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The North of Ethiopia is one of the most remarkable areas in
the country. Its principal cities, Axum, Lalibela, Bahir Dar and Gondar, are
deeply embedded in history and to be considered cultural treasure beds not
just for Ethiopia, but for the whole world. Axum, the Axumite kingdom’s
capital city, offers testimony to that area’s exceptionally high level of
civilization. Its stone monoliths and mysterious monuments date back
thousands of years. The golden crowns and crosses located in Saint Mary of
Sion are still used during the Coptic church’s major religious ceremonies and
according to tradition one of the church’s chapels still houses the Ark of the
Covenant brought back from Jerusalem by the Queen of Sheba.
Some 800 years ago King Lalibela built one of Ethiopia’s most secret marvels;
a city named after the King himself and composed of eleven towering churches
hewn out of the solid red volcanic tuff on which they stand. These massive
feats architectural accomplishment so bewildered visitors that they have come
to say that such constructions could only be possible through the
intervention of superhuman hands.
Gondar, another jewel of Ethiopia offers tourists the sight of impressive
medieval castles and enticing and beautifully decorated churches. A
delightful congregation of culturally important churches and monasteries are
nestled on Lake Tana’s islands. The rock-hewn churches of Tigray are slightly
smaller but no less architecturally and artistically remarkable than the ones
in Lalibela. Some are more difficult to access than others, secreted away in
the cliff faces, but all well reward visitors who invest the energy to visit
them.
The wonderful scenery of the Simien Mountains, paradise for trekkers, the
Coptic religious culture of the people, the mysterious atmosphere of the
ancient monasteries will lead the tourist through a very special experience.
MUST SEES:
AXUM: palaces, obelisks, temples, fortresses that illustrate the
power of the Axumite Empire
LALIBELA: eleven monolithic churches hewn out of the rock 800 years
ago, their immensity and beauty make them “the eighth wonder of the world”
BAHIR DAR: Blue Nile’s impressive waterfalls, lake Tana with its
islands hosting ancient Coptic monasteries rich in splendid frescos
GONDAR: castles that seem straight out of fairy tale books, memories
of an imperial era, churches with magnificent wall paintings
MEKELE: an important stopping point along a centuries-old camel
caravan route bringing salt up from the Danakil Depression, rock-hewn
churches with ceilings and walls beautifully painted that house priceless
church treasures (crosses, crowns, rich embroideries, double-ended drums,
superbly illuminated manuscripts…)
SIMIEN MOUNTAINS and TIGRAY MOUNTAINS: valleys and mountain peaks with
splendid landscapes of the Ethiopian plateau, old rock-hewn churches with
splendid frescos on their walls
ITINERARIES:
Code LTT 101 HISTORIC ROUTE – 5 DAYS (Only for resident)
Day 01 Fly to Bahir Dar, boat trip on lake Tana to visit the
monasteries, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Fly to Gondar,
city tour, O/N
Day 03 Fly to Axum, city
tour, O/N
Day 04 Fly to Lalibela, visit the first group of churches, O/N
Day 05 Visit the second group of churches, fly to Addis Abeba
Code LTT 102 HISTORIC ROUTE – 8 DAYS
Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Fly to Bahir Dar, boat trip on lake Tana to visit the monasteries,
visit Blue Nile falls, city tour, O/N
Day 03 Drive to Gondar, city tour, O/N
Day 04 Fly to Axum, city tour, O/N
Day 05 Fly to Lalibela, visit the first group of churches, O/N
Day 06 Lalibela – visit Asheten Mariam church with mule trekking, visit the
second group of churches, O/N
Day 07 Fly to Addis Ababa, visit the open-air market, traditional dinner with
Ethiopian music, in the night fly back to Italy
Day 08 Arrival in Italy
Code LTT 103 HISTORIC ROUTE – 10 DAYS
Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Drive to Bahir Dar, along the way visit the Portuguese bridge and the
Blue Nile river canyon, O/N
Day 03 Bahir Dar – city tour, boat trip on lake Tana to visit the
monasteries, visit the Blue Nile falls, O/N
