HISTORIC ROUTE & SIMIEN MOUNTAINS ETHIOPIA

Day notes

Arrive in Addis Ababa

Upon arrival in Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines, you will be met by Horizon Africa Safari experts at the airport and transfer to Hotel to drop of your luggages. Later you may go out for

sightseeing or take a rest till lunch time.

In the after noon, city tour of Addis Ababa will cover the following:-

- Haile Selassie’s former palace, which is now the home of the Ethnological Museum. Exhibits here represent the best of the arts and crafts of the country and give an in-depth insight into the various peoples of Ethiopia

- Visit to the National Museum, known to be the best museum in Africa, where cultural and archaeological relics, including a plaster cast of "Lucy," the 3.2 million-year-old Hominid, are displayed.

- Drive to Mountain Entoto for panoramic view of the city-

- You will conclud your day by visiting Markato, eastern Africa’s largest open market.

Day notes

Fly to Bahir Dar

Bahir Dar is situated on the shore of Lake Tana in northwestern Ethiopia. Bahir Dar is a small town set on the southeastern shore of Lake Tana (Ethiopia’s largest lake) where local fishermen still use papyrus boats and just 30Km (19Miles) from the spectacular Tiss Issat Falls.

Drive to the Blue Nile falls (Tis Issat), for about 45 minutes by road followed by a 30 minute; walk from the road to the falls. Here, the Blue Nile starts its journey to the Mediterranean.

Afternoon visit local market known for Baskets, cereals, clothes and spices and many more. In late afternoon drive to the close by hill to view the city and the Nile River leaving Lake Tana to start its journey to the Mediterranean Sea.

O/N Abay Minch lodge

Day notes

Bahir Dar

This morining a boat trip on Lake Tana will take you to the great water system that gives the

Blue Nile its tremendous power. You will have an opportunity to view magnificently preserved island monasteries of the thirteenth century including ancient church and treasury of Ura Kidane Mehret at Zeghie Peninsula and Azua Mariam.

In the afternoon drive to Gondar, which was once a capital city of Ethiopian kingdoms during the 16th Century.

Upon arrival, check into the Goha Hotel in time for lunch. The hotel is ideally situated on the hills of the city offering stunning views of the historical wonders

O/N Goha hotel

Day notes

Fly to Axum

After taking breakfast be transferred to the airport for your flight to Axum. Axum is the “last of the great civilizations of antiquity to be revealed to modern knowledge” and is listed as World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Axum is believed to date back over 2000 years and the tradition has it that it was once the capital city of the much-disputed Queen of Sheba. While going to the Stele Park, make a stop at the so-called Queen of Sheba’s Bath, a reservoir hewn out of massive rock, used by locals for water supply. Check out the Stele Park, where you can find giant Stele carved out of a single piece of granite, each resembles a tall, slender, multi storey house in the architectural style of the Axumite houses. There are two churches of great interest in Axum one old and one new churches of saint Mary of Zion where the original Ark of the Covenant is placed then precede your tour to the archaeological Museum which houses several stones bearing sabean and Geez inscriptions, as well as many other artefacts. More visit to the tombs of Kaleb and his son Gebre Meskal set on a hill, Ezana’s inscription and if

time allows drive out of town to visit The ruins of Queen of Sheba's palace.

Dinner and overnight in Yeha Hotel

Day notes

Lalibella

Fly to Lalibella, Lalibella celebrated throughout the world for its incredible churches hewn from the rock as expression of religious faith. The town is named after Emperor Lalibella (1181-1221) who is credited with the creation of this type of church, but some of these.

Monolithic churches May predate him. Cut in to the ground and displaying the finest craftsmanship these places of worship are separated from the ground around them by deep and shadowy trenches. Some like Bête Ghiorgis are cross-shaped, while others like Bet Abba Libanos resembles Aksumite Palaces. Genete Mariyam, has A gabled roof with crosses carved on it low relief. No two churches are exactly the same.

Today you will visit the eleven monolithic & semi monolithic of the 12th century Churches that are

Classified into two clusters (eastern & Western) you will see the first group of the churches.

Next morning, after having your breakfast visit the second group of King Lalibella churches. Afternoon enjoy your free time.

Overnight Tukul Village.

Day notes

Fly back to Addis Ababa - Home

The day will be for leisure and shopping,

Evening Farwell dinner party enjoying folkloric dance

Transfer out for your international flight and fly back home