9 Days - ETHIOPIA - 'African Heritage & Gelada Baboon Experience'

1. INTRODUCTION

This 'African Heritage & Gelada Baboon Experience' has been carefully designed for those travel history enthusiasts looking for a unique, authentic and ‘Off the Beaten Track’ experience. 

Ethiopia rivals Egypt with its ancient cultural sites seeped in history, dating back for centuries when emperors still ruled the land. You will visit these historical and religious ceremonial sites scattered across the country, intertwined with unique landmarks and wildlife found only in Ethiopia. You will experience its' vast landscape by foot through mountains and ancient villages. Staying in a mixture of accommodation, interlaced with community guest house hospitality in the Tigray region with some days of luxury in the Simien Mountains enjoying the endemic wildlife and cool fresh air.

Eating and drinking in Ethiopia is almost a religion in itself, with its unique traditional cuisine and popular Coffee Culture - practiced in every house, everyday across the country. You will have the opportunity to dine 'Ethiopian Style' in almost every location you visit, testing your palette with local flavours and washing it down with what is considered the best coffee in the world.

Highlights of this experience include:

The historical and religious ceremonial sites of Lalibela, Gondar and Axum

The Mighty Blue Nile Falls that spreads as wide as 400m in the wet season, where a short distance downstream from the falls sits the first stone bridge constructed in Ethiopia, built at the command of Emperor Susenyos in 1626.

Exploring the Simien Mountains in the north, where you will encounter the endemic and popular Gelada Baboons, where you can get within a couple of meters of them.

For more information on the day to day breakdown and highlights of what this itinerary will include and to book a trip with Inspired Journeys, please contact us so we can send you a more detailed version of this VERY INSPIRING JOURNEY.

2. SUMMARY OF ITINERARY

You will be met by an Inspired Journeys representative on your arrival at Bole International Airport in Addis (known as the Capital city of Ethiopia), it is from here that your journey into the countrys' vast landscape will begin. Due to the large area of the country with major cities being spread out, most of your journey will be joined with domestic flights between these cities, with some days of driving through scenic and beautiful landscapes. The local Ethiopian Airline connects to 22 of its’ main cities, making it is easy to plan your trip with short flights. In order to do this, we recommend that you book your international flight with Ethiopian Airlines, where you will be issued with a PNR number on your ticket that we can use to book your domestic flights for your trip at a discounted rate. Please note this does not apply to other international airlines (such as Lufthansa), and this case, you would be charged full rates for domestic flights.

On your arrival in Addis, you will explore this busy city, with its’ market, stopping over for a traditional Coffee experience (Good strong Ethiopian Coffee), and visiting 2 of it’s main museums and site attractions:

1. A tour of the 'Lucy' Museum
2. Selassie Church / Trinity Cathedral 

Ethiopian food is a culture in which you may want to experience, where you will be provided with a recommended Restaurant guideline – depending on the food you wish to eat.

The remainder of your trip will include the following highlights:

BAHIR DAR

Flight: Addis / Bahir Dar (1hr)

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

LALIBELA

Flight: Bahir Dar / Lalibela (30min)

Well 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.

GONDAR

Flight: Lalibela / Gondar (50min)

Gondar, or Gonder, is a city in northern Ethiopia. It is known for the walled Fasil Ghebbi fortress and palace compound, once the seat of Ethiopian Emperors. Dominating it is the immense 17th-century castle of Emperor Fasilides, which combines Portuguese, Indian and local architectural styles. Outside the complex is Debre Berhan Selassie Church, with an interior of elaborate murals, including a ceiling of faces. Other highlights include:

• Original Church built by Fasilidis
• Facilidis – Ceremonial bath

SIMIEN MOUNTAINS

You will drive for 2hrs through a beautiful landscape to a town called Debark, where you will stay in a lodge located in the Simien Mountain National Park.

Exploring this mountain range will include:

• Seeing Gelada Baboons, where you can step out the car – and get within a couple of meters of them. (They are not aggressive Baboons)
• Ethiopian Wolf, although they are harder to spot in this area and more visual in the Bale Mountain
• Lammergeyers

AXUM

You will drive to Axum on a 7hr journey, with very scenic roads around the Simien Mountains, where you will end up in Tekeze Gorge, which is a major tributary of the Nile. Arriving in Axum, which is the capital of the ancient Axumite Temple. 

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.

Here your journey will come to an end, or you may choose to connect it with another one of our 'Inspiring Journeys' to a different destination.

If you feel like more of an adventure,  we can add a trip to the Bale Mountains, and if the season is right - we can also add a trip to Dalol

Ask us for more information on extensions to this trip.