14 Days Tour Historic North
Addis Ababa
Day 1:
After your arrival at Bole International Airport, you will be welcomed by MAHTEB Ethiopia Tour’s representatives. Then you will check into a hotel.
Following will be a city tour to Addis Ababa. You will first visit to the National Museum (pre historic, cultural, archaeological attractions), Ethnographic Museum of Addis Ababa University (culture, dressing style, traditional practices of over 80 ethnic groups, and collection of traditional musical instruments). Your visit also comprises tourist attraction sites like Emperor Minelik’s Palace, St. Raguel’s Church, Merkato, (the largest open market in Africa).
In the evening, you will have dinner at the hotel and you will rest.
Bahir dar
Day 2: Drive to Bahir Dar
After breakfast, you will drive to Bahir Dar (564 Km from Addis). On the way, you will visit Debre Libanos Monastery & the museum. You will stop for lunch at Debre Markos. Then you will arrive in Bahir Dar (late afternoon). You will check into a hotel.
You will have dinner, rest & spend the night there.
Monasteries Lake Tana
Day 3: Visit Island Monasteries and Blue Nile Falls
You will have an early breakfast and drive to Lake Tana and visit to the medieval period island monasteries (beautiful mural paintings, religious books & sacred) on Lake Tana. After lunch, you will drive to and visit to the Blue Nile Falls (some 30 Km).
In the evening, you will have dinner and stay the night at the hotel.
Gonder
Day 4: Drive to Gondar and visit the Castle
You will be driven to Gondar (185 Km) right after breakfast. There you will check into a hotel and after a brief break, you will have lunch.
Then, you will visit to the Royal Castles (built in the 17th Century A.D.), the Bath of Emperor Fasiledes, the Historic Debre Birhan Selassie Church, the Castle of Empress Mintewab, and Kuskwam Mariam Church (the bones of the Empress and princes rests in a glass coffin).
Early in the evening, you will visit ‘AzmariBet’ at Traditional Music Houses after which you will have dinner at the hotel and stay there for the night.
Simien Mountains
Day 5: Drive Simien Mountain National Park
You will have breakfast & drive to Debark (100 Km from Gonder, a nearby town to the Simien Mountains). You will spend the day visiting the Simien Mountains National Park (registered by UNISCO as a world heritage site, with endemic & mammals, birds, natural vegetation, & wonderful landscape). In the evening you will get back to Debark and check into a hotel.
You will have dinner and stay the night in the hotel.
Axum
Day 6: Drive to Axum
Right after breakfast, an early morning drive will take you to Axum (270 Km from Debark) through the Simien Mountains & magnificent topography & scenery, the Limalimo Gorge, TekezeValley. You will arrive in Axum late in the afternoon. You will check into a hotel and take a break before dinner is served.
Day 7: Axum City Tour
You will have breakfast and will visit all day to the Steale of Axum, the Inscription of Ezana, Queen Sheba’s Palace, the Famous St. Mary of Zion Church, Ruins of Ancient Palaces (built until 4th Century A.D.), with lunch break in between.
In the evening, you will get back to the hotel and spend the night there.
Hawzen
Day 8: Drive to Hawzien
After breakfast, you will be driven to Hawzien (approximately 170 Km from Axum), where on your way visit the ruins of the Temple of Yeha (a 5th Century B.C. pre-Christian Temple), Monastery of Debre Damo (built in 6th Century A.D. on a 15 meter cliff that can only reached by the use of a leather rope). You will stop for lunch in Adigrat (150 Km from Axum). Your arrival in Hawzien late afternoon where you will check into a hotel.
Then you will rest, have dinner and spend the night at the hotel.
Rock-Hewn Curches
Day 9: Visit Rock Hewn churches of Tigray and drive to Mekelle
After breakfast, you will visit some of the most beautiful rock hewn churches on impressive viewpoints such as: AbunaYemata Guh, Debre Maryam Korkor or Abreha WeAtshebachurch, all situated near to the road between Mekele and Hawzien. It needs to climb a steep mountain to reach these churches so good walking/mountain shoes are recommendable. Your arrival in Mekele will be early evening where you will check into a hotel.
Then you will rest, have dinner and spend the night at the hotel.
Lalibela
Day 10: Drive to Lalibela
After breakfast, you will be driven to Lalibela (470 Km from Mekele) through the Ambalage Chain of Mountains. Your arrival in Lalibela will be late in the afternoon. You will check into a hotel, have dinner and spend the night there.
Day 11: Visit the Rock-hewn churches of Lalibela
Early in the morning, after breakfast, your visit will be to the eleven Rock-hewn Monolithic (carved from a single rock) Churches of Lalibela (UNESCO World heritage site, with magnificent architecture & paintings inside the churches).
In the evening you will get back to the hotel, rest, have dinner and relax.
Cave Church
Day 12: Visit the Rock-hewn churches of Lalibela
Early in the morning, after breakfast, your visit the historical churches around Lalibela like the Hill Church of AshetonMariam (on the back of a mule or on foot), or YimerhaneKirsotos (the Cave Chruche).
In the evening you will get back to the hotel, rest, have dinner and relax.
Lake Hayk
Day 13: Drive to Kombolcha
An early morning drive after breakfast will take you to Kombolcha (335km). En route visit Hayk Estifanos Monastery (45 Km before Kombolcha, famous for its variety of bird life near the town of Hayk).
After visiting Hayk you will drive to Kombolcha & upon arrival, you will check into a hotel & stay the night there.
Addis Ababa
Day 14: After breakfast, you will be driven back to Addis Ababa (375 Km).
You will arrive in Addis Ababa late afternoon where you will do some shopping for souvenir. Finally you will be taken to a farewell dinner at the Cultural Restaurant, where you will enjoy the authentic Ethiopian cultural food buffet along with cultural drinks, live music and dances of the diverse nations and nationalities of Ethiopia.
After dinner, you will be transferred out to Bole International Airport for return flight back home.