14 Days - ETHIOPIA - 'Historical & Community Trekking - Danakil Expedition'

Day notes

Arrive mid-morning / afternoon, meet and greet at Bole International Airport (see map on location to find for your meet & greet). Transfer to Capital Hotel & Spa Hotel for check-in & shower.  You may use the remainder of the day to explore Addis.

Highlights of Addis include:

• A tour of the 'Lucy' Museum
• Selassie Church / Trinity Cathedral 
• A visit to a market
• Views of Addis
• Stop-over for a traditional Coffee experience in Addis (Good strong Ethiopian Coffee)

Dinner at one of the recommended Restaurants

Day notes

After breakfast, transfer to airport for a scheduled flight (1hr)  to Bahir Dar at 7h10. On arrival at Bahir Dar, you will transfer to your hotel for Check-in. Activities that can be enjoyed on this day in Bahir Dar includes:

• A visit to monasteries on Lake Tana
• A boat trip on the Lake Tana
• Go see the almighty Blue Nile Falls

Enjoy the evening at the lodge over-looking the lake and enjoying the view.

Day notes

After a relaxed breakfast, transfer back to the airport for a scheduled (30min) flight to Lalibela at 09h00.

On arrival at Lalibela, you will  transfer to town (30min drive) to check-in at your hotel.

Lalibela is  known for its distinctive rock-cut churches dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, which are pilgrimage sites for Coptic Christians. Carved out of rock, the subterranean monoliths include huge Bete Medhane Alem, and cross-shaped Bete Giyorgis. Many are joined by tunnels and trenches, and some have carved bas-reliefs and coloured frescoes inside.

A tour of these churches can be split into 2 x half days trips - once inside the Churches, it is peaceful.

It is recommended on this night that you eat dinner at a fun restaurant called Ben Abeba.

Day notes

Rise early on this day for a morning visit to more churches (that you did not visit the day before), return to the hotel for a late breakfast. Leaving for the airport at 11h30 for your (30min) flight to Gondar at 13h20. On arrival in Gondar, you will transfer from the airport  (45min – 1 hr drive ) to your hotel, where you will check-in, and enjoy the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying the views.

You may have dinner in town on this day - speak to the hotel reception or your guide on recommended traditional Ethiopian restaurants, or you may choose to stay at the hotel for dinner.

There is a very nice fish restaurant that serves great local fish from Lake Tana – you see it when flying into the Gondar.

Day notes

After a relaxing breakfast, transfer to the Simien Mountains (2hr drive), here you will pass through a beautiful landscape to a town called Debark, where you will check-in at Limalimo Lodge for 2 nights. The Lodge is located in the Simien Mountain National Park. You will enjoy a nice relaxing lunch, soaking in the views while your guide purchases your permits for the National Park entry (the permits can only be purchased once onsite and not beforehand).

You may choose to take a short nature walk  that leaves from the lodge on this afternoon. 

Eat dinner at the lodge.

Day notes

After an early breakfast, transfer to Axum (7hr drive). This is a very scenic trip as you will drive down roads around the Simien Mountains. You will end up in Tekeze Gorge, which is  a major tributary of the Nile. You will arrive in Axum, which is the capital of the ancient Axumite Temple. Check-in at your hotel for the afternoon, and eat at hotel on this night, as there are no decent recommended restaurants in town. You will enjoy relaxing after a day in the car.

Axum is known for its tall, carved obelisks, which are relics of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum. Most of these relics are found in the northern Stelae Park, including a huge fallen pillar, which is now in pieces.

The centuries-old St. Mary of Zion is a Christian Church and pilgrimage site believed to have housed the biblical Ark of the Covenant. The neighbouring Chapel of the Tablet is said to contain the Ark today.

Day notes

After breakfast, visit the some of the historical highlights of Axum, which include:

Tall carved obelisks:

Relics of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum. Most of these relics are found in the northern Stelae Park, including a huge fallen pillar, which is now in pieces.

St. Mary of Zion Church:

The centuries-old  Christian church and pilgrimage site believed to have housed the biblical Ark of the Covenant. The neighbouring Chapel of the Tablet is said to contain the Ark today.

After a morning of visiting these sites, you will drive to Agame Mountains, where you will be dropped off  at a trail head to start your TESFA Community Trekking for 2 nights.

The trekking takes you up onto the sandstone ridges and through the farmed valleys with ample chance to see farming and community activities. There is also a surprising amount of wildlife in these mountains with Gelada Baboons, Hyrax, Jackals being among the mammals seen in this area, and a wonderful selection of birds from sunbirds and little Cordon Bleu to Lammergeyers and Batteleur Eagles.

The most westerly guesthouse is at Erar,  built on an isolated section of the western escarpment with wonderful views westward to the mountains of Adwa and the Nebulet pillars. It can be accessed from the Adigrat – Axum road via a good gravel road that ends at a village called Rahya from where it is a 90min walk along the escarpment to Erar. This is where you will stay on this night. 

Enjoy a drink at sunset, watching the world from a viewpoint and enjoy the experience of a traditional coffee ceremony, while chatting with the local people.

Day notes

After breakfast, it is a 5 hour walk/hike  through the valleys to Shimbrety. As you get close to Shimbrety there is an interesting rock tunnel that has been carved through the ridge to give villages on the western side access to the lovely rock church of Maryam Buzuhan. The church itself is beautiful, and the trail thereafter hugs the mountain and winds up to the plateau on the top.

Shimbrety is the most southerly community-run guesthouse, some 20km north of Hawzien. This is on the western ridge of the Agame Mountains. You will stay here on this night.

As per the day before, you can enjoy a drink at sunset, watching the world from a viewpoint and enjoy the experience of a traditional coffee ceremony, while chatting with the local people.

Day notes

After breakfast, hike down to Gheralta on a 90min walk, here you will be picked up by a car at 10h30 and transfer to one of the preferred lodges for check-in.

You will have lunch at the lodge, followed by a visit to the Rock Church (known as Abuna Yemata Goh - as seen in the BBC short film) , which involves a short climb, but is not recommended for people with Vertigo.

You will overnight in Gheralta.

Day notes

After breakfast, transfer (2hr drive) from Gheralta to the town of Mekelle, on-route you will visit rock hewn Churches, and stop for lunch in a town called Ukro for traditional Ethiopian food.

On arrival in Mekelle you will overnight in preparation for your transfer to Dalol the next day. Enjoy the cool rooms and get a chance to sort your bags for a night of camping. Eat at the hotel on this night as there are no recommended restaurants, unless the hotel reception is able to recommend any new places to visit.

Day notes

After breakfast in Mekelle, transfer (2.5hr drive) to Saba River, which is located on the Saba Canyon, and a 30min drive from Lake Asale.

You will settle into your campsite, and the take a short drive to experience some Camel Culture & see the sun set with sundowners at Lake Asale, before transferring back to camp for a night under the stars and dinner around the campfire.       

Day notes

Wake up early for tea, coffee and a camp breakfast, and head down into the Dalol area (1.5hr drive), known as the Danakil Depression. You need to go early morning as the temperatures are still cool. You will explore the area for 2-3 hours, where you will get to experience the geysers of the psychedelic Dallol “Jiin Hill”. A 10,000 square km wide depression, which sinks as deep as over 100 meters under sea level, highlights will include:

• Salt mines (where you can see the cutting of salt blocks during cooler months)
• Mineral deposits of sulphur and pot ash
• Pools of water & strange salt deposits

After Exploring the area, you will drive back to camp for lunch before packing up and transferring (2.5hr drive) back to Mekelle for your departure flight (50min) to Addis at 17h55