Tour Code: ATTA 018
Duration: 23 Days and 22 Nights
Means of Traveling: By Flight and Surface
North (Classic Historic Tour) with Siemen Mountains, Danakil Depression and South Omo Valley(Tribes and Market Days) for Twenty Three Days (Twenty Two Nights) by Surface and Flight
DAY ONE: ADDIS---BAHIR DAR
In the early morning fly to Bahir Dar. Upon arrival meet with guides and drivers and be transferred to your hotel. After quick refreshment, drive 35km to Blue Nile Falls. In the afternoon boat trip on Lake Tana at the medieval monasteries of the Zeghie Peninsula and to the out let of the Blue Nile River. O/N Tana hotel or similar.
DAY TWO: BAHIR DAR---GONDAR
In the morning drive186km (asphalt) to Gondar through the spectacular Tara Gedam Mountain ranges. Enroute, you will see the 16th c. Castle of Emperor Sartse Dengel and drive further to Gondar. After lunch, you will see the Church of Debre Birhan Selassie which is painstakingly decorated by a local monk and historical sites such as the royal palace of Emperor Fasiledas, The Quesquam enclosure, The Bath Palace of Emperor Fasiledas. O/N Goha hotel or similar.
DAY THREE: GONDAR---SEMIEN Mountains---DEBAREK
Morning drive to the marvelous Semien Mountains. You will have a short stop at the breath taking scenery of Kossoye before reaching Debark. At Debark (which is 100 km away from Gondar), you will collect the entrance fees, a park guide and park ranger to drive further into the inner part of the park. From Chinkwanit, where the spectacular scenery begins, you will start your first day trekking following the abyss. You will enjoy the views and the herds of unique GeladaBaboons. Then, drive to Chenek to see the endemic Walia Ibex and the breath-taking scenery of Enatye and Imet Gogo. Here, the elevation is 3600 meters above sea level and the flora and the fauna is becoming unique. Continue driving further to Buahit to VIEW the majestic Ras Dashen-the highest pick of Ethiopia (4543 meters above sea-level). Then drive back to Debarek town for overnight. O/N Semien Park hotel or similar.
DAY FOUR: SEMIEN---GONDAR
In the morning, after a relaxing breakfast, drive back to Gondar. O/N Goha hotel or similar.
DAY FIVE: GONDAR---LALIBELA
After a relaxing morning, transfer to Gondar Airport to fly to Lalibela and be transferred to your hotel then, Visit of Lalibela brings you to yet more wonder – The 3 groups rock-hewn churches (12 rock-hewn churches). O/N Roha hotel.
DAY SIX: LALIBELA---AXUM
Be transferred to Lalibela Airport for your flight to Axum. You will be transferred to your hotel. Then, you will start the sightseeing of historical sites in Axum such as the Stele Park, Tombstones of King Kaleb, King Gebre Meskal and King Bazen and the Churches of Mary Zion, the Archaeological Museum and the Bath and the Palace of Queen Sheba. O/N at Consular or similar hotel.
DAY SEVEN: AXUM---MEKELLE
Morning drive to Mekelle visiting en-route Yeha Temple and Woukro Rock Hewn Churches and Abreha-We Atsibeha. O/N Axum Hotel or similar.
DAY EIGHT: MEKELLE--HAMEDELA
Early morning drive to the Dalol depression with Land Cruisers. Therefore, we will have one Land Cruisers for you and one extra for the cook, armed rangers and for road guides. You will pick two armed rangers and one road guide at Berhaile and en route will have a chance to meet the salt Caravans. O/N camping at Hamdela.
DAY NINE: HAMEDELA--ERTALE
Day drive to Kursewad. In the late afternoon, trek to Ertale to see the bubbling magma in the night. If the group unable to trek by themselves, they can hire a Camel by themselves. The payment may be from 400-500 Ethiopian birr (29-35 USD) for a day. The group will pass the night at the hill top to observe the active volcano. In the morning at 5:00 am, they will trek down to Kursewad. O/N Camping at Ertale.
DAY TEN: ERTALE--HAMEDELA
Drive back to Hamdela crossing 90 Km desert sand road. O/N Hamdela Camping.
DAY ELEVEN: HAMEDELA ---MEKELLE--ADDIS
Morning drive to Lake Asale where you meet people extracting the bar salt from the salt plain. Bar Salt used as a currency in the 18th C. Ethiopia and Asale was the center for curving bar salt as equal to minting coins. In the afternoon, drive to the Dalol depression which is the lowest depression on Earth and the landscape covered by colorful phosphate. Then drive to Mekele along the scenic route and enjoying the Caravans on the road and then be transferred to Mekelle airport for fly back to Addis at 19:30 hrs. O/N in Addis.
