Travel Recap: |
| Day 1 |
Depart your home city on your flight to Africa. |
| Day 2 |
Arrive in Addis Ababa where you are welcomed by your private guide and transferred to your hotel for overnight.
Overnight: Jupiter Hotel |
| Day 3 |
Following breakfast at the hotel you will be met by your private guide and head to Langano. On the way you will stop and visit the Rift Valley lake of Ziway, known for its five little volcanic islands and several water bird species. At Langano you will be able to enjoy swimming in the lake.
Overnight: Bekele Mola Hotel [BLD] |
| Day 4 |
Continue with your guide to Arba Minch "Forty Springs" so named after the bubbling springs surrounding the town. On the way spend time visiting a Dorze village. The Dorze are well known for their weaving and their beehive shaped huts.
Paradise Lodge [BLD] |
| Day 5 |
Your next stop will be the town of Jinka, where you will be able to attend the colorful market of Key Afer, where the Ari, Benna and Tsemay people all come. Jinka is a market town in southern Ethiopia. It is located in the hills north of the Tama Palins.
Overnight: Jinka Hotel [BLD] |
| Day 6 |
Leave Jinka as you travel to a Mursi village where you will be able to see and appreciate the culture of the Mursi Tribe, best know for the strange custom of splitting a woman’s lip and inserting a disk once they have reached maturity. From there continue to Mago National park for a game drive. Return to Jinka for overnight.
Overnight: Jinka Hotel [BLD] |
| Day 7 |
Travel back to Arba Minch, stopping at a Konso Village. The Konso are well known for their rock terracing skills
Overnight: Paradise Lodge [BLD] |
| Day 8 |
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Addis Ababa. On arrival in Addis Ababa you will be transferred to your hotel for check in.
Overnight: Jupiter Hotel [B] |
| Day 9 |
Early morning transfer to the Addis Ababa airport for your flight to Bahir Dar.
Upon arrival in Bahir Dar you will transferred to the edge of Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia, for your boat trip to the island monasteries of Azwa Mariam and Ura Kidane Miret. Here you will be able to take a close look at some of the treasures and paintings of scenes of biblical lore of the Ethiopian Copts. In the afternoon you will take a shored ride and then walk to the dramatic ´Tiss Isat´ or the Blue Nile Falls. Stand and marvel at the sight of the thundering waters rushing over the precipice creating a spectacular rainbow above. After your touring; return to Bahir Dar for the evening.
Overnight: Tana Hotel [BLD] |
| Day 10 |
Your journey continues as you travel with your private guide will take you to the 17th and 18th century capitol of Ethiopia; Gondar, know as the Camelot of Africa. After lunch at a local restaurant you will begin your touring with a visit to the Castle Compound. The compound consists of 6 castles, the oldest and most magnificent of these being the castle of King Fasildes. King Fasildes founded the town in 1636, and was its leader until 1667 when his son Johannes succeeded him.
Your next stop is the Debre Birhan Silassie Church. This church has withstood time, escaping destruction by the dervishes, a fate of many of the buildings in the compound.
Overnight: Goha Hotel [BLD] |
| Day 11 |
Your local host will meet you and transfer you to the airport for your flight to Axum.
On arrival in Axum you will be met by your new host and taken on a tour of the city, visiting Stele Park, the old and the new St. Mary of Zion Church, the palace of the Queen of Sheba (from the 9th Century BC) and the ruin palace and tomb of King Kaleb and Gebre Meskel (from the 6th Century AD). Continue to your hotel for overnight.
Overnight: Remhai Hotel [BLD] |
| Day 12 |
Your local host will to transfer you to the airport for your flight to Lalibela.
Lalibela is the home of 12th and 13th Century rock hewn churches of King Lalibela. On arrival you will be met by your local host for lunch and then will continue to the "First Group" churches for a tour.
Overnight: Mount View Hotel [BLD] |
| Day 13 |
In the morning you will take an excursion to the monastery of Asheten Mariam. In the afternoon you will continue to the second and third group of rock hewn churches of Lalibela.
Overnight: Mount View Hotel [BLD] |
| Day 14 |
Your local host will meet you to transfer you to the airport for your flight to Addis Ababa.
On arrival in Addis Ababa you will be taken on a half day tour of the city. Your tour will include the National Museum which holds many archeological finds including the famous complete hominid fossil remains of "Lucy".
For your final evening in Ethiopia we will host you for dinner.
Overnight: Jupiter Hotel [BD] |
| Day 15 |
You will be met by your local host and transferred to the International Airport for your outbound flight. |