Day 04 Drive to Gondar, city tour, O/N
Day 05 Drive to Axum, city tour, O/N
Day 06 Drive to Mekele, along the way visit some churches in the Wukro
cluster, O/N
Day 07 Drive to Lalibela, visit the first group of churches,
O/N
Day 08 Lalibela – visit Asheten Mariam church with mule trekking, visit the
second group of churches, O/N
Day 09 Fly to Addis Ababa, visit the open-air market, traditional dinner with
Ethiopian music, in the night fly back to Italy
Day 10 Arrival in Italy
Code LTT 104 HISTORIC ROUTE + SIMIEN PARK – 12 DAYS
Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Drive to Bahir Dar, along the way visit the Portuguese bridge and the
Blue Nile river canyon, O/N
Day 03 Bahir Dar – city tour, boat trip on lake Tana to visit the
monasteries, visit the Blue Nile falls, O/N
Day 04 Drive to Gondar, city tour, O/N
Day 05 Drive to Simien
Park, visit of the
park, O/N
Day 06 Trekking day in Simien
Park
Day 07 Drive to Axum, city tour, O/N
Day 08 Drive to Mekele, along the way visit some churches in the Wukro
cluster, O/N
Day 09 Drive to Lalibela, visit the first group of churches,
O/N
Day 10 Lalibela - visit Asheten Mariam church with mule trekking, visit the
second group of churches, O/N
Day 11 Fly to Addis Ababa, visit the open-air market, traditional dinner with
Ethiopian music, in the night fly back to Italy
Day 12 Arrival in Italy
Code LTT 105 HISTORIC ROUTE + TIGRAY CHURCHES – 12 DAYS
Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Drive to Bahir Dar, along the way visit the Portuguese bridge and the
Blue Nile river canyon, O/N
Day 03 Bahir Dar – city tour, boat trip on lake Tana to visit the
monasteries, visit the Blue Nile falls, O/N
Day 04 Drive to Gondar, city tour, O/N
Day 05 Drive to Axum, city tour, O/N
Day 06 Drive to Hawzen, along the way visit of Yeha Temple of the Moon, O/N
Day 07 Hawzen - visit Gheralta cluster churches, O/N
Day 08 Drive to Mekele, visit Takatisfi cluster churches, O/N
Day 09 Drive to Lalibela, O/N
Day 10 Lalibela – visit the 11 rock-hewn churches, O/N
Day 11 Fly to Addis Ababa, visit the open-air market, traditional dinner with
Ethiopian music, in the night fly back to Italy
Day 12 Arrival in Italy
Code LTT 106 HISTORIC ROUTE + HARAR AND DIRE DAWA – 13 DAYS
Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Fly to Bahir Dar, boat trip on lake Tana to visit the monasteries,
visit Blue Nile falls, city tour, O/N
Day 03 Drive to Gondar, city tour, O/N
Day 04 Fly to Axum, city tour, O/N
Day 05 Fly to Lalibela, visit the first group of churches, O/N
Day 06 Lalibela – visit Asheten Mariam church with mule trekking, visit the
second group of churches, O/N
Day 07 Fly to Addis Ababa, drive to Awash N.P., O/N
Day 08 Awash N.P. – visit Awash River falls and Afar village, proceed to
Harar, O/N
Day 09 Harar – city tour, hyena performance, O/N
Day 10 Drive to Sof Omar Caves, drive back to Harar, O/N
Day 11 Drive to Awash N.P., visit the Palm Hot springs,
proceed to Nazreth, O/N
Day 12 Drive to Addis Ababa, traditional dinner with Ethiopian music, in the
night fly back to Italy
Day 13 Arrival in Italy
Code LTT 107 MONASTERIES, CHURCHES, CASTLES IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA – 14 DAYS
Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, visit Trinity Cathedral, Saint George and
Entoto Mariam, O/N
Day 02 Drive to Bahir Dar, via Debre Libanos monastery, O/N
Day 03 Boat trip to Gorgora, on the way visit the monasteries: Ura Kidane
Meheret, Beta Mariam, Beta Giorgis, Nerga Selassie, Debre Sina; proceed to
Gondar, O/N
Day 04 Gondar – city tour, O/N
Day 05 Drive to Lalibela, visit Nakutoleab church, O/N
Day 06 Lalibela – visit the 11 rock-hewn churches, O/N
Day 07 Lalibela – visit Yimrahane Christos and Asheten Mariam monasteries,
O/N
Day 08 Drive to Hawzen, O/N
Day 09 Hawzen – visit the churches of the Wukro and Atsbi Clusters, O/N
Day 10 Hawzen – visit Gheralta Cluster churches, O/N
Day 11 Drive to Axum, on the way visit Debre Damo monastery and Yeha Temple
of the Moon, O/N
Day 12 Axum – city Tour, O/N
Day 13 Fly to Addis Ababa,
traditional dinner with Ethiopian music, in the night fly back to Italy
Day 14 Arrival in Italy
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