Heart of African Civilization Group Safari

Your group safari begins today as you board your international flight to Africa!

Welcome to Africa! Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, you will be met and transferred to the Hilton Hotel. After checking in to the hotel and freshening up, you will head out with your guide for an afternoon tour of Addis Ababa.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Bahir Dar. Upon arrival you will head straight for a boat tour of Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake which is dotted at least 30 islands, on many of which are found churches and monasteries. You will sail to the 18th-century church of NrgaSillasse, one of the most beautifully painted churches in Ethiopia. Continue to Ura Kidane Mihret and Azwa Maryam on the Zege Peninsula and walk through the coffee forest to find this church, known for its impressive mural.

Sail for another hour and arrive in Bahir Dar. You will check into the Avanti Blue Nile Hotel with a view of Lake Tana.

After breakfast you will leave for the Magnificent Blue Nile Falls, known locally as Tissiat, which means “Smoking Water.” You will return to Bahir Dar for lunch. In the afternoon you can choose to spend rest of the day at leisure or visit the Bezawit Palace, built in 1967 for former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie and used just twice before his death. It is forbidden to enter the Palace, but from the hilltop there are panoramic views out over Lake Tana. Return to Bahir Dar and visit the bustling central market, one of the largest markets in Northern Ethiopia.

Today your group safari takes you to the Simien Mountains via Gondar. Enroute, stop over at Kossoye to enjoy the magnificent landscape. Your accommodation for the next two nights is the Simien Lodge, and as the highest lodge in Africa at 3,260m it certainly lives up to its description of being a breathless experience.

Tomorrow will be spent exploring Simien Mountains National Park. You’ll trek for about 2 hours through beautiful scenery to the Jinbar waterfall. A vehicle will be waiting for your drive to Chenek, returning in the afternoon to Simien Lodge.

This morning you will drive to Gondar and explore this historical city. You will end your day at Mayleko Lodge in Gondar.

Your group safari continues today as you fly to Axum. On arrival you will be transferred to the Sabean International Hotel for the evening.

This morning you fly to Lalibela, the “New Jerusalem”’ built by King Lalibela in the 12th century that is a World Heritage Site with 11 rock-hewn churches. Upon your arrival in Lalibela you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon you will set out to visit the North West cluster of churches. These comprise Bet MedhaneAlem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet DebreSina and Bet Golgotha. Also included in this tour is the isolated monolith of Bet Giyorgis (the Church of St George). Bet MedhaneAlem is the largest monolithic rock-hewn church in the world.

Your excursion this morning takes you to the mountaintop monastery of Asheton Maryam. The drive there covers some spectacular mountain scenery. This monastery is also associated with King Nakuta La’ab, who most probably founded it and may even be buried in the chapel. It is best to set out in the cool of the early morning and return about midday. The path is rather steep in parts and strewn with loose stones, reaching an altitude of almost 4,000m.

This afternoon you will visit the South East cluster of churches. These are more irregular in design than the North West cluster. Several of the individual churches in this cluster are thought to have been secular in origin and some predate the reign of King Lalibela by five centuries. The churches in the southeast cluster include Bet Gebriel-Rafael, Bet Abba Libanos, Bet Lehem, Bet Emanuel and Bet Mercurios. According to the legends, Bet Abba Libanos was built overnight by Lalibela’s wife MeskelKebre, assisted by a group of angels.

Today you fly back to Addis Ababa where you will explore the Mercato. It is said to be the largest open-air market in Africa where a bewildering array of goods from unusual spices to goats and garments is available. Nearby there are small shops selling coffee, craftwork, jewelery, antiques, cloth and clothing. Wherever you shop, haggling is the norm.

In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner in a cultural restaurant that is accompanied by a traditional Ethiopian music and dance. You will then be transferred to the airport for your international flight home.