Begin your journey in the vibrant capital city, exploring its museums, markets, and historical landmarks.
Introducing Tigray community trekking
Unveiling Ethiopia's Ancient Marvels and Majestic Landscapes
Start a voyage on an extraordinary journey through Ethiopia, immersing yourself in its rich cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes. This carefully curated itinerary combines the exploration of historical treasures such as Addis Ababa, Gonder, Axum, and Lalibela with the exhilaration of trekking in the Tigray region.
From the bustling markets of Addis Ababa to the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and the stunning vistas of the Simien Mountains, every step of this trip is a feast for the senses. Discover ancient civilizations, encounter endemic wildlife, witness vibrant traditions, and experience the warm hospitality of the Ethiopian people. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure that blends history, spirituality, and natural splendor.
Destination Highlights
Highlighted Destinations
Take a boat ride on Lake Tana and visit isolated churches, immersing yourself in Ethiopia's spiritual heritage.
Explore the Fasilades Castles and Debre Berhan Church, marveling at the architectural wonders of this medieval city.
Embark on a chance to walk in stunning scenery, encountering endemic wildlife like the Walia ibex and enjoying breathtaking panoramic views.
Discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lalibela, home to the extraordinary rock-cut churches, a testament to Ethiopia's ancient Christian traditions.
Explore the ancient city of Axum, visiting stelae, the subterranean Tomb of Ramhai, and the renowned Church of Saint Mary of Zion.
Trek through the captivating landscapes of the Tigray region, discovering remote rock-hewn churches and experiencing the unique culture of the Tigrayan people.
Itinerary at a Glance
Day by day Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVE IN ADDIS ABABA & CITY TOUR
- Fly to Addis Ababa; upon arrival at Bole international airport, your hospitality begins. We provide you with a meet-and-greet service at the airport and then transfer you to your hotel. This afternoon, enjoy a tour of Addis Ababa, a pleasant capital city with wide jacaranda-edged avenues, interesting museums, and lively markets.
- Start our visit with the Ethnological Museum for an overview of Ethiopia's history, culture, and traditions, and its collections from thousand-year-old nomadic tribes. Next, see the beautiful baroque-styled Holy Trinity Cathedral which contains the thrones and the tomb of Emperor Haile Selassie (the last king of Ethiopia) and some other members of the royal family. We end up the city tour by inviting you to the oldest and best coffee roaster and coffee shop-Tomoca. Not only do they serve fantastic Ethiopian coffee, but they also offer other fine coffees.
- Overnight in Addis Ababa
DAY 2: FLY TO GONDER, & DRIVE TO SIMIEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
- This morning board a short flight to Gonder and upon arrival, you drive to the Simien Mountains. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa's largest ranges. More than a dozen peaks are higher than 3600 meters, including Ras Dashen, the highest peak in Ethiopia. Simien's landscapes vary from plateaus, escarpments, and steep gorges to rolling hills and pinnacles. Enjoy an afternoon walk around the lodge, amid the breathtaking alpine sceneries. This will help you to acclimatize your body to the altitude.
- Overnight in Simiens.
DAY 3: EXPLORE SIMIEN MOUNTAINS
- Your day is spent exploring the Simien Mountains National Park and watching for its endemic residents, including the elusive Walia ibex, the endangered Ethiopian wolf, and the gelada, a primate we'll get to know better alongside field researchers. We'll also look for a variety of birds, such as the powerful, cliff-nesting lammergeyer.
- Overnight in Simiens
DAY 4: DRIVE TO GONDER & SIGHTSEEING IN GONDER
- A scenic drive returns you to Gondar- famous for its medieval castles and churches. Gondar was founded in 1636 by Emperor Fasilades as the royal capital of Ethiopia, and is also known as “the Camelot of Africa”. Spend the afternoon exploring the city of Gondar. In Gondar, there are a dozen castles, built by various kings and a queen over the course of 236 years.
