14-Day Northern Ethiopia Tour (Timket Ethiopia Epiphany)

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Addis Ababa

You will be picked up from Bole International Airport and transferred to your hotel. After check-in and breakfast, the city tour begins, featuring the National Museum (home of Lucy), Mercato, the old city Piazza (Piassa), St. George's Churches, Mount Entoto (Menelik's Palace), and the Ethnographic Museum, with an
overnight stay at Aya Hotel or a similar establishment.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Best Western Plus Pearl Addis

• Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Addis Ababa-Semera-Erta Ale

Upon arrival at Semera airport at 8:30am, you will be picked up and driven to Hamed Ela (Dallol) via Afdera Lake (Salt Lake). We will stop at Afdera lake for a 40-minute lunch break. We will arrive at Dallol about 5:00 and Then, we drive to Lake Assale for the sunset we return to Hamed Ela at 7:30pm for an overnight stay.

Main Destination:

Erta Ale Volcano (Danakil Depression)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Erta Ale-Hamed Ela- Lake Assale Sunset

You will wake up at 5:00am after a 30-minute drive, we will have watch the sunrise over the salt lake and we will have breakfast on the lake and then it’s a short 20 minute drive across the lake to the spectacularly colourful formations at Dallol. We walk for about 30 minutes to the crater and spend about 1 hours exploring the mineral deposits of this dormant volcano. From here we drive for three minutes to the salt mountain to explore the same.
Returning to the camp we will have lunch collect our bedding and head off to Erta Ale, an active volcano. The drive will take
approximately 3 hours, and we will reach the Ertale campsite at
late afternoon.
Once we have settled in the camp, we will walk for 30 minutes to reach the rim. You can choose to stay there and enjoy the sunset for as long as you want. We will return to the campsite around 9pm, where a fresh dinner will be waiting for you.

Main Destination:

Danakil Depression (Highlight)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Hamed Ela-Dallol-Mekele-Addis Ababa

You will woke up at 5:00am to witness the sunrise at the volcano. The view was strikingly different from the sunset. You spent time there exploring some of the fumeroles and newer lava flows. After about an hour in the crater we then make our way back to the campsite. After breakfast at 10:30 am, you drive to Semera via Afdera lake, where there is an opportunity to swim. After lunch in Adfera we complete the drive to Semera airport arriving mid afternoon to catch the 5:40 pm to Addis. We reached Addis Ababa around 19:05 pm.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Best Western Plus Pearl Addis

• Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Addis Ababa-Bahir Dar

Addis-Bahir Dar, where upon arrival, you will visit the Blue Nile Falls, returning to Bahir Dar around 1 PM for lunch. The afternoon features a visit to Lake Tana's monastery churches, including Ura Kidane Mehret (Zege Peninsula), Kibran Gabriel Church, Debre Maryam, and the outlet of the Blue Nile, with opportunities to see hippopotamuses, followed by an.

Main Destination:

Bahir Dar (City)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Lake Avenue Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Bahir Dar (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Bahir Dar-Gondar

After breakfast at 8 AM, you will drive from Bahir Dar to Gondar, a distance of 180 km that takes approximately 2.5 hours. After checking into your hotel and having lunch, you will explore Fasil Castle, Fasilides Bath, and Debre Birhan Selassie Church. This day is timket eve (Ethiopia Epiphany) so you can attend holiday.

Main Destination:

Gondar (City)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Goha Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Gondar (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Gondar-Simien Mountain-Gondar

Depart early from Gondar and drive towards the spectacular Simien Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its dramatic landscapes and unique wildlife.
On the way, pass through Debark town, the park headquarters, where you will register and meet your local guide and scout.
Enter the park and drive to Buyit Ras, one of the most scenic viewpoints in the Simien Mountains. From here, enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of deep valleys, escarpments, and rugged peaks.
Begin a short guided hike (2–3 hours) along the escarpment. During the walk, you will have excellent chances to encounter troops of Gelada Baboon, a species endemic to Ethiopia and famous for its unique appearance and social behavior.
Enjoy a picnic lunch surrounded by stunning mountain scenery, fresh air, and dramatic landscapes.
Continue a gentle hike or short drive within the park, with opportunities to spot more wildlife(endemic to the Simien Mountains) and various bird species.

