn from their way of trading.
– The National museum – a museum which displays the ancient historical values from the archaeological findings of the Axumite Empire, and known for housing humanoid fossils, with the 3.18 million years old fossil of Lucy.
– The Holy Trinity cathedral – the most important Ethiopian Orthodox church from the 1930s, known for the biblical paintings from the interior and the unique architectural design of the building.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 2: ADDIS ABABA TO LALIBELA (FLIGHT) – 6 JANUARY –

• On this day, we will take a domestic flight destined to Lalibela. Upon arrival, we drive to the hotel for a check-in and a lunch break.
• In the afternoon, we will start our visit from the first group of the rock-hewn churches (having 5 giant churches in the complex, all carved out from a massive basaltic rock).
– The Rock-hewn churches of Lalibela were excavated during the 12th century AD, by the saintly king Lalibela.
–  It is so amazing to learn from the work of the churches by King Lalibela, which are excavated from a giant basaltic rock to be only done within a period of 23 years.
• In the evening, we will spend some time participating in the mass and procession.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 3: LALIBELA – 7 JANUARY –

• Early morning at 4:00am, we will proceed to the rock-hewn church of St.Mary and be witnessing the hours long beautiful religious ceremony held by the priests. It goes till sunrise and afterwards.
• In the afternoon, we will proceed on a visit of the second group of the rock-hewn churches (having 4 giant churches in the complex, all carved out from a massive basaltic rock).
– Then we will end our day, after visiting the 15 meters high cross shaped monolithic rock-hewn church of St.George (Bete Giyorgis).
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 4: LALIBELA TO GONDAR (FLIGHT) – 8 JANUARY

• On this day, we will take a domestic flight destined to Gondar. Upon arrival, we drive to the hotel for a check-in and a lunch break.
• We will have an afternoon visit of the following sites;
– The Castles compound – a 40,000 square meters complex which houses 6 Castles and more than a dozen of ruined royal houses, built by the Ethiopian kings from the Gonderian Era during the 17th / 18th centuries AD.
– The bath of King Fasiladas – founder of Gondar as his capital in 1636, having built this place for a recreational purpose with his family. Now a days, it is one of the iconic place to celebrate the annual religious festivity of the Epiphany during the month of January (18 – 20) by the Ethiopian Orthodox religion followers.
– The church of Debre Birhan Selassie – an authentic architecture and a colorful biblical mural paintings within, it is built at the beginning of the 18th century AD by King Eyasu.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 5: GONDAR – 9 JANUARY –

• On this days, we will have a drive of about two hours long to reach to Debark (100kms – two hours long) on a day trip.
• From Debark, we will have an access to the Simien Mountains National Park after obtaining a permit from the park’s headquarter.
– The Simien Mountains National Park – with so many majestically high rising mountains (from 3300 to 4565 meters above sea level), is home to hundreds of indigenous trees and endemic mammals, offering a magnificent view over the rising highest peaks.
– We will have a hiking activity of around two hours, while spotting the endemic red chested mammals called the Chalada Baboons.
• Drive back to Gondar.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 6: GONDAR TO BAHIR DAR – 10 JANUARY

• A morning drive of about three and a half hours long to Bahir Dar (178kms – three and a half hours long), with some photo stops on the way.
• After a hotel check-in and a lunch break, we proceed to Lake Tana for an excursion boat trip to visit;
– The 14th century AD built up churches of Ura Kidane Mihret and Azuwa Mariyam, which are both located in the peninsula of Zeghe.
– The churches are well known for their preserved mural paintings of the 17th century.
– Lake Tana – covering a mass of 3600 square kilometres, is the largest lake in Ethiopia, having 37 islands and a peninsula.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 7: BAHIR DAR TO ARBA MINCH (FLIGHT) – 11 JANUARY –

• Early morning, drive to the village of Tisisat and visit the Blue Nile falls.
• Drive back to the city, and take an afternoon flight destined to Arba Minch. Transfer to the hotel for the check-in.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 8: ARBA MINCH – 12 JANUARY –

In the morning, we will drive to Lake Chamo and take a boat for a visit of:
– Lake Chamo – one of the seven lakes lying in the Great Rift Valley, is known for being home to thousands of giant crocodiles, aquatic birds like the Herons, Pelicans, Flamingos, and African Fish Eagles, and the hippopotamus.
• Drive back to town for a lunch break.
• In the afternoon, drive up to the mountains of Gughe and visit:
– The Dorze people – at their village of Hayzo, are known for weaving the traditional handmade cotton cloth of Ethiopians and also for the 12 meters high huts they build from bamboo and banana leaves.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 9: ARBA MINCH TO TURMI – 13 JANUARY –

• Early morning, we drive to Turmi (290kms – five hours long), visiting on the way;
– Konso People – settling as a town called Karat, the Konso live in around 30 villages built up in hills and guarded well with a round stone walled system they have still kept as a tradition for more than 500 years. Their agricultural practices using a terracing system they adopted for more than 500 years is registered as a world heritage site by UNESCO.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 10: TURMI – 14 JANUARY – 

• In the morning, we will drive to Kangaten (90kms – an hour and a half hours long) and visit the Nyangatom tribe. Then proceed on a drive to Korcho (64kms – an hour long) and visit the Karo tribe.
• Drive back to Turmi.
*NB: If this day lies on Monday, we will have a possibility to visit the weekly market of the Hamer tribes in Turmi. And if it lies on Saturday, it is a weekly market day of the Hamer and Banna tribes at Dimeka.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 11: TURMI TO JINKA – 15 JANUARY –

• Early morning, drive to Omorate (72kms – an hour and half long) and visit the Dassanech tribe.
– The Dassanech tribe – are one of the tribes from the lower Omo valley, which are settled taking the area near to the banks of the river Omo. We need to cross the river by a locally made canoe from a giant tree trunk. They are culturally rich and known for the annual circumcision festivity of the girls called Dimi.
• Drive back to Turmi, and proceed on a drive to Jinka (130kms – two and a half hours long).
* NB: If this day lies on Tuesday, we will have a possibility to visit the weekly market of the Banna and Hamer tribes at Alduba. And if it lies on Thursday, it is a weekly market day where around five tribe members gather at Key Afer.
• An overnight stay in the suggested hotel.

DAY 12: JINKA TO ADDIS ABABA (FLIGHT) – 16 JANUARY –

• In the morning, drive to the village of Sala Mago (50kms – an hour and half long) by crossing through Mago National Park. Then we will visit;
– The Mursi tribe – known for the lip plates worn by the woman and the Donga stick fighting performed by the men. They are cattle herders.
• Drive back to town and take a flight destined back to Addis Ababa.
• A free afternoon with an optional shopping activity of souvenirs.
• In the evening, a farewell dinner at a cultural restaurant with folkloric dances and a local spicy meals, marks the end of the tour.

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