Book this 10-Day Ethiopia Historical Tour to see Ethiopia’s old churches, castles, and mountains in one trip.
The trip starts with a flight to Mekele, then a visit to Wukro’s rock church. The next day, you hike the Gheralta Mountains, visiting Mariam Korkor, Daniel Korkor, and Abune Yemata Gughe. You then drive to Axum, stopping at the Adwa Mountains and Yeha Temple.
In Axum, you explore old sites and the Church of St. Mary of Zion. After returning to Addis Ababa, you fly to Bahir Dar to visit Lake Tana’s monasteries and the Blue Nile Falls, then continue to Gondar’s castles and the Simien Mountains.
Finally, you visit Lalibela’s famous rock churches before returning to Addis Ababa.
Detailed 10-Day Ethiopia Historical Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Flight to Mekele
Take an early morning flight to Mekele. On arrival, drive to Wukro to visit the church of Abraha We Atsbeha. After the visit, continue to Hawzen for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Hiking Gheralta Mountains
Hike to the Gheralta Mountains. Reaching the top takes about two hours, with narrow paths and steep ground, but the view from the top shows off the Tigray region.
Visit the rock churches of Mariam Korkor and Daniel Korkor. After coming down, have lunch. In the afternoon, take another hike to Abune Yemata Gughe. This hike also takes about two hours but is harder than the morning one. To reach the top, you climb a steep 10 meter rock, with local guides helping with ropes.
Day 3: Drive to Axum
After breakfast, leave Hawzen and drive to Axum. Stop at the Adwa Mountains, where Ethiopians defeated the Italians in a fight to stop colonial rule. Ethiopia remains the only African nation never colonized.
Also visit the Yeha Temple, built over 2,500 years ago using Sabean building style.
Day 4: Axum, the Start of Ethiopian Civilization
Axum is a small but old town in northern Ethiopia, at about 2,100 meters above sea level. Its history goes back about 3,000 years to the peak of the Axumite civilization, with many signs of both older and newer periods.
This town is seen as sacred by many Ethiopians. The Ethiopian Orthodox community believes the Church of St. Mary of Zion holds the Ark of the Covenant, said to contain the Ten Commandments.
Day 5: Drive to Mekele, Then Fly Back to Addis Ababa
After an early breakfast, take a four hour drive to Mekele. On arrival, take a flight back to Addis Ababa.
Day 6: Flight to Bahir Dar
In the morning, fly to Bahir Dar. On arrival, check into your hotel and take a boat cruise on Lake Tana.
Visit two old monasteries, Ura Kidane Mehret and Azwa Maryam, known for their old style paintings. After the visit, drive back to Bahir Dar.
In the afternoon, visit the Blue Nile Falls, a famous stop along the world’s longest river.
Day 7: Drive to Gondar, Camelot of Africa
Drive about 190km to Gondar, stopping in the Amhara region along the way. Gondar was the capital of Ethiopia during the 17th and 18th centuries and is also the gateway to the Simien Mountains.
Visit the castles in Gondar and learn about the emperors who lived there. Later, visit the site of the yearly Timkat festival, a well known event marking the baptism of Jesus Christ. Also visit Debre Berhan Selassie Church, known for its painted ceiling.
Day 8: Explore Simien Mountains National Park
Visit Simien Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with great views along the drive. This area is home to the endangered Gelada baboon and birds found only in Ethiopia, such as the thick-billed raven and wattled ibis. The park also has different plant zones, including woodlands, grasslands, and high mountain moorlands.
Take a short hike to look for baboons and birds before returning to Gondar for the night.
Day 9: Drive to Lalibela, Eighth Wonder of the World
In the morning, drive to Lalibela, another UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Ethiopia. Lalibela is known as the “New Jerusalem” and is famous for its rock churches, seen as the Eighth Wonder of the World.
The eastern group of churches includes Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet Mikael, and Bet Golgotha.
Day 10: Visit the Lalibela Churches, Then Fly Back to Addis Ababa
Explore the eight churches built by King Lalibela, then head south to see the eastern group of churches, including Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet Mikael, and Bet Golgotha. Also visit the famous Church of Bet Giyorgis, built in honor of St. George.
Drive back to Addis Ababa for your flight home, with a stop for lunch to enjoy Ethiopian food and local cultural entertainment.
Book this 10-Day Ethiopia Historical Tour today and see Lalibela’s rock churches, Axum’s ancient sites, and the Simien Mountains.
