Northern Historic Trekking & Photo Safari to the Simien Mountains

Clare Nicholls writes:

16 Days and 15 Nights
This tour takes you to the spectacular Blue Nile gorge, the Blue Nile falls and Ethiopia's largest lake Lake Tana, with its remote island monasteries.

You will also see the medieval Gondar castles, the millennia old Aksum, Tigray and the Lalibela rock churches.

There is also trekking to the Simien highlands with summits above 4,000 meters and the highest peak, Ras Dashen, at 4,543 meters (14,904 feet).

In addition to the spectacular scenery, the region contains a number of unusual botanical phenomena and some of the rarest animals in the world.

Day 1 Arrive Addis Ababa:
A welcoming reception by Highway Tours and transfer to your hotel.

Day 2 Addis Ababa City Tour:
We take you on a tour of the colorful and vibrant city of Addis Ababa with its gorgeous climate of seemingly perpetual blue sky and cool high land air. You can visit its museums the ethnological, natural history, St. George Cathedral, the national museum. In late afternoon enjoy the terrific and windy panoramic view of Addis Ababa below the Entoto Mountains.

Day 3 Drive to Bahirdar:
You will visit one of Ethiopia's most holy sites, the monastery of Debre Libanos, founded in the 13th century. The site is beautifully set beneath a cliff on the edge of gorge and is a peaceful place to wonder.

There is also a good chance to see gelada baboons and lammergeyer as we make our way to the truly magnificent Blue Nile gorge where you will admire the expansive views over terraced slopes.

Day 4 Bahirdar, Lake Tana & Island Monasteries:
This is one of Ethiopia's most attractive towns with its wide avenues of palms and flamboyant trees. We take a boat excursion to Lake Tana islands and medieval monasteries of Kibran Gabriel, Mitsle Fasiledes & Tana Cherkos. The most famous is Ura Kidanemihret with its beautifully painted temples.

Day 5 Drive to Gondar:
You will visit the medieval capital Gondar, with its large royal enclosure containing grand castles, palaces, houses and outbuildings. There are remains of a bathing pool, a chancellery and a library of Fasiladas's son Yohannes I (r.1667-82). Marvel at Debre Birhan Selassie, one of the country's most famous churches.

Day 6-8 Drive to Simien Mountains:
Here we begin our trek to experience the beauty of the mountains, its wildlife, for bird watching and camping. Among the most beautiful mountain ranges in Africa they will give you a taste of Ethiopia's remarkable wild life, including the beautiful walia ibex, gelada baboons and Ethiopian wolves.

Day 9 Drive to Aksum:
Drive to Aksum through the Simien mountain ranges and Tekeze valley.

Day 10 Visit Aksum:
A full day in Aksum, the center of an ancient civilization established before the birth of Christ. Aksum's astonishing Stelae strike you for their huge size, sculpted from single pieces of famously hard granite worked superbly by skilled masons.

Day 11 Drive to Mekele:
We take you on a journey to a little visited peaceful and astonishing spot 'Yeha' which is considered the birth place of Ethiopia's earliest civilization. Its ruins are impressive, dating from around the 5th century BC along with the monastery of Debre Damo, the oldest standing church in the country.

Day 12 Drive to Lalibela:
We travel through the magnificent Ambalage mountains to Lalibela.

Day 13 Visit Lalibela:
A full day visit to the 12th-13th century rock hewn and cave churches of Lalibela. Lalibela ranks among the greatest historical sites in the Christian world. Many are not carved into the rock, but freed entirely from it.

Day 14 Drive to Dessie:
On route you will experience the rugged mountains and beautiful scenery.

Day 15 Drive to Addis:
For sight seeing the beautiful landscape and mountain scenery with a night and farewell dinner by Highway Tours.

Day 16 Departure:
Last minute shopping and transfer to the airport.

Prices start from $130 (USD) per person, per day, depending on time of year and whether persons are sharing or non-sharing.

Seasonal and group discounts are also available, as are tours customized to your exact requirements using our Tour Enquiry Form.

Or for more details of this tour or other available tours download one of our brochures at Choosing a Tour

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