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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
BY AIR
Code LTT 101 HISTORIC ROUTE (2DAYS) Bahir Dar & either Gondar or
Lalibela or Axum
Code LTT 102 HISTORIC ROUTE (3DAYS) A more extended tour of Bahir
Dar and either Gondar or Lalibela or Axum
Code LTT 103 HISTORIC ROUTE (4DAYS) An extensive tour of any
possible combination of three cities choosing from Bahir Dar, Gondar,
Lalibela, Axum
Code LTT 104 HISTORIC ROUTE (5DAYS) A tour of all four cities
including Bahir Dar, Gondar, Lalibela, Axum
BY AIR
Code LTT 105 HISTORIC ROUTE (9DAYS)
Day01 Arrival in Addis Ababa,city,tour,overnight Ghion Hotel
Day02 Fly to Bahir Dar, Blue Nile falls, city tour, overnight Tana Hotel
Day03 Full day in Bahir Dar, boat trip on lake Tana visit the monasteries,
overnight Tana Hotel.
Day04 Fly to Gondar, city tour, overnight Goha Hotel.
Day05 Fly to Lalibela, visit the first group of churches, overnight Roha
Hotel.
Day06 Full day in Lalibela visit Asheten Mariam church with mule trekking,
visit the second group of churches, overnight Roha Hotel.
Day07 Fly to Axum, city tour, overnight Yeha Hotel.
Day08 Fly back to Addis Ababa, visit the open-air market, overnight Ghion
Hotel.
Day09 Departure.
BY AIR AND CAR
Code LTT 106 HISTORIC ROUTE (12 DAYS)
Day01 Arrival in Addis Ababa,city tour, overnight Ghion hotel
Day02 Drive to Dejen along the way visit Debre Libanos monastery, the
Portuguese bridge and the Blue Nile River, overnight Alem hotel.
Day03 Drive to Bahir Dar,city tour, overnight Tana hotel.
Day04 Bahir Dar, excursion on Lake Tana visiting the monasteries and the
Blue Nile Falls, overnight Tana hotel.
Day05 Drive to Gondar, city tour, overnight Goha hotel.
Day06 Drive to Axum, overnight Yeha hotel.
Day07 Full day visit Axum, overnight Yeha hotel.
Day08 Drive to Mekele, on the way visit some churches in the Wukro
cluster, overnight Hilltop hotel.
Day09 Drive to Lalibela, on the way visit some other rock-hewn churches,
overnight Roha hotel.
Day10 Full day visit Lalibela, the 11 monolithic churches, overnight Roha
hotel.
Day11 Flight Lalibela-Addis Ababa, overnight Ghion hotel.
Day12 Departure.
BY AIR AND CAR
Code LTT 107 HISTORIC ROUTE AND HARAR AND DIRE DAWA (13 DAYS)
Day01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, overnight Ghion Hotel
Day02 Fly to Bahir Dar, visit Blue Nile falls, city tour, overnight Tana
Hotel.
Day03 Full day in Bahir Dar, boat trip on lake Tana, visit the
monasteries, overnight Tana Hotel.
Day04 Fly to Gondar, city tour, overnight Goha Hotel.
Day05 Fly to Lalibela, visit the first group of churches, overnight Roha
Hotel.
Day06 Full day in Lalibela visit Asheten Mariam church with mule trekking,
visit the second group of churches, overnight Roha Hotel.
Day07 Fly to Axum,city tour, overnight Yeha Hotel.
Day08 Fly back to Addis Ababa, drive to Nazreth, overnight hotel.
Day09 Drive to Awash Park visit Awash River falls and Afar village,
proceed to Dire Dawa, overnight hotel.
Day10 Drive to Harar, visit the city, hyena performance, overnight hotel.
Day11 Drive to Sof Omar Caves, drive back to Dire Dawa, overnight hotel.
Day12 Drive to Awash National Park, visit the Palm Hot Springs, proceed to
Nazreth, overnight hotel.
Day13 Drive back to Addis Ababa for departure.
BY CAR
Code LTT 108 HISTORIC ROUTE AND TIGRAY ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES (14DAYS)
Day01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, overnight Ghion hotel.
Day02 Drive to Dejen along the way visit Debre Libanos monastery, the
Portuguese bridge and the Blue Nile River, arrival in Bahir Dar, overnight
Tana hotel.
Day03 Bahir Dar boat trip on Lake Tana, visit the monasteries, city tour,
overnight Tana hotel.
Day04 Drive to Gondar, city tour, overnight Goha hotel.
Day05 Drive to Axum along the panoramic road through the Simien massif,
overnight Yeha hotel.
Day06 Full day visit in Axum, overnight Yeha hotel.
Day07 Drive to Adigrat along the way visit of Yeha, overnight Shewit
hotel.
Day08 Drive to Mekele visit the Geralta cluster churches (Abraha Atsbeha,
Debre Tsion Abraham, Dugum selassie) overnight Hilltop hotel.
Day09 Mekele, visit the Chirkos church in the Wukro cluster and several
other churches in the Atsbi cluster (Michael Barka, Michael Imba, Debre
Selam) overnight Hilltop hotel.
Day10 Drive to Lalibela along the way visit Genete Mariam church,
overnight Roha hotel.
Day11 Full day visit in Lalibela, the 11 monolithic churches in the city,
overnight Roha hotel.
Day12 Drive to Kombolcha, overnight Tekle hotel.
Day13 Drive back to Addis Ababa, traditional dinner in local restaurant,
overnight Ghion hotel.
Day14 Departure.
BY AIR AND CAR
Code LTT 109 MONASTERIES, CHURCHES, CASTLES IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA
(15DAYS)
Day01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, visit Trinity Cathedral, Saint George and
Entoto Mariam, overnight Ghion hotel.
Day02 Drive to Bahir Dar, via Debre Libanos monastery, overnight Tana
Hotel.
Day03 Trip to Gorgora by boat and on the way visit the monasteries Ura
Kidane Meheret, Beta Mariam, Beta Giorgis, Azowa Mariam, Nerga Selassie,
overnight Gorgora hotel.
Day04 Gorgora, visit Debre Sina monastery, by car trip to Gondar visit
Debre Bhiran Selassie church, Qusquam church and the castles, overnight
Goha hotel.
Day05 Trip to Lalibela, by car visit Nakutoleab monastery, overnight Roha
hotel.
Day06 Lalibela visit the eleven rock-hewn churches, overnight Roha hotel.
Day07 Lalibela visit Yimrahane Christos and Asheten Mariam monasteries,
overnight Roha hotel.
Day08 Trip to Mekele by car, overnight Yeha Hotel.
Day09 Mekele visit the Tigray rock-hewn churches of the Wukro and Atsbi
Clusters, overnight Hilltop hotel.
Day10 Mekele, visit the Geralta Cluster, overnight Hilltop hotel.
Day11 Trip to Axum by car, on the way visit Debre Damo monastery and Yeha
Temple of the Moon, overnight Yeha hotel.
Day12 Axum visit the Saint Mary of Zion church and the monoliths,
overnight Yeha Hotel.
Day13 Axum - Addis Ababa by plane, traditional dinner with Ethiopian
music, overnight Ghion Hotel.
Day14 Departure.
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