Ethiopian Adventure: History, Nature, Culture; 27 Days / 26 Nights

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A man from the Karo tribe.

A Dorze woman spins cotton thread.

The Royal Enclosure complex in Gondar is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The castles of Gondar, Ethiopia.

An Orthodox monk in Lalibela.

A Mursi woman in Ethiopia's Omo Valley.

Cutting salt bricks from a dried lake bed in the Danakil.

Wild coffee growing in western Ethiopia.

Doorway to the Lalibela complex of rock churches.

A Hamer woman's face is decorated with paint.

Tour Itinerary CO26

Arrival Bole International Airport
Awaze Tours will meet all clients arriving at the airport regardless of arrival time. For morning flight arrivals you may begin your tour after checking into your hotel. For afternoon or evening arrivals, you may begin your tour the following day.

Day 01 Addis Ababa
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)

Day 02 Addis Ababa - Bahar Dar
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)

Day 03 Bahar Dar - Gondar
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)

Day 04 Gondar - Simien Mountains National Park
Drive to Sankabar the gateway to the Simien Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy an easy hike (2 - 3 hours) to take in the spectacular scenery and spot wildlife such as the endemic Gelada Baboons.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 05 Simien Mountains National Park - Axum
Take a scenic drive to Axum, capital of the ancient Axumite Empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Frequent stops at viewpoints along the way. Arrive in Axum late afternoon.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 06 Axum
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)

Day 07 Axum - Hawzein
Drive to the Hawzein passing the Adwa battlefield, site of Emperor Menelik II's 1895 victory over the invading Italians. Visit the 2,500 year old ruins of Yeha, an ancient moon temple. Continue past Adigrat and visit Aba Gerima and Petros Paulos, two of the Tigray region's oldest and finest rock churches.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 08 Hawzein - Mekele
Visit more of Tigray's remote and ancient rock-hewn churches: Abraha Atsbeha, dating from the 10th century; the beautiful Wukro Chirkos; and Medhane Alem Kesho. Drive to Mekele.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 09 Mekele - Ahmedela
Meet support vehicles and drive to Ahmedela via Berhaile. Make camp, and see camel caravans passing against a backdrop of dramatic sunsets.
Overnight Camping (B, L, D)

Day 10 Lake Asale and Dalol Excursion
Visit Lake Asale and watch the salt workers as they cut bricks of salt from the lake bed. The bricks are then sold on the market and loaded on camel caravans for transport to the highlands. Proceed to Dalol and view the dramatic and colorful geological formations caused by the hot springs rich in sulfur, potash, and salt.
Overnight Camping (B, L, D)

Day 11 Trek to Erta Alle
Drive to Dodom. Trek 15 kilometers to the Erta Alle volcano lake, 613 meters above sea level. Arrive at Erta Alle around midnight and walk to see the spectacular volcanic eruption. Set up camp and rest.
Overnight Camping (B, L, D)

Day 12 Return to Mekele
Return trek to Dodom. Drive to Mekele.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 13 Mekele - Lalibela
Drive on a scenic road to Lalibela. Arrive at your hotel in the late afternoon and enjoy the sunset from the terrace.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 14 Lalibela
Tour the magnificent rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This group of eleven monolithic and semi- monolithic structures were carved directly into the stone of the 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)

Day 15 Lalibela - Addis Ababa - Dire Dawa
Fly to Dire Dawa via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines. Visit Dire Dawe’s massive outdoor market.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 16 Harar
Drive from Dire Dawa to Harar stopping at Ethiopia’s largest "chat" market enroute. Stroll through the 16th century walled city of Harar, the fourth most important city in the Islamic World. See the home of Arthur Rimbuad, renowned French poet who worked and lived in Harar as a "gun-runner" during the 19th century. Visit the National and Harari museums; the house of Ras Mekonnen (father of Haile Selassie); and a traditional Harari home. In the evening see the "Hyena Man" feeding the hyenas that gather nightly outside the town.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 17 Harar - Awash National Park
Drive to Awash National Park. Visit the Awash Falls. Take an evening game drive in Awash National Park and visit an area frequented by hyenas.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 18 Awash National Park - Lake Langano
Following an early morning game drive, continue to Langano, one of the Rift Valley Lakes for relaxation at the Sabana Lodge. Lake Langano is Bilharzia free and safe for swimming and has fantastic birdlife.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 19 Lake Langano - Arba Minch
Drive to Arba Minch, one of the main towns in Southern Ethiopia. On the way, visit a Dorze Village in the Guge Mountains. The Dorze are known for their tall, beehive-shaped bamboo houses. If the base becomes infested with termites, the entire house can be lifted and moved to another location.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 20 Arba Minch - Jinka
Take a boat trip on Lake Chamo and view some of the largest crocodiles in the world sunning on the banks of the lake. Hippopotami and birdlife are also abundant. Drive to Jinka visiting various peoples such as the Gamo and Derashe. Stop at Key Afar's weekly market (if on a Thursday) and wander among the various tribes such as the Benna and Ari that have gathered to barter their goods.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 21 Mago National Park Excursion
Early morning drive to the Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people. The Mursi women are known for the clay plates they insert into their lower lips. Time permitting, visit the Omo Valley Museum in Jinka.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 22 Jinka - Turmi
Drive to Turmi to visit the Hamer people who are well known for the scarring of their bodies, using clay to shape their hairstyles, and the unique practice of "bull-jumping" which every young man must accomplish prior to marriage. En route to Turmi, visit the Benna and Ari people.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 23 Omorate Excursion
Excursion to Omorate to visit the Dassanech people, known for their elaborate body-painting. Cross the famous Omo River by canoe. Return to Turmi for the evening.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 24 Turmi - Konso
Drive to Konso, recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A highland people, the Konso are known for the ancient and intricate terraces that encircle their well-planned villages.
Overnight Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 25 Konso - Hawassa
Drive to the lakeside town of Hawassa. Relax and recover from your journey at one of Hawassa's fine resorts.
Overnight Resort (B, L, D)

Day 26 Hawassa - Bale Mountains
Visit the Hawassa fish market in the morning. Drive to the Bale Mountains National Park arriving in the afternoon. Take a leisurely afternoon hike spotting some of the park's endemic mammals and birds.
Overnight Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 27 Bale - Addis Ababa
Drive to Addis Ababa via the Arsi/Bale region, home to many of Ethiopia’s famous distance runners. In the evening, enjoy a 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
(Awaze Tours will arrange additional hotel nights in Addis Ababa upon request.)

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