Historical and Cultural Tours

Program: Historical and Cultural Tour
Code: CET 009
Transport: surface and air
Duration : 21 days and 20 nights

• Day 01: Arrival at Bole International Airport. Reception by your guide and transfer to hotel for check-in. City tour of Addis Ababa Overnight in Addis Ababa.
• Day 02: Drive from Addis Ababa to Bahr Dar 570 km from capital on the way you will visit. The Portuguese bridge Debre libanos monastery And the Blue Nile gorge….Over stay in Bahr Dar on the shores of Lake Tana where the longest river in the world. The Blue Nile starts its journey crossing through the Sudan, Egypt and finally joins the Mediterranean Sea Overnight stay Bahr Dar
• Day 03: In the morning you will visit the 3 ancient monastery on the islands lake Tana (by boat) after lunch break you will drive 35km from Bahr Dar and half hour trekking you will to see the fascinating gorge of blue Nile falls. Overnight stay in Bahr Dar
• Day 04: You will drive from Bahr Dar to Gonder 180km after a lunch break you will explore the royal enclosure which contains several stone-built castles of different emperors. The most impressive building is Fasilidas castle. He was the emperor who established Gonder as a powerful cultural and religious center at 16th century. Overnight stay in Gonder
• Day05: In the morning you will drive from Gonder to Semen Mountain. The Semen national park is register as UNESCO world heritage site. The highest mountain in Ethiopia Ras Dashen is also found in the semen national park. The park is home of mountainous and wild animal species like the Walya Ibex and chelada baboon which are endemic in Ethiopia. This is an ideal place to do some trekking to the most beautiful place with panoramic views. Overnight stay in semen lodge
• Day 06: In the morning you will have a short trekking then you will Drive to Axum the road passes through mountainous regions of wilds beauty, running alongside the simian massif. Overnight stay in Axum
• Day07: Full day visit historic sites it was once the capital of the Ethiopian kings and the oldest ancient civilization in the world and represented a connecting-point between Africa and Asia for almost a thousand year. Some of the archaeological sites can give you an idea of the former high standard of civilization. Visit the famous steles, see the churches of St. Mary of Zion, which contain the crowns of Ethiopian kings and other treasures and the tomb of king Kaleb. Overnight stay in Axum
• Day 08: After breakfast drive to visit the ruins of Yeha dating from the 8th to 5th centuries BC, and thought to be the capital of Ethiopian civilization before Axum. Afterwards, visit the Debre Damo monastery, where the men climb up a 15-m rope to enter the uphill situated monastery. Return to Axum for overnight.
• Day 09: Fly Axum to Lalibela visit the first group of the magnificent rock-hewn churches of Lalibela which are carved out of living volcanic tuff with super architectural skill that the world has never seen, yet elsewhere. UNESCO registers these churches as world heritage. Among churches of this group Bete Medahine Alem (house of the redeemer) is the largest with 5 aisles, 72 pillars, vaulted dome and molding decoration. Bete Mariam (house of St. Marry) is the most decorated among the rock hewn churches. Overnight stay in Lailibela
• Day 10: In the morning excursion to Yemerhane Kirstos cave church outside of Lalibela through beautiful mountainous land scape of last region. Back to the hotel for lunch and after noon visit the second group of the rock-hewn churches; Bete Emanuel (house of Emanuel) is architecturally the finest. Bete Giorgis (the house of George) is the finest of all the churches in Lalibela for which reason art historians conclude that this church is carved at the end of the cluster, overnight stay in Lalibela
• Day 11: after breakfast fly to Addis Up on arrival depart south from Addis via the Great Rift Valley, stopping on the way at Lake Ziway to visit the bountiful birdlife on the shores of the lake. Drive continue for Overnight to Hawassa.
• Day 12: In the morning, visit the fish market on Lake Awassa, and then drive continue to Arba Minch. On the way ascend into the Gughe Mountains to visit the Dorze people who are known for their tall beehive-like houses and their fine cotton weaving. Market days in Dorze village are Mondays and Thursdays and in Chencha on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Overnight in Arba Minch
• Day 13: In the morning take a boat trip on Lake Chamo to visit the crocodile market and hippo pods. After the visit, continue driving to Jinka via Weyto (market day Sunday) and Key Afar (market day Thursday). Overnight in Jinka.
• Day 14: Drive to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi tribe who are known for their lower lip and earlobe plates. Afterwards return to Jinka to visit the South Omo Museum & Research Center for more information about the tribes. Additionally, Tuesdays and Saturdays are market days in Jinka, which will be visited. Overnight in Jinka.
• Day 15: Depart from Jinka to Turmi home of the Hamer people. On the way you will visit Dimeka for the local market, which is on Tuesdays and Saturday. This is one of the most colorful markets in the South Omo and is visited by neighborhoods Hamer, Benna, Karo, Tsemai and Ari tribes. At night see the traditional night dancing of the Hamer people known as Evangadi. Overnight stay in Turmi
• Day 16: In the morning drive to Omorate and cross the Omo River by local boat visit the Dasennech trib Afterwards return to Turmi and, if there is Jumping of the Bulls traditional Hamer wedding ceremony it will be visited. Monday is market day in Turmi. Overnight in Turmi
• Day 17: Today will be a day trip to visit the people of the Karo tribe. Depart from Turmi to the villages of Murulle, Kolcho and Dus on the shores of the Omo River The Karo people are the smallest in number of all of the tribes of the Omo Valley, and they are known for their elaborate decorations, particularly during local ceremonies. Return to Turmi for overnight
• Day 18: Depart from Turmi to Konso The konso people are famous for their terraced agriculture and for their practice of sculpting wooden totem called”WAKA” to the mark their gravies. The konso have a special kind of social organization, interesting handicrafts and a special architecture which can be seen and experienced best by trekking through the region. Overnight stay in Konso.
• Day 19: In the morning, visit a local Konso village and the “natural New York village”, which gets its name from the tall sand formations that resemble skyscrapers. After the visit, proceed driving to Yabello for overnight.
• Day 20: After breakfast, continue south from Yabello to the local Borena village of Dublock to visit the singing wells where the locals form chanting chains of people to remove buckets of water from the long channeled openings of the wells. Afterwards, continue to El Sod, a crater lake where salt is mined from the lake for sale and use throughout Ethiopia. After the visit, proceed driving to Langano, for overnight at Sabanah lodge.
• Day 21: In the morning, after a refreshing swim in the lake, depart from Langano to visit the nearby Abiatta-Shala National Park. Lake Shala is a very deep crater lake (over 260 meters deep!) and Lake Abiatta is a soda lake, which attracts thousands of flamingos. After the visit, continue drive back to Addis. . Have a farewell dinner at one of the best traditional restaurants of Addis where you can taste the variety of Ethiopian meals, and see the folkloric dances of the Ethiopians.
• Then, be transferred to the airport for your departure. End Tour.