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Short tour of Classic Ethiopia

The best of Ethiopia in this short 10-day classic tour of the country’s most scenic places. Visit the fertile green lands of Bahir Dar with its island monasteries, the culture and tradition of the communities living around Lake Tana, the former imperial city of Gondar, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, and the stunning Simien Mountains National Park. After this trip north, relax in Ethiopia’s lush Great Rift Valley, home to famous lakes such as Langano and the twin lakes Abjatta and Shalla. The Rift Valley is a photographer’s paradise and a haven for many bird species.

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Details

  • Ethiopia
  • October 20, 2024 - December 31, 2024 - March 9, 2025
  • 10 days/9 nights
  • from €1,980.00

The fee includes.

  • All domestic flights in Ethiopia with Ethiopian Airlines in economy (supplement of €240 if intercontinental flights are not operated by Ethiopian Airlines) and related airport taxes;
  • 9 overnight stays in double rooms in the hotels and lodges indicated in the program or similar
  • All internal transfers by private car
  • Full board from lunch or dinner on the first day (depending on time of arrival) to dinner on the last day, with 1 non-alcoholic drink per meal
  • All admissions to attractions, churches, museums and national parks listed in the program
  • Local guides at each destination
  • Italian-speaking escort throughout the trip

The fee does NOT include.

  • Intercontinental flights and related airport taxes
  • Medical, baggage and cancellation insurance
  • Visa for Ethiopia (as of today USD 82 per person, subject to change without notice)
  • Alcoholic beverages, snacks, meals not mentioned
  • Tips to guides, chaperone and drivers
  • Fees on camera or video camera use (if any)
  • Personal expenses and extras
  • Anything not specifically listed under services included in the fee

Some
more information

  • Small groups of a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 12 participants to make the experience more authentic
  • Guided tour of Addis Ababa
  • Excursion to Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve and Blue Nile Falls
  • Visit to several UNESCO sites including the Castles of Gondar, Simien Mountains National Park, and the 11 rock churches of Lalibela
  • Short trek to Ras Dashen, the highest mountain in Ethiopia,
  • Relaxation at the Great Rift Valley at the end of the tour
  • Boat ride on Lake Ziway

DAY 1.
Discovering the capital city of Addis Ababa

Arrive at Addis Ababa International Airport and meet your guide for transfer to your hotel for refreshments. Depending on your arrival time, option to join a guided tour of Ethiopia’s vibrant capital city. In the National Museum you will discover the cradle of humanity where the skeleton of “Lucy” is preserved. Mount Entoto, with its eucalyptus forest, is a short escape from the city to visit Mariyam Church and Menelik’s Palace, where the emperors resided. Those who prefer can opt for one of the city’s weekly markets. Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Meals included : dinner
Overnight stay: Addis Ababa, Sunspot Hotel or similar (check-in after noon)

DAY 2
Coffee forests and historic monasteries in the Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve

Breakfast at the hotel. By internal flight, we reach the lakeside town of Bahir Dar. Lake Tana is the largest in the country and its tropical setting is the perfect retreat to begin the boat cruise, engage in birdwatching and finally reach the Zeghe Peninsula, where 700-year-old monasteries are hidden among coffee plantations. Lunch on the excursion. Discover the beauty of this natural and cultural heritage before returning to town and to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Walking: 2km / 1 hour | difficulty: easy | elevation gain: ↑100m, ↓100m)
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight stay: Bahir Dar, Abay Minch Lodge or similar

DAY 3
The towering Blue Nile Falls

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we reach Tis Issat, just outside Bahir Dar, where the Blue Nile Falls are located. A 2-3 hour excursion that allows you to see the falls from different perspectives, cross two bridges (one of which is the historic Portuguese bridge), then cross the Blue Nile by boat and see sugar cane plantations. Lunch on the excursion. In the afternoon, we reach the Blue Nile Falls viewpoint, where former Emperor Haile Selassie built his summer residential palace. Return to our lodge, dinner and overnight stay.

Walking: 4/5km – 2/3 hours | difficulty: moderate | elevation gain: ↑150m, ↓150m
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight stay: Bahir Dar, Abay Minch Lodge or similar

DAY 4.
Ethiopia’s Camelot: The Castles of Gondar

After breakfast, depart for Gondar. The castles of Gondar, dating back to the 17th century, have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today we visit the royal area with its 5 palaces and then the Debre Birhan Selassie Church (Church of the Holy Trinity), whose interior is beautifully decorated with 17th-century religious paintings. It is truly one of the most beautiful churches in Ethiopia. Lunch on the excursion. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Overnight stay: Gondar, Harfazy Resort or similar

DAY 5
Natural beauty and views in the Simien Mountains National Park

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we continue our journey through the imposing Simien Mountains. The National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site was established to protect endemic animals such as the Walia capricorn ibex, Ethiopian wolf, red-breasted baboons, and several bird species such as the big-billed raven and bearded vulture. The Roof of Africa is also home to Ethiopia’s highest mountain, Ras Dashen, at 4,550 meters. On easy walks, we discover changing and overwhelming landscapes, endless vistas and jagged mountains at striking viewpoints, surrounded by rare Afro-alpine flora with juniper, St. John’s wort and heather, Kniepofia, a species of tree heath, and Kosso tree. Lunch on the excursion. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Walking: 4km – 1/2 hours | difficulty: easy | elevation gain: ↑100m, ↓150m)
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight stay: Gondar, Harfazy Resort or similar

