Ethiopia. Rock temples, volcanoes, Nile waterfalls

Price

€2300

Days

Tour description

Here Black Africa meets the Middle East, and the jungle mountains hide unusual rock-cut churches and stunning volcanic landscapes.

Walk into the 13th-century vertical rock-cut temples of Lalibela
Admire the cosmic green and yellow landscapes of the Danakil Basin, one of the hottest spots on earth
Peep into the mouth of the active Ertale volcano to see boiling lava
Watch Afar men evaporate salt from salt lakes
Enjoy coffee with the locals in Addis Ababa, who have turned this drink into a cult. By the way, Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee.

Tour departures

20 April 2025 - 01 May 2025

€2300

Book

31 December 2025 - 11 January 2026

€2300

Book

The price of the tour includes

Accommodation in double rooms of hotels along the entire route and two nights in the campsite
All transportation, including specially rented vehicles
Entrance fees and services of local guides
Professional guiding.

What is NOT included

Flight to Addis Ababa and back (Let us know if you need help finding the best deals)
Domestic flight Lalibela-Addis Ababa
Insurance that covers costs in the event of COVID-19 symptoms while traveling
Food ($20-30 per day).

Tour itinerary

Day 1-2

Addis Ababa, Cathedral of St. George, National Museum, Mercato market, Entoto hill

We arrive in Addis Ababa, check into a hotel and begin our exploration of local cuisine. The basis of Ethiopian dishes is Injera, a sour fermented flatbread made of teff flour. It is served with meat or vegetable stews, beans and even soups. And how about local drinks - tej honey wine, tella beer from different grains and, of course, coffee, which has become a cult here. You can drink good coffee in Ethiopia literally at every turn: coffee shops are everywhere. Fresh grains are fried and ground in your presence. Incredibly tasty and aromatic!

Next morning we begin with a walk in the Cathedral of St. George, where in 1930 the last Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I was crowned. We will also visit the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, where he is buried.

In the National Museum we will learn more about the history of the country - from the origins of Christianity to the war with Italy and the socialist dictatorship. We walk around the Mercato market, and at sunset admire the views of the capital from the top of the Entoto hill over three thousand meters above sea level.

Day 3-4

Bahir Dar, Churches of the 14-17 century, Lake Tana, Blue Nile Falls

In the morning we take a bus to the city of Bahir Dar (8 hours on the way). We will spend the night at the hotel, and in the morning explore Bahir Dar, which stands on the shores of Lake Tana - the largest in the country. Here, on several dozen islands stand monasteries of the 14-17 centuries. These buildings have preserved interiors, religious manuscripts and examples of church art from their time. We will take a boat tour of the most interesting of these buildings and admire their exterior and original wall paintings.

Lake Tana is a source of Blue Nile, one of the largest rivers on our planet. During a boat trip, we will see the source, and visit the Blue Nile Falls. We will have to drive a little less than an hour, and then walk about another 30 minutes to the observation deck. The hiking trail runs along a picturesque canyon across a 17th century stone bridge.

Day 5

Gondar town, Fasil-Gebbi fortress, Debre Berhan Selassie Church

In the morning we leave for the city of Gondar (2 hours on the way). Until 1855, this place was the capital of the country and was famous for many cathedrals, monasteries and a grandiose imperial palace. In 1888, the city was plundered and burned by the Sudanese Muslims, and the restoration of these majestic structures began only in 1979, when UNESCO included it in World Heritage list.

We will walk through the huge Fasil-Gebbi fortress, built in the 16th century. Indian? Muslim? Or baroque? Yes - to all of above. Next, we head to Debre Berhan Selassie Church, one of the most beautiful temples in Ethiopia, built in the 17th century. These austere stone walls hide amazing paintings depicting eternal scenes from the Bible.

Tour leaders

Pavlo Morkovkin

tour leader

Is this trip for you?

This trip is of medium physical grade. It is suitable for beginners in normal physical shape. The trip includes trekking lasting up to one hour.

Long day journeys are planned on rented vehicles on asphalt roads lasting up to 8 hours. On the Danakil depression, we will move off-road for about 6-8 hours a day. We will move along Lake Tana by motorboat, the excursion with stops will last for up to 4 hours.

Accommodation in rooms for two in tourist class hotels, most of which will have hot water and internet. In Danakil wilderness we will spend two nights in an open-air camping.