Yama Ethiopia Tours is always ready to plan and escort your trip to such diverse tourist attraction sites that will be visited within a nine-day trip from Addis Ababa to the Northern Historic Route of Ethiopia with Axum. Explore Addis Ababa's museums and markets, the ancient obelisks of Axum, Bahir Dar's Lake Tana, Gondar's royal castles, the wildlife of the Simien Mountains, and Lalibela's awe-inspiring rock-hewn churches.
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. If time allows, enjoy sightseeing in Addis Ababa, including the National Museum (home of the Lucy fossil skeleton), Trinity Cathedral Church, the Ethnological Museum, Entoto Hills for a panoramic view of the city, and Merkato, the biggest open-air market in Africa. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at the restaurant. | Best Western Plus / Jupiter Hotel / Golden Tulip Hotel — Bed |
| Day 02 | Fly to Axum (Shire) & Sightseeing A flight further north takes you to the oldest city in Ethiopia, Axum, followed by an hour's drive to the town and hotel check-in. In the afternoon, explore the city, visiting the museum in the Stelae Field, the impressive Stelae Fields, and the grounds of the 16th-century Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion — home of the original Ark of the Covenant — the ruined palace attributed to the Queen of Sheba, and the Tomb of Kaleb and Gebre Meskel. | Sabian International Hotel — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 03 | Fly to Bahir Dar & Sightseeing of Lake Tana In the morning, drive back to Shire airport to fly to Addis and connect to Bahir Dar (ET 144, 12:10–13:20), then transfer to your reserved lodge/hotel. After check-in and lunch, take a boat cruise on the beautiful highland Lake Tana and visit a thatched-roof monastery known for its distinctive colorful frescoes of religious scenes and old manuscripts. | Avanti Blue Nile Resort — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 04 | Drive to Gondar & Sightseeing Head to the legendary city of Gondar. Visit the Royal Enclosure, surrounded by high stone walls and containing the ruins of 17th-century palaces of King Fasiladas, King Iyasu, and Queen Mentewab. The castles blend Ethiopian, European, and Indian architectural styles — 17th-century travelers described the interior of King Fasiladas's castle as extremely luxurious, decorated with gold, ivory, and precious stones. | Goha Hotel / Haile Resort — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 05 | Drive to Simien Mountains National Park Drive to the jagged panorama of the Simien Mountains National Park, famed for its exclusive landscape, afro-alpine vegetation, and unique wildlife, including the endemic Wallia Ibex, Gelada Baboon troops, Bushbuck, and Klipspringer. Enjoy the dramatic scenery and birdlife such as the Chestnut-naped Francolin, Mountain Thrush, Thick-billed Raven, Lammergeyer, White-collared Pigeon, and Ankober Serin. | Simien Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 06 | More Excursions in Simien NP & Drive Back to Gondar Spend more time in the breathtaking Simien Mountains National Park, hiking along mountain trails through unique flora and fauna such as the Giant Lobelia. Drive to Chenek to see the Wallia Ibex, a species indigenous to Ethiopia and the Simien Mountains, then drive back to Gondar in the afternoon. | Gondar Hill Resort / Goha Hotel — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 07 | Fly to Lalibela & Visit the Rock-Hewn Churches Fly to Lalibela in the morning and visit the first group of the magnificent 12th-century rock-hewn churches, carved from living volcanic tuff and registered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Highlights include Bete Medhane Alem (House of the Redeemer), the largest with 5 aisles, 72 pillars, and a vaulted dome, and Bete Maryam (House of St. Mary), the most decorated of the churches. | Maribela Hotel / Panoramic View Hotel — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 08 | More Excursions in Lalibela Take an excursion to the Yemerhane Kirstos cave church outside Lalibela through beautiful mountainous landscape, then return for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the second group of the rock-hewn churches: Bete Emanuel, architecturally the finest, and Bete Giorgis, considered the finest of all Lalibela's churches for its extraordinary carved perfection. | Maribela Hotel / Mountain View Hotel — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 09 | Fly Back to Addis Ababa & Departure Transfer to the airport in the morning and fly back to Addis Ababa. Enjoy remaining sightseeing and final shopping at a souvenir shop, followed by an evening farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant with folkloric dance, before transferring to the airport for your international departure. | Departure — Breakfast & Farewell Dinner |