8 Days Historic Route

Day 1: Arrive Addis Ababa

Transfer to the hotel. Visit the National Archaeological Museum, where the 3.2 million-year old bones of Lucy (a female Australopithecus aphaeresis skeleton) reside, followed by the Ethnographic Museum, Holy Trinity Cathedral renowned for its stunning stain-glassed windows. If you have full day you may have chance to see the biggest market in Africa Merkato.

O/n Sidra International Hotel 

Day 2: Addis – Bahir Dar   

Fly to BahirDar, located on the southern shore of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile. Visit the falls at fafate, meaning ‘smoking water’ in Amharic. After lunch, take a city tour and a drive up to Bazawit Hill for spectacular views in the evening. Then, drive past the 1960s palace of Emperor Haile Selassie and on to the open air market, one of the largest in Northern Ethiopia (B,L,D).
Kuriftu Resort (Garden View Room)

Day 3: Bahir Dar – Gonder

In the morning, take a boat trip on Lake Tana to visit to the nearby monastery of the Zeghie Peninsula, known for its 14th century, round, grass roofed churches and their magnificent wall murals. Then after, drive to Gondar, the capital and commercial centre of Ethiopia from the 17th to mid-19th century. Driving time is approximately 4 hours. After lunch, explore the sites of Gondar, including a visit to castles of the Royal Enclosure. Continue to Emperor Fasiledes Bath, now best known for the annual Christian festival of Timket where local worshippers descend into the pool to commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Lastly, Ras Gimb Palace Museum and the Debre Birhane Selassie church, with the most iconic ceiling murals in Ethiopia .

Overnight Gonder  Goha  Hotel

Day 4: Gonder – Lalibela

Fly from Gondar to Lalibela, home to one of the world’s most outstanding sacred sites comprising 11 medieval rock hewn churches.

Overnight in (Sora lodge) Tukul Rooms

Day 5: Lailbela

This morning visit the Monastery of NakutoLa’ab hewn out of a rock cave. Alternatively, take a mule trek to the Asheton Mariam Monastery. After lunch, visit the second group of cave churches built by King Lalibela including the famous Bete Georgis which is located in a deep pit and is accessible only by a tunnel located nearby. You also visit the four churches south of the Jordan River. A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony is a highlight this afternoon.

Overnight Sora Lodge) Tukul Rooms

Day 6: Lalibela – Aksum

Fly from Lalibela to Aksum and take city tour. The tour includes the main stelea park. These famed granite obelisks are relics of this time and have gained UNESCO World Heritage site status. The tallest , the Great stelea, has fallen and broken in to six massive pieces , but  when standing was 33 meters (108 feet) tall and weighed about five hundred twenty tones and other remarkable pre –Christian monuments .

We continue the city tour , visiting the swimming pool of Queen of Sheba , Ezana Inscription , tomb of King Kaleb and his son King Gebremeskel ,Queen of Sheba’s palace ; the legendary ruler of the south. As well as St. Mary Zion church and the Ark of the

Covenant.

Overnight Sabean Hotel

Day 7: Aksum –Ghereata
After breakfast, drive to visit the temple of Yeha, dating from the 8th to 7th centuries BC, and thought to be the capital of pre-Aksumite civilization and the museum.  Afterwards, drive minimum for 2 hours to reach Adigrat and stop for a lunch there. After lunch proceed through the state of Tigray, stopping en-route for a visit to the rock-hewn church of Medhani Alem AdiKesho. 

Overnight in Hawuzien (Gherealta lodge)

Day 8. Gherealta -Mekelle
In the morning, visit either Abune Yemata Guh or Maryam Korkor and Daniel Korkor but the first one is highly recommended if you don’t have afraid of heights. Both churches involve an approximate one-hour hike but offer commanding views of the gherealta beautiful scenery. Then drive back to the town of Hawuzien  for lunch. After lunch, drive to west of wukro to visit churches of Abreha we Atsbeha / Ezana and Saizana/ one of the ancient and most beautiful church in Tigrai dated back to the 4thc A.D.

Overnight Planet Hotel based

Day 9.  Mekelle to Addis

After breakfast, visit Mekelle in the morning and fly back in the afternoon to Addis and then depart home.

End of the tour!