Yama Ethiopia Tours is always ready to plan and escort your trip to such diverse tourist attraction sites that will be visited within a five-day trip from Addis Ababa to Bale Tigray Churches. Explore Axum's ancient stelae and the legend of the Ark of the Covenant, the 700 BC Yeha Temple, and the breathtaking cliff-top churches of Geralta, including Abuna Yemata and Maryam Korkor — a journey by air and land into Ethiopia's oldest history.
Itinerary
| Day | Day Activities | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| Day 01 | Arrival in Addis Ababa & Sightseeing Upon arrival at Bole International Airport, you will be met by your Yama Ethiopia Tours representative and taken to your reserved hotel. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy sightseeing in Addis Ababa, including the National Museum (home of the famous Lucy fossil skeleton), the Ethnological Museum, and Entoto Hills, offering a panoramic view of the city. | Ramada Addis / Best Western Hotel — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 02 | Fly to Axum & Explore the City Fly further north to Axum, the oldest city in Ethiopia. After an eight-kilometer drive to town and hotel check-in, spend a full day exploring the city: the museum at the Stelae Field, the impressive Stelae Fields, the grounds of the 16th-century Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion (home of the original Ark of the Covenant), the Queen of Sheba's ruined palace, and the Tomb of Kaleb and Gebre Meskel, with a stop for souvenirs and a stretch of the legs on the way back to the hotel. | Sabean International Hotel — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 03 | Drive to Geralta via Yeha Temple In the morning, drive to Geralta, stopping on the way at Yeha Temple, the oldest standing building in Ethiopia. Built in the Sabaean style and dated to around 700 BC, the Great Tower is similar to structures in South Arabia from the same era, making it the oldest standing building in Africa south of the Sahara; its excellent state of preservation has been attributed to its rededication as a Christian church, perhaps as early as the sixth century AD. The afternoon is free. | Geralta Lodge / Vision Hotel — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 04 | Excursion to Abuna Yemata & Maryam Korkor In the morning, make an excursion to Abuna Yemata, climbing along impressive red rock cliffs to reach the church, known for its ancient and colorful paintings — the climb is not simple and is for the adventurous. In the afternoon, visit the Church of Maryam Korkor, with its impressive frescoes, then the cave church of Daniel Korkor, before descending to the picturesque village of Korkor, surrounded by fields and fichus trees. | Geralta Lodge / Vision Hotel — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 05 | Drive to Mekele & Fly Back to Addis In the late morning, drive to Mekele and transfer to the airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa. | Departure — Breakfast |