Historical Route with Harrar and Dire Dawa

On this tour, you will be able to cover the whole classic historic route with few rock-hewn churches of Tigray plus Harrar. You will first drive to Debermarkos while on the road visiting Debrelibanos Monastery and Blue Nile Gorge. Then you will proceed to Bahirdar and have a boat trip to visit the nearby lying monasteries of Lake Tana islands. In the afternoon you will have a visit of Blue Nile Falls. In Gonder you will visit the castle compound and Deberbirhan Selassie church .Then you will have an excursion trip to the Simien mountain national parks. Then you will drive to Axum admiring the spectacular mountain scenery and Tekeze Gorge. In Axum you will visit the single Stone building like stele and other archaeological sites of historic importance. Then you will add Yeha and about three rocks –hewn churches of Tigray. Then you will proceed to Lalibela to Visit the eleven rock hewn churches. Drive throught Ambalage and Alamata chain of Mountains you will appear in Kombolcha to drive the next morning to Awash. Passing one day in Awash national park you will continue to Harrar.You will visit the Hyena man performance and walled city of Harrar.
Map
Highlights
- Cover the whole classic historic route
- Visit of Blue Nile Falls
- Monasteries of Lake Tana islands
- Spectacular mountain scenery and Tekeze Gorge
- Rocks hewn churches of Tigray and Lalibela
Facts
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Autumn
- Days1Locations coveredAddis AbabaDescriptionArrive in Addis Ababa and transfer to hotel.AccommodationJupiter Hotel (4)Meal plansDinner
- Days2Locations coveredDebre Libanos, Bahir DarDescriptionDrive to visit Debre Libanos Monastery (13th century) and the spectacular Blue Nile gorge. Then, proceed along the rolling plateaus and farm lands of Gojjam to Bahirdar.AccommodationSummer Land Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days3Locations coveredLake TanaDescription
In the morning, boat trip on Lake Tana to see beautiful island monasteries and their valuable treasures which includes biblical wall paintings, crowns of different Ethiopian Kings, ancient illuminated parchment books, and superb crosses etc. In the afternoon, excursion to the magnificent Blue Nile Falls, It is about 400 meter wide with full flood (in June, July and August to mid September).
AccommodationSummer Land Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days4Locations coveredGondarDescriptionIn the morning, proceed to Gondar. On the way with a little detour from the main road, you visit the village of the Awramba society (unique society in Ethiopia for their life style (philosophy) and custom) and their colorful woven products. Then continue to Gonder.AccommodationGoha Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days5Locations coveredGondar, Simien MountainsDescription
Tour of Gondar which includes the visit the Royal Enclosure with its magnificent castles dated from the 17th and 18th century (world heritage site), the bath of king Fasiledes, the remarkable church of Debrebrihan Selassie with its breathtaking 17th century wall and ceiling paintings. Also, you visit the ruins of Qusqwam Palace. In the afternoon, drive via Debark to the Simien Mountains National Park (World Heritage Site) then spend the night in lodge.
AccommodationSemien Lodge (Not applicable)Meal plans- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days6Locations coveredSimien MountainsDescription
Morning drives to Sankaber and then, trek to the surrounding escarpments and view points of Sankaber. You have chance to spot one of the endemic animals of the park the bleeding heart baboon (Galada Baboon). Then, drive further to Chenek and walk to see more spectacular view points, magnificent land forms, unique flora and fauna. On this day, you will have the opportunity to see the graceful endemic Walia Ibex. Then, drive back to your lodge.
AccommodationSemien Lodge (Not applicable)Meal plans- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days7Locations coveredSemien Mountains, AxumDescription
Admiring the unique flora such as the Abyssinian wild rose and the Giant Lobelia, fauna and the stunning scenery leave the Semien Mountains via one of the most scenic roads of Ethiopia called Limalimo and the spectacular Tekeze Gorge to Axum. En route, on your right side of the road, you will have chance to gaze over parts of the Semien Mountains.
AccommodationRemhai Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days8Locations coveredAxumDescription
Full day visit of Axum which includes the famous stele park with its huge monolithic obelisks, the ruined palace of the Queen of Sheba, ancient stone inscriptions, the ruined palace of king kaleb and his son, subterranean tombs of different Axumite kings, the church of St. Mary of Zion which is believed to house the Original Ark of the covenant etc.
AccommodationRemhai Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days9Locations coveredMekele, YehaDescriptionDrive via Gherealta to Mekele. En-route, you visit the ancient Temple of Yeha (5th. C.BC), the rock churches of Dugum Sillassie, Abreha We Atsbeha and Wukro Kirkos.AccommodationAxum Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days10Locations coveredLalibelaDescriptionAfter breakfast leave for Lalibela passing through the stunning scenery of the North central Massif and the Tigrean plateau arriving Lalibela late afternoon.AccommodationMountain View Hotel (Not applicable)Meal plans
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Days11DescriptionIn the morning, visit of the first and second group of King Lalibela’s rock-hewn 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)
What other customers say...
- 2016-08-27 2016-08-31 Ayehou Mesfin Sweden China is well aware that it has lost its advantage, and its leaders want to use the same technologies that have leveled the playing field to give the country a new strategic edge. In May 2015, China launched a 10-year plan, called Made in China 2025, to modernize its factories with advanced manufacturing technologies, such as robotics, 3-D printing and the Industrial Internet. 0
- 2016-08-27 2016-08-31 Ayehou Sweden China has made this a national priority and is making massive investments. Just one province, Guangdong, committed to spending $150 billion to equip its factories with industrial robots and create two centers dedicated to advanced automation. 0
Our tour diary
- 2016-08-27 2016-08-31 Ayehou Sweden After all, American robots work as hard as Chinese robots. And they also don’t complain or join labor unions. They all consume the same electricity and do exactly what they are told. It doesn’t make economic sense for American industry to ship raw materials and electronics components across the globe to have Chinese robots assemble them into finished goods that are then shipped back. 0
- 2016-08-27 2016-08-31 Ayehou Mesfin Sweden Most Chinese robots are also not made in China. An analysis by Dieter Ernst of the East-West Center showed that 75 percent of all robots used in China are purchased from foreign firms (some with assembly lines in China), and China remains heavily dependent on the import of core components from Japan. 0
Scheduled tours
Available tour extensions
- 2 days overstay in Harrar and its surroundings Some details about this extension