5-Day Land of the Origin Lalibela, Danakil and Axum

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

Arrival in Lalibela – Explore the Northern Rock-Hewn Churches

Highlights:
• UNESCO World Heritage rock-hewn churches
• Pilgrimage sites dating back to the 12th century
• Stunning views over the Ethiopian highlands

Begin your journey by flying into Lalibela, often referred to as the “Jerusalem of Africa,” a hilltop town famed for its monolithic rock-hewn churches. After your arrival and hotel check-in, you'll dive straight into the awe-inspiring Northern Church Cluster, a collection of ancient churches.

Wander through Bete Medhane Alem (House of the Saviour of the World), considered the largest monolithic church in the world, and Bete Maryam, thought to be the oldest. Explore interconnected tunnels and sunken courtyards that lead to other sanctified spaces like Bete Meskel and Bete Golgotha, still active places of worship today.
You’ll gain insights into Ethiopia’s rich Orthodox Christian traditions as you observe white-robed priests and local pilgrims in a truly sacred setting.
Overnight: Top Twelve Hotel in Lalibela.

Main Destination:

Lalibela (Town)

Accommodation:

Top Twelve Hotel

• Budget hotel located in Lalibela (Town)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Axum – Discover the Ancient Capital of the Axumite Empire

Highlights:
• Axum’s massive stelae field (UNESCO)
• Queen of Sheba’s Palace and Bath
• Church of St. Mary of Zion (Ark of the Covenant site)

After breakfast, take a short domestic drive to Axum, once the capital of the ancient Axumite Empire, one of the great civilizations of antiquity. Upon arrival, begin exploring this legendary city, starting with the Stelae Field, home to towering granite obelisks erected over royal tombs some dating back more than 1,700 years.
Next, visit the Queen of Sheba’s Palace, believed by many to be the remains of the legendary monarch’s royal residence, and the Queen of Sheba’s Bath, a still-functioning water reservoir used during the annual Timkat (Epiphany) celebration.
In the afternoon, explore the Church of St. Mary of Zion, the most sacred site in Ethiopian Orthodoxy. A small, heavily guarded chapel nearby is believed to house the Ark of the Covenant though no one but the appointed guardian is allowed to see it.
Overnight: Brana Hotel in Axum.

Main Destination:

Axum (City)

Accommodation:

Brana Hotel

• Budget hotel located in Axum (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Drive from Axum to Mekelle via Yeha and Adwa Mountains

Highlights:
• Temple of Yeha – Ethiopia’s oldest structure
• Panoramic views of the Adwa Mountains
• Historical battlefield site

After breakfast, begin the scenic drive from Axum to Mekelle, passing through Ethiopia’s rugged Tigray region. Your first stop is at Yeha, where the remains of a 7th-century BC Sabean-style temple rise proudly above the countryside. Believed to have been dedicated to a South Arabian moon god, this structure is the oldest standing building in Ethiopia and offers a window into pre-Christian civilizations.
Continue through the Adwa Mountains, where Emperor Menelik II’s forces defeated the Italian army in 1896 at the Battle of Adwa—a pivotal event in African history that preserved Ethiopian independence.
Arrive in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, by late afternoon. Relax and prepare for your journey into the Danakil Depression the next day.
Overnight: Homeland Hotel in Mekelle.

Main Destination:

Mekele (City)

Accommodation:

Homeland Hotel Mekelle

• Mid-range hotel located in Mekele (City)

+9 Photos

+8 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Mekelle – Drive to Danakil Depression – Sunset at Lake Asale

Highlights:
• Journey into the Danakil Depression
• Camel caravans and traditional salt mining
• Sunset over the dazzling salt flats of Lake Asale

Begin your descent into one of the most extreme and mesmerizing places on Earth: the Danakil Depression, located at the junction of three tectonic plates and sitting over 100 meters below sea level. This region is among the hottest and driest on the planet, yet teeming with geological and cultural significance.
You’ll drive through vast, desolate plains and small Afar villages before reaching Lake Asale, a shallow salt lake known for its mirror-like surface and brilliant white salt crust. Here, witness traditional Afar salt miners extracting salt slabs by hand, then loading them onto long camel caravans bound.
As the sun sets, the white salt flats reflect fiery hues of orange and red, creating one of the most surreal landscapes on Earth. Camp under a canopy of stars for a night you won’t forget.
Overnight: Camping near Hamed Ela.

Main Destination:

Danakil Depression (Highlight)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Dallol & Salt Mountains – Return to Mekelle – Departure or Extension

Highlights:
• Dallol’s sulfur springs and acid pools
• Salt Mountains and bizarre geology
• Return through the Afar desert

Rise early for your excursion to Dallol, a place that looks more Martian than Earth-like. Here, bubbling acid pools, neon-green and yellow sulfur deposits, and steaming hydrothermal vents form a living science lab and photographer’s paradise. Dallol is one of the hottest inhabited places on Earth, but its bizarre beauty is absolutely unmatched.
You'll also visit the Salt Mountains, naturally sculpted hills formed by millennia of evaporated mineral deposits, as well as more traditional salt mines.
After exploring these surreal landscapes, begin your return drive to Mekelle, arriving in the late afternoon and end of your tour.

Main Destination:

Erta Ale Volcano (Danakil Depression)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

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