Northern Historical Air & Ground Tour

Package Overview

Brief Description:

The 12 day historical tour to the northern part of ethiopia includes driving to Bahir Dar from Addis (450 KMs) which goes through the breath taking scenery of North Ethiopia . The road travel from Bahir Dar to Gondar also passes through the semine mountains which also give a chance to see the Chelada Baboon. The standing steale of Axum , historic towns of Mekele and Adigrat are also included in the program. The historic tour also includes a visit to Lalibella�s 12 rock hewn churches. On our way back to Addis we will also visit Kombolcha town and other small towns on our way.

Itinerary

Day 1: Upon arrival in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia , You will be greeted with the traditional Ethiopian hospitality at the airport and transferred to the hotel. (Depending on your arrival time we can arrange afternoon or after hour city tour)

Day 2: Early morning breakfast and transfer to the Bole International Airport and fly 50 minutes to Bahir Dar. Bahir Dar is the capital of the Amhara National Regional State . Upon arrival transfer to Tana Hotel, lakeside hotels near the market place of Bahir Dar. In the afternoon we will visit the city of Bahir Dar .

Visitors should expect to see

� Colorful market with easy access to buy traditional baskets, pottery, hand made woven clothes, capes, scarves and etc

� The Woito village where the local people make the papyrus boat

� The Mount Bezawit where Emperor Haile Selassie�s palace of is gracefully situated. It also provides a magnificent scenery

Dinner and overnight in Tana with a pleasant garden and a Lakeside view of Tana.

Day 3: Early morning a boat trip will be arranged to Ethiopia 's largest Lake called Tana known for its middle age island monasteries. Lake Tana is the source of the longest river in Africa, the Blue Nile and home for 37 islands. We will have the opportunity to visit the Zege peninsula for its famous 14th century monasteries of Ura Kidanemihret, Azewa Mariam and the island monastery of Kibran Gebriel (where only men are allowed) for their wonderful 16th century mural paintings, crowns, crosses and many old church treasures. Afterwards we will arrive at Gorgora and meet the drivers there to drive to Gondar which is 66 Km only an hour and half driving. Dinner and overnight stay in Gondar

Day 4: Gondar: They say �you have only to stroll through the banqueting halls and gaze down from the balconies of the many castles and palaces here to imagine the intrigue and pageantry that took place back in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when Gondar, then the Ethiopian capital, was home to a number of emperors and warlords, courtiers and kings. After early breakfast we will start our visit to these palaces, residences and baths of Fasilidas. Gondar is also the site of numerous fine churches, a number of which have survived to this day. Late in the afternoon, we will have the opportunity to visit the church of Debre Berham Selassie, translated to mean �Light of the Trinity�, which is located at the summit of a hill and surrounded by fortified walls. Dinner and overnight stay are in a hotel with a splendid panoramic garden.

Day 5: Drive from Gondar to Axum : - The road passes over mountain regions of wild beauty, running alongside the National Park of the Simien massif. In the park, many of the mountain peaks exceed 4,000m; the highest is Ras Dejen, at 4,543 meters above sea level. These mountains consist of volcanic masses that have been eroded away by centuries of rain. Today they have amethyst-colored peaks and deep gullies, which have been further deepened by rivers. The crevices play host to the Waliya, the ibex of the Simien Mountains . We arrive in Axum in the evening, with dinner and overnight stay in a hotel.

Day 6: Axum: Ethiopian legends first recorded in the fourteenth-century Kebre Nagast (Book of Kings) make Axum the capital of the Queen of Sheba in the tenth century BC. Rising to importance around the time of the Christ, Axum was the capital far-reaching Axumite kingdom, dominated the vital crossroads of Africa and Asia for almost a thousand years. After settling ourselves in one of the comfortable hotels in Axum, Yeha Hotel, we will start our visit to the famous historical sites of Axum such as the Archeological museum, the Zion Cathedral where the original Arc of the covenant is said to be found, the stele park where the magnificent single block of stones standing since the 3rd century. Later the day we will have an opportunity to visit the ruin palace and Bath of Queen Sheba. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.

