Ethiopian Adventure to the Danakil Depression and Tigray and Lalibela 13 days & 12 nights

Daily itinerary

Day 1. Welcome to Addis Ababa, the new flower, whose history begin in 1891.

A city that serves as the capital of Ethiopia and a diplomatic unofficial capital of Africa as it hosts the African Union and Economic commission of Africa are situated among numerous other continental organizations and embassies.

It is a city of roughly 7million residents which makes it one of the busiest and fast growing cities of the world. A glimpse look of the city mainly the highlights, includes, the st George and trinity catedrala which the former served as the coronation center of Emperor Haile Silassie and Queen Zewditu whilst the latter is his burial place where one can see the tombs of the Emperor and the Empress. Also, Merkato, one of the busiest open air markets in Africa.

The national museum, exhibits among others Lucy – partial skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis, aka Dinkinesh in Ethiopia which means you are wonderful. The ethnography museum which was also Emperor Haile Silassie former palace is another interest for the visitor.

Day 2- 3. Awash National Park

Awash National Park is the oldest protected area in Ethiopia, 205 km to the east. It is considered as the ‘Bird Paradise of Ethiopia’ with moe than 480 species recorded. The area hosts magnificient landscapes and supports immense wildlife. It is also known for its highest bird diversity of more than 480 species.  Colobus and velvet monkeys, lesser Kudus, Warthhogs, Crocodiles, Monitor lizards, a variety of birds and big riverine trees are among few to see here.

You will drive to Illala Sala Plain, 30km round game drive to see herds of Beisa Oryx, Soemmerings gazelle, Lesser Kudus and Warthogs. This is the best place to see different bird species including Raptors. A breath taking view of the Awash Gorge is part of this drive.

You will have a short walk to a cave that will take you to myriads of sheer cracks with a depth of about 60m limestone cliffs. The vast expanse of hardened lava flow is a sight to admire especially if you are keen in exploring nature.

Mount Fentale is a dormant volcano with 2007 mts high and 9km diameter on top. It has a panoramic view where one can see a vapor coming out of the vents.

Enjoy a natural hot spring bath and swim surrounded by Acacia trees and Doum palm. Also waterbucks, Velvet monkeys, Hamadryas baboons and a number of terrestrial and aquatic birds including weaver, plovers. Enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Afdera and its surroundings including the salt mining which is the economic hub spot of Afar area.

Day 4. Drive to Erta Ale

We start early, shortly after a 06:30 breakfast, and drive to Dodom at the base of Erta Ale. This may be one of the worst road in the world. The 80 km distance may take about 6 hrs passing through changing landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and the occasional palm lined oasis.

You pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert land, before reaching Dodom. You will trek from Dodom to Erta Ale which takes about 3 hrs. Early dinner around 17:00 and trek up to Ert Ale at 20:00.

Camels transport all the camping materials and some food, sleeping materials,  mattresses and water, to the rim of the volcano, where we spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava.

Erta Ale ranks one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and 1km square caldera at its summit. Erta Ale contains the world’s only permanent lava lake and you will spend an unforgettable night on the top of the mountain.

Day 5. Dodom to Mekele

Early morning you will rise with the sun with time to walk around pits and craters. The main pit-crater, 200 m deep and 350 macross, is sub-circular and three storied. The smaller southern pit is 65 m wide and about 100 m deep.

You will leave around 7:00 to head back to Dodom for breakfast. You will reach latest at 10:30 am at the camp and after some time to relax you will drive on to Hamad Ela, a village with a total population about 500 people.

Mekele is also the capital city of the Tigray National Regional State. Late this afternoon we will take a Mekelle City Tour. We will view to the impressive Dejat Abraha Castlebuilt in the heart of the cityaround 1906. Today the castle is a hotel.

We will also stop to visit the Hawelti(Monument of the Martyrs) erected to dignify the valiant fighters who sacrificed themselves to emancipate their people from the dictatorial military regime (1974-1991).

The artistic tower, spiraling more than 100 feet above the ground and mounted by a large ball, is visible through much of Mekele. This is the centerpiece of the large war memorial. The memorial is modern and engrossing. As you enter, on each side, there are larger than life figures representing the victims and victors of the war.

Appropriately black and stick like, the figures include mothers and children trekking out from the famine, several of them not making it. With them are the hardy Tigrain fighters, machine guns over their backs and trusty donkeys in tow. These peasant fighters overcame the Soviet backed might of the Derg military regime.

Later after a lunch break, we will visit historical Atse Yohannes IV Palace, which is named after the famous King who ruled Ethiopia from 1872 to 1889. Emperor Yohannes chose Mekele as the seat of his government and built his graceful palace, still intact, in the 1870s. The palace now serves as a museum and is highlighted by the Emperor’s throne, the royal bed, his ceremonial dress, rifles, and many other valuable historical collections. The fantastic throne of Atse Yohannnes IV was made by the Italian engineer Giacomo Nareri in 1874 and it is the eye catching centerpiece of the museum.

Day 6. Drive to Hamed Ela

Drive to Hamedela via Berhale. The Danakil Depression can be said to ‘begin’ here. It is one of the most inhospitable regions of the world, but is nonetheless spectacular, full of eye-catching colors, as in the sulphur springs.

