Transfer to the airport for the flight to Aksum. From around 200 BC to 700 AD, Akum was the seat of an Empire which extended across the Red Sea to Arabia, traded with India and China, minted its own coinage, had its own alphabet and notational system, constructed great engineering works and dams and which was reckoned by the 4th century Persian historian Mani to be one of the four great powers of the ancient world, alongside Persia, China and Rome. Today the visitor can see stelae (the largest single pieces of stone erected anywhere on the world, it is still not understood how they were transported from the quarry 4 km away and erected), the tombs and castles of kings, Axum Museum and Mariamtsion Church, built on the site of Ethiopia’s first church. A chapel within the church compound is believed by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians to house the Ark of the Covenant, or the original tablets of Moses on which are inscribed the 10 Commandments (see Graham Hancock’s The Sign and the Seal).

On arrival we transfer to our hotel and after check in and a break for refreshments, we can start our tour with a visit to the newly constructed museum, immediately behind the stellae, and then the stellae themselves. We continue our tour, ascending the hill to the east to see the castle and tomb of King Kalab, passing on the way Mai Shum (or the bath of the Queen of Sheba), and also the stone on which is carved exploits of the Axumite kings in three languages, Ge'ez, Himyar (from Yemen) and Greek.

We then proceed to the grounds of Mariamtsion Church, we can see the ruins of the old church, and the stone seats of judges. Women are not allowed the 17th century church built by Emperor Fasilides. And end the day with a visit to the site known locally as Queen Sheba’s Palace, although in fact it is of a later date, the villa of an Axumite notable from around the 1st century AD.

Then, we proceed to Tekle and his family home for cooking experience and dinner.

Overnight : Sabean Hotel/Similar

Today we drive to the Semien Mountains National park through the Tekezze valley and the scenic Lima Limo road.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since the late 1960s, the Simien Mountains National Park presents perhaps the most dramatic scenery in Africa – great volcanic plugs, formed some 40 million years ago and eroded over the aeons into fantastic crags, pinnacles and flat topped mountains, “the chess pieces of the Gods”, as one writer described them, tower over precipitous gorges, river valleys and plains stretching all the way to Eritrea. There are many peaks over 4000 metres, and Ras Dashen at 4620 metres is the highest in the country and the fourth highest in Africa.

In the Simiens visitors can see the endemic Gelada or bleeding heart baboon, the Walia Ibex, the Simien Wolf (the rarest canid in the world) and rock hyrax, and endemic birds such as the Thick billed Raven, Black headed Siskin, White Collared Pigeon, Wattled Ibis, White billed Starling, Spot breasted Plover and White backed Black Tit. Cruising Lammergeyers are often seen. The park is also famous for its Afro-Alpine flora, meadows and grasslands punctuated by Giant Lobelia and flowering Red Hot Pokers. Explore the lodge area.

Overnight: Semien Lodge/Similar

Today, we will head a little deeper into the park, up to and a little past Sankaber, for marvelous views and plenty of Gelada baboons. Those who feel up to it can walk, otherwise we can simply enjoy the views walking along the escarpments.

Overnight: Semien Lodge/Similar

Up on arrival is Gondar, we check in to our hotel, take lunch and start the city tour of Gondar including the castle compound, Debre Birhan Sellassie church and others.

Gondar was the imperial capital from the 17th to mid-19th centuries, and the Royal Enclosure or Fasil Gibbi, provides visitors with an idea of what it must have been like in its heyday. Within the compound are the castles of various Gondarene emperors – extensive renovation has been and is still being carried out – along with a banqueting hall, stables and churches. About 2 km from the town centre is the bath of King Fasilides, where at Timkat (Ethiopian Epiphany) a nearby river is diverted to fill an area the size of a small swimming pool. Worshippers plunge into the cold water in a re-enactment of the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan.

Although most of Gondar’s churches were destroyed during the Mahdist invasion from Sudan in the 1880s, one very fine example, Debre Berhan Selassie, was saved, according to the legend, by a swarm of bees which routed the invaders. The walls and ceiling are completely covered with murals - the angels’ faces on the ceiling have become a common motif in Ethiopian design.

A good place to end your tour of Gondar is the ruined palace of Queen Mentowab, and the church of Qusquam Mariam, situated on a hill just outside town. Gondar is a great place for experiencing the Ethiopian tradition of azmari music, where a couple of wandering minstrels, a girl with a strident voice clapping in time to the music accompanied by a man playing a single stringed violin or masinqo, entertain their listeners with songs about life, the world and their audience.

Overnight: Goha Hotel

Today we drive through the beautiful countryside to Bahir Dar; check in to hotel and take lunch. This afternoon, we leave by boat for the Zeghie Peninsula, which is known for its 14th century, round, grass roofed churches and their magnificent wall murals. We visit Ura Kidane Mehret church, walking through dense forest with lots of bird life.

Overnight: Jacaranda Hotel/similar

This morning we can make an excursion to the Blue Nile Falls, some 30 km from Bahir Dar. From where we get down from our vehicles, a 30 - 40 minute walk brings us to the falls themselves, which are at their most spectacular during and after the rainy season (from about June to January).

Here the Blue Nile, which contributes 85% of the main Nile flow, starts its long journey to the Mediterranean. Outside the rainy season, the fall will be less striking. In the afternoon we experience walking in the beautiful city of Bahir with sightseeing including the Bezawit palace view to watch when the Blue Nile River leave Lake Tana.

Overnight: Jacaranda Hotel/similar

This is again another scenic drive though Lasta Mountains.

At the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th centuries King Lalibela of the Zaghwe dynasty built a series of rock hewn churches – the New Jerusalem as he called it – now rightly acknowledged to be one of the wonders of the world. There are 11 churches in the town named after him, with others in the surrounding countryside. All are still in use today. (The churches are divided into two groups, the division being the River Yordanos or River Jordan.)

It is estimated that the churches took 25 years to construct – for the Kingdom based on Roha (later renamed Lalibela) to have kept a large work force engaged in economically unproductive labour for such a long period means that it disposed of a large economic surplus and was very wealthy. The area then was clearly fertile and agriculturally productive, whereas now deforestation and population pressures on the land have reduced its productivity.

Overnight: Lal Hotel/Similar

Today we will visit the 11 rock churches in Lalibela that was chiseled out of a single rock (volcanic) rock about 800 years ago. What makes the rock churches amazing is that it is still giving service to the believers. Therefore, you can easily see people praying around the church.

Tonight, we will enjoy the “honey wine” – local drink called Tej with local dance.

Overnight: Lal Hotel/Similar

Today you catch the flight to Addis Ababa and then onward to your own country.

The above cost doesn’t include domestic flight fare. And the domestic flight fare of this program is around USD 150.00 per person if you are using Ethiopian Airlines for your international flight. Please note that this fare is subject to change up on issuance.

We hope you enjoyed your trip to Ethiopia and we love to have you back again.