- You will visit the Royal Enclosure, among these the Castle of Fasiledes, the oldest and probably the most impressive of all the castles found in the area. We continue on to the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The interior of Debre Berhan Selassie is decorated with beautiful murals, cherubs, and paintings. It is rumored to have once been the proposed final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.
- Overnight in Gonder
DAY 5: FLY TO LALIBELA & VISIT THE ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES
- From Gonder, a short flight takes you to Lalibela, home of the rock-hewn churches and a World Heritage Site. It is located at an altitude of 2,600 meters above sea level. Lalibela is the 8th wonder of the world; 11 rock-hewn churches have been cut out of a solid red volcanic rock, some completely hidden in deep trenches, while others stand in open quarried caves and a complex series of tunnels and narrow passageways connect the churches. Lalibela indeed offers a great opportunity for any traveler. After checking in and having your lunch in your hotel, the afternoon will be devoted to visiting the first group (or the north–western cluster) of churches: Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Mariam, Bet Meskel, and Bet Danaghel.
- Overnight in Lalibela
DAY 6: EXPLORE MORE ROCK CHURCHES
- After breakfast, drive to the cave church of Yemrhan Kristos. The drive will be on a good gravel road passing through the most dramatic landscape of the countryside. This exquisite church is a masterpiece of Axumit wood and stone construction style. It is renowned for its interior decoration, its beautiful wooden coffer ceiling inlaid with hexagons, and medallions with both figurative and geometric motifs. Drive back to Lalibela.
- In the afternoon, you will visit the remaining rock-hewn churches of Lalibela which include the churches of Bet Gabriel - Rafael, Bet Emanuel, and Abba Libanos. Then you will continue your visit to the cruciform-shaped Bet Giorgis, the most beautiful church here. Its interior is dominated by depictions of Saint George killing the dragon. It is one of the newest and best-preserved churches.
- Overnight in Lalibela
DAY 7: FLY TO AXUM & EXPLORE THE SIGHTSEEING
- In the morning you will fly to Axum, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. You will proceed to a full-day city tour of Axum –a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will visit the stelae: granite monoliths dating from pre-Christian times and decorated with symbolic engravings. Nearby is the subterranean Tomb of Ramhai, a former king of Axum. You also visit the Archaeological Museum, before heading to the Queen of Sheba's Bath. This large reservoir is an excellent place to observe the local women collecting water for washing.
- Visit also historically important dedicatory stone dating to about 320 AD with an inscription written in three languages - Sabaean, Ge'ez (earliest written Ethiopian language), and Greek. After having a lunch break, continue on your visit to the church of Saint Mary of Zion. A chapel in the church is believed by many to contain The Ark of the Covenant.
- It is guarded by “The Guardian” who is the only person allowed into the chapel and the only person who may set eyes on it. There is also a small museum here which contains the crowns of Ethiopian kings and other treasures. You then continue to the Queen of Sheba's Palace. The palace area has been fully excavated and is definitely worth a look.
- Overnight in Axum
DAY 8: DRIVE TO RAHYA & WALK TO ERAR
- Today, you will transfer by road (4 hours) to Rahya en route to visit the temple of Yeha. It is the oldest of Ethiopia's antiquities beautifully set in scenic surroundings, dating back to the 5th century BC. You continue your journey into the eastern Tigray, a fascinating region containing many rock-hewn churches dating from the 8th century.
- You start a two hours TESFA Tigray trek from a small village called Rahya destined to Erar community guest house. You will meet your local guide here. Your luggage will be loaded on the donkeys. The most westerly guesthouse is at Erar built on an isolated section of the western escarpment with wonderful views westward to the mountains of Adwa and the Niblet pillars. Erar is located on the sandstone escarpment on the western edge of the area, also at 2,800 meters. It is a bit closer to the mountains on the Adwa side with some interesting pinnacles of rock in view to the northwest.
- In all the lodges, you will be greeted on arrival by your host with local bread, nuts, popcorn, tea, and coffee. You will be served with tasty local meals.