DAY TEWELVE: ADDIS---ARBAMINCH
Early morning, drive to the south via Addis-Butajira road. Here, you will visit the archaeological site of Melka Kunture, Tiya Stele and through the beautiful mountainous country you will drive 35 km through another junction to visit the tribal village of Chencha. This tribe is known for its art of weaving and unique house building. Here you will see also the preparation of false banana how it is scrapped and used to be bread and porridge. Then drive to Arba Minch. O/N at Paradise lodge or similar.
DAY THIRTEEN: ARBAMINCH---TURMI
Day drive to Turmi en route visiting of different tribal villages and their way of life, on the way, you meet the tribes of Arbore, Konso villages and their age old astonishing terracing practices and also attend one of the most unique & colorful market of Saturday market at Dimeka dominated by Hamer people . O/N Buska Lodge or similar.
DAY FOURTEN: TURMI—Murulle---TURMI
Day drive to Murulle to visit the Karo village at Korecho. After a picnic lunch, you will cross the Omo River to visit the Bume people at Kangate and also attend one of the most. Then, drive back to Turmi. O/N Buska Lodge or similar.
DAY FIFTEEN: TURMI—Omorate---TURMI
Morning drive through the lush forest to Omorate. Then, crossing the Omo River with wooden ferry to visit the Dasenetch tribal villages and also visit the colorful market of Monday Market at Turmi. O/N Buska lodge or similar.
DAY SIXTEEN: TURMI ----JINKA
Day drive to Jinka en route visiting of different tribal villages and their way of life and also you meet the tribes of Giddole, Derashe, Konso, Tsemay, Benna and Ari. Then drive back to Jinka in the afternoon visit of Jinka Museum. O/N Jinka Resort or similar.
DAY SEVENTEEN: JINKA---Mago National Park----JINKA
Drive to the Mursi people by crossing the Mago National Park. The Mursi are mostly known who adorned by using clay and wooden lip plate on their lip and ear lobes. Then drive back to Jinka Resort or similar.
DAY EIGHTEEN: JINKA-- KONSO--ARBAMINCH
Drive to Arbaminch on the way, you will visit the Konso astonishing walled terracing and villages’ settlement which is registered by UNESCO as world heritage sites in 2011. And also attend the village of Key-Afer, more than three tribes congregated for Thursday market, namely Ari, Benna, Hammar, Tsemay and Mali with their unique decoration can easily identified here. O/N Paradise Lodge or similar.
DAY NINTEEN: ARBAMINCH-L. Chamo-Nachisar N.P
Morning drive to the Netchsar National park where you find the panoramic view and many wild animals such as Burchill Zebra, Swayne’s Hartebeest, grant’s Gazelle, Lesser and Greater Kudu. In the afternoon, you will have a boat ride on Lake Chamo to see the Hippos and Nile Crocodiles. O/N at Paradise Lodge or similar.
DAY TWENTY: ARBAMINCH--YABELLO
Drive to through the Woyto plain and visiting the Elbore tribal village, also visit Konso villages and their age old astonishing terracing practices, then further drive to Yabello along the scenic route, on the way visit of Borenna Oromo People at their respected village. O/N Yabello Motel or similar.
DAY TWENTY ONE: YABELLO- HAWASSA
Early morning drive Hawassa via Yirgalem, on the way you visit the Salt mines of the Borena people which they call it ‘Elsod’ and to the singing wells of the Borena people. And also the coffee forest at Yirgalem and Dila, and then visiting the stele of Tutu Fella, the old burial site of the Gedeo people . O/N at Lewi Resort/Haile Resort.
DAY TWENTY TWO: HAWASSA—LANGANO
In the morning, visiting the local fish market in the Hawassa. And then continue drive back to Langano on the way, enjoy and visiting the Rift valley lakes; Abiyta –Shalla Lakes National Park, Lake Langano. O/N Sabana Lodge or similar.
DAY TWENTY THREE: LANGANO—ADDIS--DERARTURE
In the morning stay in Langano, enjoying and swimming and in the afternoon depart to Addis via Debrezeit, en route visit Lake Ziway’s aquatic birds and continue to crater lakes of Debre Zeit and have your lunch there and then drive back to Addis. In the late afternoon, the tour will be end up.