DAY 6
Lalibela

After breakfast, depart by internal flight to the holy city of Lalibela (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Its 11 rock-hewn churches, dating back to the 12th century, are truly mysterious. Legends claim that this miracle is the work of angels. Late morning arrival in Lalibela for hotel check-in. After lunch, first visit to the holy city of Lalibela. Return to hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight stay: Lalibela, Lalibela Lodge or similar

DAY 7
Lalibela’s masterpieces: its eleven rock churches

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we enter the heart of the holy city. During the guided tour, we will walk through mazes of trenches and tunnels to discover the eleven rock churches of Lalibela. Beta Medhane Alem (Church of the Savior of the World) and Beta Gyorgis (Church of St. George) are architectural masterpieces that rank among Ethiopia’s greatest rock churches. Beta Mariam (Church of St. Mary), with its beautiful paintings and frescoes, is no less impressive than the churches in the southern group, which was an ancient fortress with narrow and confusing paths. Lunch on the excursion. After a full day discovering all the most striking details of this unique archaeological site, we are treated to a sunset dinner with a splendid view of the Lasta Mountains. Return to hotel, overnight stay.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Overnight stay: Lalibela, Lalibela Lodge or similar

DAY 8
Return to Addis Ababa and transfer to Langano

After a relaxing breakfast at the hotel, late morning transfer to Lalibela airport for the flight to Addis Ababa. Upon arrival, we travel south to Langano, in the so-called Great African Rift Valley, for 1-2 relaxing days at the end of the trip. Lunch on transfer. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight stay: Langano, Sabana Lodge or similar

DAY 9
The3 lakes in the Rift Valley

Breakfast at the hotel. A few kilometers from Lake Langano there are 3 other lakes, Abjatta and Shalla, which are part of the national park of the same name and which we are going to explore today. The two lakes are completely different: in the former we find ostriches and flamingos, and on the shore of the latter we find several hot springs. Some springs have water so hot that the locals use it to boil eggs, potatoes or other foods. Lunch on the excursion. After the visit, return to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Overnight stay: Langano, Sabana Lodge or similar.

DAY 10
Returnto Addis Ababa and depart

After breakfast, we return to Addis Ababa. On the way back, we stop at Lake Ziway for a short boat cruise to spot the different varieties of water birds. Seafood lunch before resuming the journey to the capital. Weather permitting, before departure we pay a visit to the Addis Ababa market to buy the last souvenirs. At the end of the day, traditional dinner with music and dancing before being transferred to the airport in time for boarding operations on the flight back to Italy. End of services.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight stay on board.

Ethiopia is a country where ancient history, culture and spectacular landscapes come together to offer a unique travel experience. Located in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is the only country on the continent that has never been colonized, and this independence has preserved a strong cultural identity. Among its most treasured treasures are its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which tell the story of this nation’s thousand-year history. The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, carved into the rock in the 12th century, are an architectural and spiritual wonder that attracts pilgrims and visitors from around the world. Axum, once the capital of the ancient Axumite kingdom, is home to the famous stelae and obelisks, as well as the ruins of ancient palaces and temples. The Simien Mountains National Park, is home to unique wildlife and offers breathtaking scenery. Ethiopia is also the cradle of several indigenous tribes, each with its own traditions, customs and ancestral rites. The tribes of the Omo Valley, such as the Mursi, known for their lip discs, and the Hamer, famous for their bull-jumping ceremonies, live by ancient rhythms and are custodians of a culture rooted in prehistory. Visiting these villages is like taking a trip back in time, an opportunity to learn about an authentic reality far removed from the influences of modernity. Ethiopian cuisine is another important aspect of the local culture. With its intense and spicy flavors, it is a triumph of colors and aromas. The national dish, injera, a kind of spongy bread made from teff, is served with various stews called “wat,” often made with meat, legumes and vegetables. Also worth trying is doro wat, a spicy chicken stew, and Ethiopian coffee, prepared in a ceremony celebrating the central role of this beverage in the country’s culture. A trip to Ethiopia is an immersion in a land of extraordinary beauty and diversity, where history, nature and culture merge into one, and the oldest traditions remain unchanged with the passage of time.

The cuisine of northern Vietnam is another aspect not to be missed: typical dishes, such as pho and bun cha, are enriched with fresh ingredients and unique flavors that reflect the richness of the region. In Sapa, you can also participate in local markets, where you can buy handicrafts and discover the vibrant cultural exchange between different ethnic groups. A trip to Sapa and northern Vietnam is an immersion in a land where lush nature and age-old culture come together in perfect harmony.

Entry documents:

  • Passport with remaining validity of at least 6 months from the date of entry into the country
  • Round-trip airfare
  • Tourist visa to be applied for online at the official website https://www.evisa.gov.et/ . Cost USD 62 per person for a maximum stay of 30 days (subject to change without notice).

Vaccinations: None. Yellow fever vaccination required for travelers who have transited or come from areas at risk of transmission.

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Eventi Nomadi is a sustainable tourism project linked to the Public Adv. of the Lazio Region “Impresa Formativa. Incentives for business creation in favor of young people and women in Lazio” arranged in implementation of the European Social Fund Plus Program 2021-2027, having as its objective Policy 4 A More Social Europe aimed at self-entrepreneurship for women and young people through the granting of non-repayable grants to new businesses operating in the territory of the Lazio Region.