Welcome to Northern Ethiopia
For most visitors to Ethiopia, it’s all about the north. More than anywhere else on Earth, northern Ethiopia has the ability to wow you day after day after day.
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Northern Ethiopia activities
Day Trip to Age-Old Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Lalibela, Amhara RegionPicking you at 08:30am from where you are in Lalibela, then drive to the church site where you find a concentration of some of Ethiopia’s most famous rock-hewn churches, mostly referred by many as “the living wonders of the world” These churches are, and they have been for at least 800 years, an active Christian shrine, the spiritual center of the country’s religious life. The monolithic churches were carved out of 2,600-sq meter natural rock terrace in the 12-century AD by king Lalibela.In the morning you will visit 5 churches namely; Bete Medhani Alem, Bete Mariam, Bete Meskel, Bete Denagil and Bete Golgotha Michael.After lunch break you will visit the remaining 6 churches namely; Bete Gebriel, Bete Mercorios, Bete Amanuel, Bethlehem, Bete Aba Libanos and Bete Giorgis.After the tour you will be transferred to your designated place within Lalibela town. And end of the tourDuration: 11 hours
Two Days Eco Trekking Tours
During arrival, We always arrange a Taxi service to our customers from Lalibela Airport until their reserved hotel. The day before trekking start, we will meet our guests at our office (which is located at the center of the town, Next to the Ethiopian Airlines Lalibela office) for conformation and we will explain about the details of your trekking tour using the site map and our office will be the point where your trekking tour will start!The next day morning around 7:45am your trekking guide and the porter will meet you again at the reception of your Hotel to organise and pack your materials that will be on the donkey and your trekking will start from our office!The local community coming down from their village to Lalibela open air market!Day 1: Walking Tour to Ade Medhanealem VillageAt the morning 7:45am your trekking guide will meet you again at the reception of your Hotel and your trekking will begin. After 25 minutes, you will find yourself leaving the town, you will be on the top of Lalibela, wondering the landscape with the fresh air of the Ethiopian highlands.The difficulties of this trip is between 6 – 7% and offers a unique combination of spectacular scenery, culture and history.Continue walking for about 2:30h, You will arrive at “Merebarbu” Which is 3,500m and has a panoramic view of the region. Here, You will have a short minutes of break having fruits on your hand. Start waking again, You will pass through afro alpine forest, Hagenia abyssinica plants, remote villages, farm lands and looking the Gelada Baboon.Mid day, You will arrive again to mount “Atabkit” Which is 3,600m and has a spectacular view over the other side of the region. It is the place where you are going to eat your lunch and have some time of rest by wondering the view and looking the mountain Peoples doing the routine of life.In the afternoon, the trek starts again and you arrive “Wodebye” village at the evening where food, drinks and foot massage will be waiting for you.After having your welcoming soup with coffee or tea, you walk round the village, with the children you can do some fun and we will take you back again to a farmers house next to your lodge for having dinner. There you will be with the families of the farmer setting beside a fire, animals and children!After spending an optional extra acclimatization day here, Finally, you will go to your separate room to sleep and we will see each other on the next day morning for a breakfast.Overnight: At Ade Medhanealem Village.(L, B)Day. 2: Walking Tour Back to LalibelaAfter having your breakfast, you start the downhill walking back to Lalibela which is far about 22km. and that will take us about an 8 hours walking trip again.Overnight: Hotel in Lalibela.(B, L, D)
5 Days Lalibela & Danakil Depression Small Group Tour
DAY 1: LALIBELA WORLD HERITAGE CHURCH TOUR (full day with guide)An early Start for the UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE rock hewn churches of Lalibela, the so called ‘new Jerusalem’ and the holiest town in the whole of Ethiopia is highly recommended since there are 12 churches in town, so it’s much to see and learn about themIn the morning your guide will bring you to the entrance of the symbol of earthly Jerusalem- the north- western cluster of the group, called: -Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet Mikael & Bet Golgotha.You will be surprised since after visiting them it will already be mid-day (btw the churches are closed from 12-2)Your guide will pick you up at 1:30pm and you continue with the south-eastern cluster, built as the symbol of heavenly Jerusalem:–Bet Gabriel-Rufael, Bet Merkorios, Bet Amanual, and Bet Abba Libanos.Last and finally, you will visit the most famous and very picturesque of all the churches: –Bet Giyorgis (St George), constructed in honour of the patron Saint George. (please note all the churches close at 5pm).Overnight at: Cliff Edge Hotel,Lalibela DAY 2: Drive Lalibela to MekeleCar will wait in front of your hotel to bring you all the way from Lalibela to Mekele City. Enjoy the spectacular landscape and towns, on you drive from Lalibela to Mekele, which will take you 8hrs. Overnight at hotel Mekele DAY 3: Drive Mekele to Hamdela (Danakil Desert)After breakfast drove from Mekele to Hamdela, right in the Danakil Desert.The Danakil is both one of the lowest and hottest places on earth, extremely inhospitable but incredibly spectacular with it’s colourful sulphur lakes, solidified lava, camel caravans, salt mines, little hamlets, outstanding landscapes and -of course- the unforgettable volcano Erta Ale...DAY 4: Hamdela – Dallol - Erta Ale VolcanoAfter breakfast we drive for around 20 min to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the salt miners work.We continue to Dallol (25 min) where the landscape, formed by volcanic activity is somehow unreal. You will have time to admire the sulphur lakes and get many pictures. Also here it’s the place where are salt miners can be watched doing their work.Then drive from Dallol - Erebti, the place for lunch, later on we continue to Kossorobat, where we get all necessary papers and also our own camels for climbing Erta Ale... DAY 5: Sunrise at the volcano- Lake Afdera -MekeleWe get up as soon as sun is rising, we will surround the crater, walk over to the smaller, inactive second crater before leaving this adventurous place at around 7am.In Askoma breakfast will be served (around 10:30 or earlier) and there you again will have time to reflect and relax...
