Mercato Market

Visit the Ethnographic Museum,  Mercato, one of Africa's largest outdoor markets, and Trinity Cathedral, resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie

Bahir Dar

Visit the Marketplace in Bahar Dar. Continue with a boat tour of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, and visit ancient island monasteries.

Blue Nile Falls

Morning drive to see the Blue Nile Falls. Return to Bahar Dar for lunch. In the afternoon, drive to Gondar, north of Lake Tana, stopping at the village of Awra Amba.

Gonder

Visit the remote ruins of Kuskuam, built for Empress Mentewab in the 1700’s. After lunch, 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 African Empire. Visit the church of Debre Birhan Selassie, famous for its religious art and especially its iconic ceiling depicting angels.

Debark

Gondar - Simien Mountains National Park Morning departure to Debark (100 kms from Gondar), where the headquarters of Simien Mountains National Park is located. Meet the Scout, Mountain Guide, and others on the trekking team. Continue driving to Sankabar (31 kms from Debark) and the first camp site of the National Park. On this drive you will gain your first impression of the scale and beauty of this highland region, possibly spotting wildlife such as the endemic Gelada Baboons and the “bone breaker” bird Lammergeyer. Camp at Sankabar (3200m.)

Debark

Trek Sankaber - Geech (3,600m elevation) which will take between 5-7 hours. After one and half hours, see the Jinnbar River and falls which you will cross later in the day. After crossing the river, ascend for about 2 hours to Geech. The scenery is wonderful and a herd of Gelada Baboons can be seen on the journey. Camp at Geech (3600m.)

Debark

Trek Geech - Imet Gogo- Geech. Trek to some of the best view points in the National Park. Imet Gogo boasts spectacular views in every direction. Possible wildlife sightings on this 4 -5 hour trek include the Simien Wolf, the Walia Ibex, and Klipspringers.

Gonder

visit Imet Gogo then Drive back to Gonder

Church of St. George

.Gondar - Lalibela Fly to Lalibela on Ethiopian Airlines 700 kilometers north of Addis Ababa. 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.

Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela

For the morning we have two choices: Take a morning hike with mules to Mount Asheton, with its 13th century rock-hewn monastery and great views of the town; - OR - Drive to Yemrehanna Kristos, a beautiful church situated in a shallow cave that predates the churches of Lalibela. The drive to Yemrehanna will also give you the opportunity to view the rural countryside and villages of the Ethiopian highlands. Following either option above continue with tour of Lalibela’s churches in the afternoon.

Mercato Market

Lalibela - Addis Abeba 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 .