TST 3006
Historic route, Tigray Rock Hewn churches, and Harar

On this tour, you will make seven flights but you will be able to cover the whole of classic historic route with few rock-hewn churches of Tigray plus Harar. You will fly to Bahirdar and have a city tour followed by boat trip that extends for two days. On these days, you will be able to cover the near and far lying monasteries of Lake Tana Islands. In Gonder you will visit the castle compound and Debrebirhan Selassie church (world Heritage site). Then you will have an excursion trip to the Semien mountains National park, and another excursion to Gorgora .Then you will fly to Lalibela to visit the eleven rock hewn churches and other churches that lie in the outskirt. In Axum you will visit the single stone building-like stele and other archaeological sites of Historic importance. Then you will add Yeha and or Debredamo followed by about three rock-hewn churches of Tigray. Then you will fly to Harar to visit the Harar walled city and its market, and you will end your tour in Addis Ababa.
Map
Highlights
Facts
Duration
15 days
14 nights
Tour style
Historical
Physical rating
able to walk stairs
Age requirements
none
Service level
standard or Luxurious
Group size
no limit
My own room option
Recommended period
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Autumn
Itinerary
- Days1Locations coveredAddis AbabaDescriptionArrive in Addis Ababa meet our representatives, and transfer to hotel.AccommodationJupiter Hotel (4)Meal plansDinner
- Days2Locations coveredBahirdarDescriptionTransfer to the airport and fly to Bahirdar. After check in to the hotel, you drive to the magnificent Blue Nile Falls. It is about 400 meter wide with full flood (in June, July and August to mid - September). In the afternoon, you will have city tour at Bahirdar to visit the market and previous palace of HailSilalsse.AccommodationSummer Land Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days3Locations coveredBahirdarDescriptionSet out for a boat trip on Lake Tana to visit three most beautiful island and peninsula monasteries including the atmospheric central monastery of UraKidane Meret, Daga Estifanos, Narga Sillassie and their valuable treasures which include biblical wall paintings, crowns of different Ethiopian Kings, and ancient illuminated boat trip on Lake Tana.AccommodationSummer Land Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days4Locations coveredBahirdarDescriptionBoat trip to the other Lake Tana monasteries like; Tana Cherkos, attached to the mainland. It is mysterious and one of the most important historically-the Ark of the Covenant is side to have been hidden here for 800 years. Azewa Mariam- known by the good paintings in its inner sanctuary and recommended for bird watchers.AccommodationSummer Land Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days5Locations coveredGondarDescriptionTransfer to the airport and fly to Gondar and visit The Royal Enclosure with its magnificent Castles dated from the 17th and 18th century (World Heritage Site), royal pool of King Fasiledes, Qusquam Palace complex and also the remarkable church of DebrebrihanSelassie with its breathtaking 17th Century wall and ceiling.AccommodationGoha Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days6Locations coveredGondarDescriptionExcursion drives to the Simien Mountains National park (World Heritage Site) to visit its superb scenery, the endemic fauna like the Gelada baboon (the bleeding heart baboon) and flora such as the Abyssinian wild rose and the Giant Lobelia. Then, proceed to Gondar.AccommodationGoha Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days7Locations coveredGondarDescriptionExcursion to Gorgora where you are able to see the lake shore of Lake Tana and you will visit DebresinaMariam.AccommodationGoha Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days8Locations coveredLalibelaDescriptionransfer to the airport to fly to Lalibela. After check in to the hotel visit the first group of King Lalibela's 12th.C.Rockhewn churches (World Heritage Site).Although all of these churches are carved out of huge blocks of rocks, each of them displays unique architectural features from the other.AccommodationMountain View Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days9Locations coveredLalibelaDescriptionIn the morning, mule ride to visit AshetenMariam monastery at 3000Mts. altitude. The 360-degree view from the summit over the surrounding land and villages is fantastic. In the afternoon, visit the second group of Lalibela rock hewn church.AccommodationMountain View Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days10Locations coveredLalibelaDescriptionExcursion to the beautiful built up church of Yemerhane Kirstos and Neakutla’ab churches.AccommodationMountain View Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days11Locations coveredAxumDescriptionFly to Axum; In Axum(world heritage site),visit the famous stele park with its ancient huge monolithic obelisks, ruined palaces of different Axumite kings including that of the Queen of Sheba, ancient stone inscriptions, subterranean tombs, the church of St. Mary of Zion where the original Ark of the Covenant is believed to be housed etc.AccommodationRemhai Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days12Locations coveredAdigratDescriptionYou drive to the small town of Adigrat; En-route visits the ancient Temple of Yeha (5th. C.BC), and climb the built up monastery of DebreDamo which is allowed only for men.Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days13Locations coveredMekeleDescriptionContinue your trip to Mekele via Gheralta; En-route visit some selected Tigray Rock hewn Churches, based on their architectural and painting qualities. These churches include DugumSilassie, AbrehaAtsbeha and WukroKirkos.AccommodationAxum Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days14Locations coveredAddis AbabaDescriptionTransfer to the airport and fly back to Addis Ababa. Then, sightseeing tour in Addis Ababa which includes; the Ethnological Museum in the former palace of King Hailesillassie, the National (Archaeological) Museum where, among other archaeological findings, the oldest hominid fossil (Lucy) is exhibited, Merkato_ the largest open air market in Africa and the superb Holy Trinity Cathedral.
- Days15Locations coveredDire DawaDescriptionFly to the town of Dire Dawa and get transferred to the walled and Islamic holy city of Harar. In Harar, you visit the main gets of the city called “Jegol Ginb” and during the night time, you visit the Hyena man performance where hyenas are feed by a man.AccommodationHeritage Plaza (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days16Locations coveredHarariDescriptionOn this day, you visit the famous French poet Arthur Rimbaud’s House and Harari Museum and then, you drive to Dire Dawa by visiting Awedaye Chat market. Then fly back to Addis Ababa. In the evening, you will be invited farewell dinner in one of the best traditional restaurants of the capital with a show of folkloric music and dances of the different Ethiopian people. Transfer to air port to your departure flight
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Our tour diary
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