The desert has several points lying more than 100 meters (328 ft) below sea level. You pass through a small town of Berhale where the camel caravans stop before they proceed to the northern highlands. En route you see many long caravans going to the salt mines and others coming out of the Danakil with their salt loaded camels. (3-4 hrs drive)

Day 7 – 8. Drive to Gheralta

Morning driving tour to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the salts are mined. Observe the breaking of the salt from the ground, cutting into rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic

activity, Dallol + Lake Assal + camel caravans.

Excursion to Dallol (116 meter below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world)

colorful salts mining, visit Lake Assal, follow up camel caravans and walk with the Afar people.

Drive back to Hamedela and proceed to Gheralta. En route visit Mikael Imba which is of similar design as Abraha Atsbeha and Wukro Cherkos. With an interior area of 140 square meters, the church is perhaps the most spacious of all the rock churches in Tigrai.

The top of the pillars are graced with stepped capitals, the ceiling is meticulously decorated with intricate patterns. Incised in relief, a large Greek cross adorns the ceiling. In terms of decoration and finishing, Mikael Imba is “an artistically finished church.”

Day 9. Drive to Axum

After a morning breakfast, drive to Medhane Alem (Saviour of the world). The church can be reached through a combination of asphalt and dirt roads through Freweyni via Hawzein. To access the church you climb a slope of exposed sandstone. It is covered with potholes which local people believe to be the hoof prints of St. George’s horse.

This church is one of Tigrai’s oldest and finest rockhewn churches. Its exterior and interior walls are roughly hewn, which only makes the elaborately carved coffered ceiling much more special. It is quite possibly the oldest rock-hewn church in Tigrai, or

anywhere in Ethiopia.

Take a lunch break at Adigrat and proceed to Debre Damo. Damo monastery is situated on an isolated mountain in northern part of Tigray. It is unique compared with most Ethiopian monasteries.

Debre Damo was built, in the sixth century AD, with curved wood panels, painted ceilings and walls dedicated to the legend of Saint(Abune) Aregawi. The history of Debre Damo is centred on the “Nine Saints” who came to Ethiopia from Syria to spread Christianity in the Tigray region.

One of them was Saint Aregawi who settled on the mountain of Debre Damo. Debre Damo is magnificent in terms of its location and extensive collection of priceless manuscripts that have remained intact to today.

It has become a prominent monastic and educational centre for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Debre Damo is only accessible by climbing up by a rope, which is made of “plaited leather”, lowered from the cliffs, which visitors tie around their waist and are then pulled up by a monk at the top of the cliffs. It is only accessible to men and male animals.

Women and even female animals are forbidden to set a foot into the monastery, and must remain under the cliffs and pray from there.

Finally, visit Yeha. This city was founded at least 2,800 years ago and served as the capital of a pre-Axumite empire. The well preserved stone temple was built 2,500 years ago. It also served as a center of a monastic Christian community in the early 6th

century.

A modern church built next to the temple ruins contains some of the ancient temple stones and its treasury contains illuminated manuscripts and crowns. En route to Axum through the dramatic highland landscapes of Adwa where the Battle of Adwa(1896)took place which is a land mark to the Black World isin your attention.

Day 10. Axum

After an early morning breakfast visit Axum, recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980, Axum is a testament to the rich and glorious past of the mighty Kingdom of Axum (2nd C. BC-700 A.D.). This morning the visit will start with the famous Stelae field with its Axumite stelae in various sizes and shapes.

The archaeological museum is nearby and it offers an opportunity to bring context to relics on view today.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Kaleb and Gebremeskel tombs, dating to the 6th century A.D and on the way to town, the Ezana inscription (Ethiopia’s Rosetta stone) is worth visiting.

Tradition has it that the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Ethiopia in the 10th century BC by Menelik I and later Ethiopian kings and emperors would proclaim their legitimacy to rule by their lineage to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Through the day we will discuss the development of Christianity in Ethiopia and its relation to the Ark, and the story of Queen of Sheba too.

Un-miss-able but not in a particularly photogenic way, just drink in the history and enjoy

all the stories about the Queen of Sheba, her baths and palace, the tombs, wicked Queen

Judith, the stelae, the epic battle against the Italians in the distant mountains, the lovely Italian

piazza – and, of course, the Ark of the Covenant. The best shopping in Ethiopia was at St George’s gallery, the owner has a treasure chest of beautiful old silver Coptic crosses.

Day 11 – 12. Lalibela, a magical place

Lalibela Lodge was stunning, with a great view from the balcony. The food was interesting, one memorable meal was minestrone soup with bread and marmalade, with bread and honey the following night to accompany our salad. Be prepared for a rough drive up from the airport.

One of the many highlights of Lalibela was walking from one church to another along deep

Passage ways gouged out of pink granite. We were lucky enough to see a completely empty

Bete Giorgis church on our first evening, then returned the following day, St George’s Day, to

see crowds of pilgrims and local people descending to the church for a blessing.

The trip out of town to the Yemrehanna Krestos cave church and beautiful juniper forest was yet another memorable experience and takes you through some lovely countryside. Apparently local hikes and homestays are well worth doing and the hills seemed to be full of more cave churches. Don’t miss Lalibela market if you are there on a Saturday.

Day 13. Fly back to Addis and departure back home