Short Northern Route--6 days 5 nights

Day 1:  Arrive in Addis Ababa, where you will be met by guide and driver and taken to hotel for check in and the chance to rest. Afternoon visit to the Ethnological Museum, a great introduction to Ethiopian history and culture. Followed by a visit to Merkato, the largest open air market in Africa, full of people, wares and astonishing sights you'll want to photograph. Lastly guests proceed to Entoto Hill just before sunset to enjoy panoramic views over Addis Ababa. 

Day 2:  We take the morning flight to Bahir Dar, one of the largest cities in Ethiopia. Here our guests enjoy a boat trip on Lake Tana, where 32 of the 37 islands have churches and monasteries of considerable historical and cultural interest. The monastery church of Ura Kidane Mihret is the most decorative with a huge, conical thatched roof, painted with scenes of Biblical lore. 

Day 3:  After breakfast, we will drive to Gondar, the only place in Sub-Saharan Africa where you find castles. In the afternoon, we visit Fasilades' Palace, probably the most impressive of all the castles found in the area and the oldest one! We end the day with a tour of the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie (Light of the Trinity). The interior is decorated with beautiful frescos, cherubs and paintings. 

Day 4:  We begin our day with a 2 hour drive to Debark, the gateway to the Simien Mountains. Upon arrival in Debark, where we obtain a permit from the Park headquarters, the obligatory scout will join the group. We head into the Simien National Park to enjoy the breathtaking views over the escarpment and spot large groups of Gelada monkeys. The following day we will spend the full day inside the national park. 

Day 5:  After breakfast we depart our hotel and proceed into the Simien National Park. We spend all day hiking the trails while exploring the pristine Afro alpine forest, flora and fauna. 

Day 6:  The morning starts with a scenic drive via the Tekeze river gorge to Axum. Axum is one of the oldest African empires and represented a crucial trade route connecting Africa and Asia for almost a thousand years. Today guests will visit; the granite stone Stelae of Axum, the Tombs of King Kaleb and his son King G/Meskel, Ezana’s stone inscriptions, the Queen of Sheba’s palace and swimming pool, and the Church of Zion, the final resting place of the True Ark of Covenant. 

Day 7:  We take the morning flight to Lalibela. After lunch we begin the tour of the magnificent rock-hewn churches, a UNESCO World Heritage site. These eleven monolithic churches were carved directly into the stone mountainside at least 800 years ago. This complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, a maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and many great icon paintings. Guests visit the first half today. 

Day 8:  We begin the day with a 42km drive to Yemrehanne Kristos. This beautiful church is situated in a shallow cave that predates the churches of Lalibela. The drive to Yemrehanne Kristos will give you the opportunity to view the rural countryside and villages of the Ethiopian highlands. Upon returning to Lalibela, guests finish touring the rock-hewn churches left, including the most famous St.George's. 

Day 9:  Guests return to Addis Ababa today for some shopping and last minute sightseeing before their flights home. Time permitting guest will enjoy a traditional Ethiopian dinner with dance and music before being dropped at the airport.