Day 7: Axum / Adigrat / Mekelle. By way of a beautiful panoramic road, we arrive to Yeha, where we visit the Temple of the Moon (dating from pre-Christian times). A little further along the road we find the monastery of Debre Damo, the oldest church in Ethiopia . Only men are allowed visit the church and it is necessary to climb up to it with the aid of a rope. After lunch, we drive to Mekelle, in this region; from the 8th to the 15th century, hundreds of rock-hewn churches were carved and constructed out of one rock. Many of the churches are carved directly into the cliff walls of the �Ambas�: typical Ethiopian mountains with flat tops and almost vertical sides. En route, we visit the Abrha Atsbha and the Wukro churches. Dinner and overnight in a hotel in Mekele.

Day 8: Mekele � Lalibela (314 km). The whole day is required to cover this distance. The unpaved road climbs several times to heights of about 3,000 metres and descends into valleys where powerful rivers run. The landscape is dry, but visually splendid. For a considerable stretch, the winding road follows the spectacular canyon of the river Tekeze, one of the principal rivers of Ethiopia . Just before Lalibela is the beautiful rock hewn church of Genete Mariam . Afterwards we arrive to Lalibela in the evening; dinner and overnight in a hotel.

Day 9: Lalibela is the 8th wonder of the world. 13 rock-hewn churches cut out of a solid red volcanic rock, some completely hidden in deep trenches, while others stand in open quarried caves and a complex series of tunnels and narrow passageways connecting the churches, Lalibela indeed offers a great opportunity for any traveler. After an early breakfast we will start our visit with the first churches. Afternoon will be for the second group of churches and a tour to the city of Lalibela itself. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel; in the evening you may also attend a show featuring traditional dance

Day 10: Lalibela � Kombolcha (375 km). The road runs through villages, cultivated plains and small passes. Here, we are close to the land occupied by the Afar shepherds, a Semi-nomadic people who live mainly in the deserts of Danakil depression. We encounter them on the road with their caravans of camels. Dinner and overnight in a hotel in Kombolcha.

Day 11: Kombolcha � Addis Ababa . The road crosses the Ethiopian plateau, with its vast expanses of cultivated fields. In Senbete, on Sundays, there is an interesting market where the Afar, Oromo and Amhara peoples meet. We arrive in Addis Ababa in the evening. We stay overnight in the same hotel as before and have dinner in one of the many restaurants of the capital.

Day 12: Addis Ababa is located at 2,500 meters above sea level at the footstep of the highest parts of series of Mountain chain. Addis is also the seat of African Union (AU) and many International offices and over 100 Embassies. It enjoys an excellent climate all year round; with an average temperature of 16�C. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of jacarandas, interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa , known as the Merkato. After early breakfast we will visit the National Museum (a multi-collections representing Ethiopia 's past and present image). Among the famous exhibits, the 3.5 million year old skeleton of 'Lucy' is worth visiting. We will also visit the Ethiopian Studies Institute Ethnological museum for it�s extraordinarily collection of the priceless and varied ethnic medley. Then we continue driving up to the mount (over 3000 meters) Entoto, the first seat of Emperor Menelik II before he established Addis Ababa as the capital of Ethiopia in 1886. Visitors will also have the opportunity to visit Trinity Cathedral and Merkato. Along our way we will have the chance to see avenues, squares, obelisks and many places of interests and shopping. Early evening, we will have a coffee ceremony to show our appreciation for touring with us, . Late at night transfer to the Bole International Airport and depart for home.

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Inclusions

• Hotel

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Price & Rates

* Mentioned prices may vary depending upon date of travel, hotel availability, surge pricing and seasonal rush.

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Package Start From

• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Africa

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Terms & Conditions

Payment Terms & Methods :
* Some Advance Percentage of total booking amount * Airfare/Transport fare to be paid full at one time in advance.

Cancellation & Refund Policy :
* Upon cancellation, refund will be made after deducting the Retention Amount. * Retention Amount varies as per the number of days left before your package start date.

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This Tour is Offered by

Benjamin Tour & Trekking Ethiopia View Profile

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• Gulele Sub City Kebele 03/04, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 251
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