Lalibela Tour
Day 01: Arrival and Addis City tour. Pick up from the airport. Drop your luggage in your hotel take rest and you will continue city tour of Addis Ababa. Drive to Entoto and visit the palace of Menelik, then descend to the National museum where "Lucy'' is located. Before finalizing the tour you will visit "Merkato Market" which is known as the biggest open air market in Africa. Overnight at Easy Stay Hotel Day 02: Addis- Lalibela Fly from Addis to Lalibela at 07:10. After breakfast, you will visit half of the eleven rock-hewn monolithic (carved from a single rock) churches of Lalibela which are one of the eleven UNESCO World heritage site, with magnificent architecture & paintings inside the churches. The rock-hewn churches that you will visit today before lunch will be the first group of churches namely, Bete Medhanialem, Bete Mariam, Bete Meskel, Bete Denagl and Bete Gologota Michal. The churhces are closed in Lucn time from (12:00 Pm-08:00Pm). In the afternoon, you will visit the second group Lalibela churches and evening you will get back to the hotel, rest, have dinner and relax. Overnight stay, Maribella HotelDay 03: Lalibela - Yimrhanne Kirstos. One more day to explore the Lalibela Rock-hewn Churches. Right after breakfast, an early morning drive will take you to historical churches around Lalibela the Yimerhane Kirsotos Church. Visit the marble churches called Yimrhanne kirstos, which predates the Lalibela churches and was built using a completely different style of construction involving marble and wood. After lunch you will visit the second group of churches. This afternoon you will visit the second group of Rock Hewn Churches and St. George including: Bete Gebral, Bete Merquros, Bete Emanule, Betelehiam, Bete Aba Libanos and Bete Ghiorgis. Overnight stay in Maribella HotelDay 04 Asheton Mariam - Nakutoleab - Lalibela marketIn the morning you will make an escrusion to Yemirhanne Kirsos church 60 Km out of Lalibela twon. This church has 10 minute light walk. Visit the hill Church of Asheton Mariam, In the afternoon. Asheton Maryam has about 40 minutes trekking up to the mountains where the church is located.The church has ancient sculptures. After you visit the church walk to the near hill to enjoy the panoramic view of the area and in another direction return to Lalibela. Overnight stay in Maribella HotelDay 05: fly from Lalibela to Addis Return back to Addis Ababa with the morning flight. We can either arrange for your day use room today or you will end your tour today.
2 Days Hiking To Mount Abune Yoseph Lalibela
Day 01: Lalibela –Merebarbu (3500m) In the morning visit the second group of rock-hewn churches. In the afternoon, trek to Merebarbu enroute visitng Asheten Mariam monastery church from the 13th century which is belived to be the first work for St. Lalibela. O/N: camping at Merebarbu. Day 02: Merebarbu – Wedebye - Lalibela (3700m) Start the 2 hours trekking from Merebarbu to Wedebye (3600 to 3800). After spending sometime in Wedebye and see the famous Galada Babon which only to be found in Ethiopia Walking back to Lalibela and on the way stop on some local place and attened the famous coffee ceremony O/N: Hotel Lalibela
Lalibela Churches and Asheton Monastery
Day - 1 Lalibela Pick Up from The Airport Drive to The Hotel. For morning arrivals After Check in at the hotel Tour To the magnificent rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This group of eleven monolithic and semi-monolithic structures were carved directly into the stone of the mountainside at least 800 years ago. This complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, a maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and fabulous examples of icon paintings. Overnight Hotel - Lalibela BB (Bed and Break Fast ) Day 02 Lalibela - Asheton Mariam Take a morning hike with mules to Mount Asheton, with its 13th century rock-hewn monastery and great views of the town, and see the countryside of Ethiopian Highlanders. For afternoon arivals at Day - 1 continue with tour of Lalibela’s churches in the afternoon. Overnight Hotel - Lalibela BB (Bed and Break Fast )