Yama Ethiopia Tours is always ready to plan and escort your trip to such diverse tourist attraction sites that will be visited within a thirteen-day journey from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar, Gondar, the Simien Mountains, Lalibela, Langano, Turmi, and Omorate — combining Ethiopia's Northern Historic Route with the Southern Omo Valley. Explore the highland waters of Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls, the legendary castles of Gondar, the afro-alpine wilderness of the Simien Mountains, the awe-inspiring rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the shores of Lake Langano, and the remarkable traditions of the Omo Valley's Dorze, Konso, Dasenach, Hamer, Karo, and Mursi peoples.
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 transferred to your reserved hotel. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a city tour of Addis Ababa, including the National Museum (home of the famous 'Lucy' fossil skeleton), Trinity Cathedral Church, the Ethnological Museum, and Entoto Hills. | Hyatt Regency — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 02 | Fly to Bahir Dar & Sightseeing (Lake Tana & Blue Nile Falls) Catch a morning flight to Bahir Dar and transfer to your reserved lodge/hotel. After check-in and breakfast, start your journey with a boat cruise on beautiful Lake Tana, visiting a beautifully decorated thatched-roof monastery known for its distinctive colorful frescoes of religious scenes and old manuscripts. After a lunch break, take a scenic drive to the little town of Tis Abay to visit the famous Blue Nile Falls, then drive back to Bahir Dar for overnight. | Kuriftu Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 03 | Drive to Gondar & Sightseeing Head to the legendary city and world heritage site of Gondar, known as the 'Camelot of Africa.' It was the 17th and 18th century capital city of Ethiopia and home to a number of emperors, warlords, and kings who built several castles within one compound. Visit the royal enclosure surrounded by high stone walls (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). | Gondar Hill Resort — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 04 | Drive to Simien Mountains National Park Today drive to the jagged panorama of Simien Mountains National Park, famed for its exclusive landscape, afro-alpine vegetation, and unique wildlife, where you may spot the endemic Walia Ibex, Gelada Baboon troops, Bushbuck, and Klipspringer. Staying for one night, you'll enjoy dramatic scenery and troop-friendly Gelada Baboons at very close distance, along with birds such as the Chestnut-naped Francolin, Mountain Thrush, Thick-billed Raven, Lammergeyer, White-collared Pigeon, and Ankober Serin, to name a few. | Limalimo Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 05 | More Excursions in Simien NP & Drive Back to Gondar Spend more time in the breathtaking Simien Mountains National Park, hiking along mountain trails and enjoying the endless unique flora and fauna of this elevated region, including Giant Lobelias. Drive to Chenek and trek to see the Walia Ibex, a unique species indigenous to Ethiopia and the Simien Mountains. Drive back to Gondar in the late afternoon. | Gondar Hill Resort — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 06 | Fly to Lalibela & Visit Rock-Hewn Churches In the morning, transfer to the airport and fly to Lalibela, then transfer to your hotel. After a short break, set out on an excursion to visit the first group of the magnificent rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, carved from living volcanic tuff with unmatched architectural skill. UNESCO registers these churches as World Heritage. Among this group, Bete Medhane Alem (House of the Redeemer) is the largest, with 5 aisles, 72 pillars, a vaulted dome, and molded decoration, while Bete Mariam (House of St. Mary) is the most decorated of the rock-hewn churches. | Mezena/Sora Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 07 | More Excursions in Lalibela Take a further excursion to Yemrehanna Kristos cave church outside Lalibela through beautiful mountainous landscape. Return to the hotel for lunch, then in the afternoon visit the second group of rock-hewn churches: Bete Emanuel (House of Emanuel), the most architecturally refined, and Bete Giyorgis (House of St. George), considered the finest of all Lalibela's churches — carved last, once the masons had perfected their craft. | Mezena/Sora Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 08 | Fly Back to Addis Ababa & Drive to Langano In the morning after breakfast, transfer to the airport and fly back to Addis Ababa. Meet your vehicle at the airport and take a short break in Addis for lunch before driving to Lake Langano, the most popular Rift Valley lake, free of Bilharzia unlike other freshwater lakes in Ethiopia — perfect for swimming and relaxing. Enjoy your day at the lake. | Sabana Beach Resort — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 09 | Visit Fish Market & Drive to Arba Minch via Dorze Village In the morning, visit the local fish market at Lake Awassa, then proceed driving to Arba Minch, visiting the Dorze people along the way. Weaving is a primary profession for many Dorzes, and their houses are built from bamboo, reflecting their unique way of life. They also cultivate false banana, from which they extract their local bread called Kotcho. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 10 | Excursion in Arba Minch & Drive to Turmi Take a morning boat cruise on Lake Chamo, one of the Rift Valley lakes, to see giant Nile crocodiles, hippos, and abundant water birds, then drive to Turmi, visiting the Konso tribe village along the way. The Konso are known for their unique social structure and their practice of agricultural terracing. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 11 | Excursion to Omorate Take an excursion to Omorate to visit the Dasenach tribes across the Omo River by wooden local boat, then return to Turmi in the afternoon to visit the nearby Hamer tribe village, with the possibility of seeing special occasion ceremonies such as weddings and rituals. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 12 | Excursion to Karo & Drive to Jinka In the cool morning, drive to Karo to make an excursion to the Karo village and visit the Karo tribes, known for their distinctive body decorations and scarification, then continue driving to Jinka. | Jinka Eco-Omo Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 13 | Excursion to Mursi Village & Fly Back to Addis & Departure Enter Mago National Park to visit a Mursi tribes' village. The Mursi are the best known of the Omo peoples; their most famous tradition is the lip plate worn by the women. The origin of this tradition is unknown, but the Mursi themselves consider it something that distinguishes them from the surrounding tribes. Transfer to the airport and fly back to Addis. Enjoy final shopping at a souvenir shop and a farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant, before transferring to the airport to fly back home. | Departure — Breakfast with Farewell Dinner |