Main Destination:

Gondar (City)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Goha Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Gondar (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Gondar-Lalibela

Lalibela to Gondar where your driver and guide will greet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. After checking in, you will explore the renowned rock-hewn churches, often referred to as the 8th wonder of the world, beginning with the Northern Cluster. You will visit Bete Medhane Alem, the largest monolithic church globally, followed by Bete Maryam, known for its stunning ceiling paintings, and other notable churches including Bete Meskel, Bete Denagel, and Bete Golgotha Mikael. After a day of exploration, you will spend the night at either Hiltop Resort or Sora Lodge, or similar accommodation.

Main Destination:

Simien Mountains National Park

Best Time To Visit September to December (Beautiful scenery)

High Season October to April (Lodges are busy)

Best Weather October to April

Wildlife in Simien Mountains NP

Gelada Monkey Abundant

Walia Ibex Occasional

Ethiopian Wolf Rare

Klipspringer Rare

Bushbuck Rare

Show more

Golden Jackal Rare

Hyena Rare

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Goha Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Gondar (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Lalibela-Addis

After breakfast, you will continue your tour with the Southern Cluster churches, visiting Bete Amanuel, recognized for its Aksumite architectural style, along with Bete Gabriel-Rufael, Bete Merkorios, and Bete Abba Libanos, concluding with the iconic Bete Giyorgis, the famous cross-shaped church that symbolizes Lalibela, before catching your ET-121 back to Addis.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Best Western Plus Pearl Addis

• Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Addis-Arba Minch

Your guide will welcome you at Arba Minch Airport and continue on a 1-hour drive one way to visit the Dorze village and spend some quality time with the Dorze people. The Dorze are famous for their amazing elephant shaped traditional bamboo houses. You will witness the preparation of their cultural food known as Kocho prepared from the indigenous plant locally called Inset (also known as false banana plant). Finally, after testing their local food and spending quality time at the village, you will head back to Arba Minch.

Main Destination:

Arba Minch (City)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Haile Resort Arba Minch

• Mid-range hotel located in Arba Minch (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Drive Arba Minch-Turmi

Embark on a 90 km drive to Konso, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its intricate structures, including generation poles, victory stones, community houses, and ancient fortress walls that date back 700 to 900 years. After exploring the village and enjoying lunch, continue your journey with a 200 km drive to Turmi town, home to the Hamar tribe, where you can experience the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Main Destination:

Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Buska Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Turmi

In the morning, drive 65km west to meet the Karo tribe, renowned for their intricate face and body painting. Participate in a traditional coffee ceremony with a family in Korcho Village, experiencing their rich cultural practices. Afterward, return to Turmi for lunch; if it's Monday or Thursday, consider visiting the Hamar tribal market, or head to Dimeka for the Hamar market on Saturday. In the late afternoon, around 5:30 pm, visit a Hamar traditional village to meet a family in their traditional house, with the possibility of witnessing the Hamar Bull Jumping Ceremony, if it is being held that day.

Main Destination:

Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Buska Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Turmi-Jinka

Drive 75km south to meet with the Dassanech tribe who live near the Omo River. You will cross the Omo River with a traditional dugout wooden canoe and walk for about 10-minute to the village. After interacting well with the Dassanech tribe and visiting a family house in the village. Return to Turmi town for lunch and continue the 130 km drive to Jinka. You may visit a colorful market of the Hamar tribe in Turmi or Demeka town. You may see the Hamar Bull Jumping Ceremony on this day (if available). Finally, continue driving 130 km to Jinka.

Main Destination:

Jinka (Lower Omo Valley)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

Eco Omo Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Meals at own expense
• Drinks not included

Jinka-Addis

Following your breakfast, drive 50 km (1:30 hrs) north to meet the famous Mursi tribe. The Mursi women wear a round clay lip plate inside a piercing on their lower lips. This ancient tradition, which initially started to disfigure girls in order to protect them from being abducted by the nearby tribes, became a thing of beauty and pride. After a genuine interactive moment with the Mursi tribe, you will head back to Jinka. After lunch, you will be transferred to Jinka Airport for your flight departing around 2 pm.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Activities:

• No wildlife-viewing activities on this day

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.