"THE BEST OF ETHIOPIA"
21 days
Visit the key natural, historical and cultural sites of the North and the South.
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Day 1
Addis Abeba-Debre Markos 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Debre Markos. Visit of the Debre Libanos monastery founded in the 13th century. The road serpentines to the bottom of the Blue Nile Gorge, 1000m bellow |
Day 2
Debre Markos-Bahir Dar 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Bahir Dar. Drive to Bahir Dar. Excursion to the Zengana lake and Blue Nile waterfalls. |
Day 3
Sightseeing day in Bahir Dar 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Bahir Dar. Boat trip on Tana Lake to visit the island monasteries. If you are lucky, you may see some hippo. |
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Day 4
Bahir Dar-Gondar 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Gondar. Day tour in the royal city. Visit of the Fasiladas'Palace and Debre Berhan Selassie church and its wall paintings providing a compendium of Ethiopian saints, and martyrs. |
Day 5
Gondar- Simiens Park 
A choix: nuit en camping ou en lodge dans le parc Small break from the historical circuit and organisation of the trek with the local guides. Beginning of the trek in the park, a World Heritage Site. |
Day 6
Debark-Axoum 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Axoum. Drive to Axum in a very scenic route and amazing landscape. Descend in to the impressive Takezze River gorge and cross small Ahmara and Tigray villages. |
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Day 7
Sightseeing day in Axoum 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Bahir Dar. Visit of the rich and glorious past of the mighty Kingdom, Queen of Shaba's palace. Visit to the Yeha village, considered the birthplace of Ethiopia's earliest civilisation. |
Day 8
Axoum-Gheralta 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Hausien Continue the road through the Tigray region. Excursion to Debre Damo monastery, built on the flatted-top mountain and accessible only by climbing a rope. |
Day 9
Gheralta-Mekele 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Mekele. Continue the road to Mekele. Excursion to the rock-hewn churches of Aboune Yemata and/or Mariam Korkor. |
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Day 10
Mekele-Lalibela 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Lalibela. Gravel road to join Lalibela, probably one of the most beautiful road in Ethiopia. |
Day 11
Sightseeing day in Lalibela 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Lalibela. Visit the 11 remarkable rock-hewn churches of the city and get lost in the warren of tunnels connecting them. Impressive experience! |
Day 12
Lalibela-Addis 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Addis. Back to Addis by flight. In the afternoon you can do shopping or rest in the hotel. |
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Day 13
Addis-Abeba Hawassa 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Hawassa. We start the drive to the Southern part of the country. On the way, we will stop at the national Park of Abyata and Shala lakes, which attracts thousands of flamingos and pelicanos. |
Day 14
Hawassa-Arba Minch 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Arba Minch. In the morning, you will visit the fish market on the shores of Lake Awassa. Then we continue our road through the Rift Valley to join Arba Minch, the city of the 40 springs. |
Day 15
Sigthseeing day in Arba Minch 
Overnight stay : Hotel in Arba Minch. Excursion in the Nech Sar national park. Boat trip on Chamo lake with unforgettable scenery. From the boat many hippos and giant crocodiles are to see. In the afternoon, drive to the Dorze village. |
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Day 16
Arba Minch-Jinka 
Overnight stay : lodge or campsite in Jinka. Depart for Jinka through a beautiful scenic road. Visit of the Konso village, an other UNESCO-World heritage site, well known for their very special agriculture methods. |
Day 17
Jinka-Turmi 
Overnight stay : lodge or campsite in Turmi. Drive through the Mago national park, the land of the Mursi tribes, known for their lower lip and earlobe plates. Afternoon, drive to Turmi, the village of the Hamer. |
Day 18
Sightseeing day inTurmi 
Overnight stay : lodge or campsite in Turmi. In the morning, you will join Omorate by road. After crossing the Omo-River by boat you will visit the Dassenech tribe who will introduce you to their fascinating traditions. In the afternoon visit to the Hamer tribe. |
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Day 19
Turmi-Yabelo 
Overnight stay : hotel in Yabelo. On the way to Yabelo, you enter inside the magnificient Oromia region surrounded by Acacias forest. After a short visit to the Borena village, you continue the road until Yabelo. Good opportunity to observe endemic birds. |
Day 20
Yabelo-Langano 
Overnight stay : hotel in Langano. Drive through the Sidamo Region, crossing coffee plantations. Visit of the Sidamo-Village. Drive back to the Rift Valley until Langano Lake. |
Day 21
Langano-Addis Abeba 
Transfer to the airport. Drive back to Addis Abeba through Butijara, with a stop at the Tiya site, which contains 36 ancient stelae, engraved with enigmatic symbols. |