Historical journeys
Six days through Ethiopia’s royal and Christian north, ending at Lalibela, where 11 churches were cut down into solid rock.
Paused while Amhara is under official travel warnings and northern flights are suspended.
Length 07 days
Harar
One week, two very different Ethiopias: Harar’s walled lanes and its dusk hyena feeding, then Ari and Mursi communities around Jinka.
Overview
In Lalibela, 11 churches were carved down into the rock, and Bete Giyorgis stands at the bottom of its own pit. This route builds toward it: a boat on Lake Tana to the painted monastery of Ura Kidane Mehret, the Blue Nile Falls, and Gondar, where Emperor Fasilides founded his 17th-century royal enclosure and 80 angel faces look down from the ceiling of Debre Birhan Selassie.
The longest drive is about 3 hours; the rest is by air, so the pace stays easy for a route this rich. This route is paused for now; we will reopen it when it is safe.
Itinerary
Your guide meets you at Bole International Airport and takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to recover from the flight, with a short briefing on the route ahead.
A morning flight to Bahir Dar on the shore of Lake Tana, then a boat to the Zege peninsula and the painted walls of Ura Kidane Mehret. In the late afternoon we drive about 30 km to the Blue Nile Falls and the 1626 stone bridge.
About 3 hours north by road, with the lake beside you. The afternoon is in Fasil Ghebbi, the walled royal enclosure founded by Emperor Fasilides, its stone castles standing within the walls.
A morning beneath the 80 angel faces on the ceiling of Debre Birhan Selassie, then the Fasilides bath, where Gondar celebrates Timket. Then we fly to Lalibela.
The northern group of five churches in the morning, with a local church guide, linked by passages and tunnels in the same rock. In the afternoon, the cross-shaped Bete Giyorgis and the eastern group.
A morning flight back to Addis, a farewell lunch, then a transfer to Bole for your flight home.
Itineraries can change with weather, road and flight conditions. We will tell you promptly if they do.
Gallery
Photo: Unsplash
Good to know
Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered in churches and monasteries; women bring a light scarf.
This tour follows the Strict policy. Days are whole calendar days before departure.
| When you cancel | What you get back |
|---|---|
| 30 or more days before departure | 50% refund |
| Fewer than 30 days before departure | No refund |
A non-refundable USD 150 per traveller (domestic flights) is deducted before these percentages are applied.
Questions
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Plan with us
Choose your dates above, or tell us what you have in mind and we will shape the trip around you.