- Overnight in Erar community lodge
DAY 9: WALK FROM ERAR TO GOHAGOT
- This morning after having breakfast, you walk to Gohagot. The walk takes around 5-6 hours and goes past some lovely churches – notably Debre Giorgis, which is a built-up church like that of the ancient churches of Debre Damo and Yemrehana Christos. You walk across rolling plains dotted with cypress trees. Then descend along valleys of giant candelabra cactus and aloe to reach the Valley of Debre Abay.
- Like the other villages of Tigray, all the small houses are surrounded by prickly pears and eucalyptus that look more or less exactly like every other house you have passed. The rocky soil atop the plateaus supports only grasses, grains, and legumes. Along the ridges, bushes of prickly pears and stalks of aloe tower grow along the stone-lined paths. The valley is more fertile ground; farmers plant their fields with garlic, onion, corn, and cabbage by irrigating small streams.
- After another long day of walking takes you to Gohagot. It is tucked under the cliff but above the villages. Before heading there, you visit the nearby rock church of Gohgot Eyesus, positioned above indigenous woodland at the head of the valley. This is one of beautifully cut-into-the-face sandstone.
- From the church, it is about an hour's walk to the guest house of Gohagot and located at an altitude of 2600 meters. Open your eyes to different birds and small animals on this day too.
- Overnight in Gohagot community lodge
DAY 10: WALK FROM GOHAGOT TO SHIMBRITI
- Depart after breakfast for a day walk (approximately 5-4 hrs) to the community site-Shimbriti. From these guesthouses, it is a 5-hour walk through the valleys to Shimbriti. The first one-hour walk takes you from the plateau down to the valley. Following tracks walked by Tigrayan highlanders for the past many years, passing the villages in the valley.
- Then climb up escarpments, spotting rock hyraxes and birds, and continue walking along narrow, crumbling ledges with sheer drops. As you get closer to it, you come across an interesting rock tunnel that has been carved through the ridge to give villages on the western side access to the lovely rock church of Maryam Bezuhan. The church itself is an exquisite one, and the trail there hugs the mountain and winds up to the plateau on the top.
- The sceneries along the walk are amazingly superb. Unlike the other lodges, on the plateau where it is located, you find here small villages scattered with local stone houses. Having an overwhelming welcoming up on your arrival, you will be served tasty local and have an elaborated traditional coffee ceremony.
- You can take a walk along the rim of the mountain at dusk.
- Overnight in Shimbriti community lodge
DAY 11: WALK FROM SHIMBRITI TO DEGA ARBI & DRIVE TO GHERALTA
- After an enjoyable breakfast, you take your last morning on a Community walk (2 hours). You will begin by descending for 1 hour, steeply at first and then more gradually, and get on the flatter plain. You pass by the small mangrove forest which grows around the church. You are likely to encounter small cattle herders here – friendly children from the local village.
- You will meet your driver with the car at Dega Arbi popular for a Friday weekly market. You transfer to Gheralta Lodge (1.5 hours). Spend the rest of the day at your leisure enjoying the excursions that can be arranged from the lodge. Hiking, bird watching, and visiting the nearby rock-hewn churches are all recommended from here.
- Overnight in Gheralta
DAY 12: DRIVE TO MEKELLE & FLY TO ADDIS
- This morning you will drive to Mekele, passing by another number of interesting churches and towns on the way. Carrying on towards Wukro, you first visit Abreha Atsbeha church, one of the most picturesque of the churches in the area with a beautifully decorated interior, depicting biblical scenes and saints. Having a lunch break at Wukro, head to visit Wukro Cherkos, a semi-monolithic church. Inside this crucifix-shaped church, you'll see patterned pillars and carvings.
- Then drive to Mekelle to catch your flight to Addis Ababa.
- Overnight in Addis Ababa
DAY 13: DEPART FROM ADDIS ABABA
- Depending on your flight schedule, a transfer is arranged to Addis Ababa Bole international airport for the flight back home. Thanks for vacationing with Sawla tours.
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Whether you have a detailed itinerary in mind, seek professional advice, or simply don't know where to begin, we're eager to assist. Reach out to us today, and together, we'll create an extraordinary travel experience tailored just for you.
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