Arrival in Addis Ababa. Meeting with the Red Jackal representative and transfer to the hotel. After a short break, start your visit to Addis Ababa, the third highest capital in the world.

The visit includes the Entoto Hills, the place from which King Menelik, the founder of Addis Ababa, descended to the plains. In Entoto, from where there is a wonderful panoramic view of the city, there are two churches built by Menelik, who was crowned in one of them. Near this site is the ancient Menelik Palace, still intact and open to visitors. Inside it is possible to see some royal clothing, war artifacts, furniture and old books.

The city tour also includes the National Museum, one of the most important museums in sub-Saharan Africa. Here is the skeleton of Selam, found in December 2000 in Dikika, Afar region, in northern Ethiopia. Like Lucy, Selam is an Australopithecus Aphaeresis. However, there is an important difference between the two, since Selam lived more than 150,000 years before Lucy!

Finally, in the afternoon a visit to the Mercato, the largest open market in East Africa, is scheduled. In it it is possible to find articles as diverse as spices and jewels. There is nothing that cannot be found in this huge and vibrant market.

Accommodation at the chosen hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Bahir Dar, one of the most attractive cities in Ethiopia.

Bahir Dar, with its wide avenues lined by rows of palm trees, is situated on the southern shore of Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake. Bahir Dar is also the best base to visit some of the monasteries built on the islands.from the interior of Lake Tana, between the 12th and 18th centuries, as well as the sources of the Blue Nile River.

After arriving at the hotel, departure to the Tissisat Falls of the Blue Nile, about 30 kilometers from the city. A 20-minute walk takes us to these falls, with a 45-meter high drop, which shows its most spectacular appearance during and just after the rainy season (from June to January). Here, the Blue Nile, which contributes 85% of the flow of the Nile River, begins its long journey to the Mediterranean. Lunch at the hotel.

In the afternoon, visit the city of Bahir Dar. The tour includes the city itself, as well as the town of Woito, 2 km to the west, known for its production of Tankwa boats made of junks. Then it continues with a visit to the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie in Bezawit, with excellent views of the city, the exact place where the Blue Nile rises from the lake, and some of the local markets.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen hotel.

The day begins with a boat ride on Lake Tana, where a visit to some of the ancient monasteries that were built around Lake Tana and many of the islands within it is scheduled, adding up to about 38 in total.

The list includes a visit to the Zeghe Peninsula, where you will visit the churches of Ura Kidane Mehret and Mariam Azewa, which were built at the end of the 13th and 14th centuries, respectively, and whose walls are covered with incredible murals from the 16th century. You will also visit the church of Dek Stefanos, with its valuable collection of icons, as well as the remains of various medieval emperors, the church of Kibran Gabriel (closed to women) and, finally, the church of Narga Selassie.

Picnic lunch on the boat, and then continue on the way to the town of Gorgora, where we visit the Debreseina Mariam church. In Gorgora you pick up the cars and continue for 60 km to the city of Gondar.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, and start of a full day of visits in Gondar. The Emperor Fasiladas founded Gondar as his imperial seat in 1636 and, until the 19th century, the city was the capital and main commercial center of the region.

The visit includes the Royal Enclosure, or Fasil Gibbi, and the six castles built by the various emperors who ruled Gondar. 2 km from the city center are the baths of King Fasilidas where, during Timkat (Epiphany in Ethiopia), a nearby river is diverted to fill an area the size of a small swimming pool. Faithful and pilgrims immerse themselves in the cold water in a reenactment of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River.

Lunch at the local Four Sisters restaurant. Next, visit the church of Debre Berhane Selassie, the only church that was saved from the Mahdist invasion of the 1880s. According to legend, a swarm of bees drove away the invaders who were trying to loot the church. The walls and ceiling of this church are completely covered with murals – the faces of angels on the ceiling have become a common motif in Ethiopian design.

Finally, visit the ruined palace of Queen Mentowab, and the church of Qusquam Mariam, located on a hill outside the town.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, the overland journey to Lalibela begins.

Today’s journey runs mostly on a paved road, and crosses one of the most spectacular mountainous landscapes in the country. On the way a stop will be made to visit the townfrom Awra Amba (120 km, 2 hours) an Ethiopian community of approximately 463 people. It was founded in 1980 with the aim of solving socio-economic problems through mutual aid in an environment of egalitarianism, in stark contrast to the traditional norms of Amhara society.

Founded by Zumra Nuru, who currently serves as community co-chair, with 19 other people who shared their vision, as of 2016. Awra Amba is hailed as a model of economic and social organizing to alleviate poverty and promote equality of gender in a country where women are generally subordinate to men. After the visit, the journey to Lalibela continues through spectacular mountain landscapes. Picnic lunch or local restaurant.

Before arrival in Lalibela, stop to visit the Nakuta Laab monastery, built inside a large cave, and which houses important religious and historical treasures.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Between the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century, King Lalibela of the Zaghwe dynasty had a series of rock-hewn churches built, calling the place “New Jerusalem”.

Today, Lalibela is deservedly recognized as one of the greatest wonders of the world. In the town, baptized in memory of the emperor, there are 11 churches, while other rock-hewn churches are in the vicinity. All are in use today. Today’s morning is scheduled to visit the church of Asheton Mariam, located on a cliff with spectacular views of the city and the valleys and mountains of the area.

Lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, the visit to the first group of churches in Lalibela begins; Bet Golgotha, Bet Mikael, Bet Mariam, Bet Meskel, Bet Denagel and Bet Medhane Alem. The latter, the largest, resembles a Greek temple. On one corner there are three empty tombs, symbolically dug for the biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

In the late afternoon, visit Bet Giyorgis, possibly the most elegant church of all the churches in Lalibela, situated on a rock-terraced hillside on the southwestern side of town, and accessible only through a tunnel.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, and departure to visit the rock church of Yemrehene Christos, (40 km, 1½ by car), built by the king of the same name before the reign of King Lalibela.

The church is built inside a cave, with alternating levels of wood and stone. Return to Lalibela and visit the colorful weekly Lalibela market on Saturdays. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon we will visit the second group of churches in Lalibela, located south of the Jordan River. Which includes the churches of Bete Emanuel, Bete Mercurios, Bete Abba Libanos and Bet Gabriel-Rufa´e.

Finally, visit a traditional home of a local family to witness the Ethiopian coffee making ceremony.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport to take the flight to Arba Minch, with transit in Addis Ababa.

Arrival at Arba Minch airport, meeting with the cars and transfer to the lodge. Lunch at the lodge. Rest of the day free.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen lodge.

After breakfast at the lodge, departure to the village of Chencha, home to the Dorze tribe.

In this mountain area there are at least twenty villages in which it is possible to visit, in addition to walking along the paths that connect one village to another, and visiting some of the cooperatives in which men spin and weave garments of cotton, which are reputed to be the best in all of Ethiopia. Very striking are also its curious “elephant houses”, made of wood and leaves from “enset”, the false banana plant.

These houses are very tall and offer a lot of interior space, and are one of the most distinctive traditional structures in Africa. After the visit, return to Arba Minch.

After lunch at the lodge, excursion by boat on Lake Chamo, during which a large number of hippos and crocodiles can be observed from a very short distance. After the excursion, transfer to the town of Konso-Karat.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen lodge.

After breakfast at the lodge, visit one of the villages of the Konso tribe, known for its intricate cultivation terraces carved on the hills of the surrounding mountains, for its fine fabrics and the carved wooden totems with which they decorate their tombs.

There will be time to walk through the cultivation terraces and explore some villages. Traditionally these consist of hilltop settlements surrounded by stone walls measuring up to 2 meters in height, which can only be accessed via a limited number of steep trails. After the visit, continuation to Turmi.

Being Tuesday, market day in Alduba, in which the Hamer, Bena and Tsemay tribes mainly converge, and it turns out to be a very colorful and authentic market. In addition to the various grains and hair dyes, decorated gourds, traditional musical instruments competing for space with different types of skins and jewelry, as well as many plastic objects such as buckets and brooms are on offer.

Picnic lunch or at a local restaurant. Finally, transfer to Turmi.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen lodge.

After breakfast at the lodge, departure towards the town of Omorate, about 70 kilometers from Turmi, where we will cross the Omo river by canoe to visit the Dasenech villages, belonging to the Galeb tribe.

These tribes are the southernmost in the country, and are known for their skin scarification. After the visit, return to Turmi and lunch at the lodge.

In the afternoon, transfer to the town of Muruelle, from where we visit the Duss village of the Karo tribe (only around 1,500 members), the smallest group in the Omo Valley. They are related to the Hamers and, like them, are specialists in the art of body painting for special celebrations. They use chalk, mostly white, and then they paint on their face and body, and they use some white feathers as headdresses, and they wear scarifications all over their bodies.

From the Korcho village you can also enjoy a spectacular view over the Omo River. Finally, I return to Turmi.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen lodge.

After breakfast at the lodge, departure to Jinka. On the way, a stop will be made to visit a village of the Hamer tribe. The Hamer are a people of strong, attractive complexions, where women and men alike take pride in and take care of their appearance.

They usually dye their hair colors, moisturize their skins with oils, and decorate their bodies with necklaces and bracelets on their arms and legs. Then, stop at Key Afer, where we can enjoy the weekly market on Thursdays, attended by tribes such as Tsemay, Ari and Benna.

In addition to the various grains and hair dyes, decorated gourds, traditional musical instruments competing for space with different types of skins and jewelry, as well as many plastic objects such as buckets and brooms are on offer.

Picnic lunch or at a local restaurant. Once in Jinka, visit their daily market in the center of town, which is very colorful, and mainly visited by the Aari, the predominant tribe in this area.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen lodge.

Early in the morning, after breakfast at the lodge, departure to Mago National Park (40 km, 1 hour), where it is possible to observe animals such as push-back, dik dik, baboons and colobus monkeys.

Continue to the Mursi tribe (60 km, 1½ hours) known for its body scarification and the use of lip plates among its women. The Mursi of are one of the most eccentric and original branches of the original peoples of Ethiopia, known as Nara Surma. Return to Jinka, and lunch at the lodge.

In the afternoon, visit a village of the Aari tribe, in the vicinity of Jinka. The Aari are attributed many artistic qualities, since apart from the ceramics they produce, the paintings with which they decorate the walls of their adobe huts are famous, a mainly feminine task.

In addition to drawing different motifs, the paints used also vary, made with materials as diverse as ground coal, battery acid, earth mixed with ashes, red clay, cow dung and water.

Dinner and accommodation at the chosen lodge.

After breakfast at the lodge, visit the Jinka Ethnographic Museum. Lunch at a local restaurant and direct transfer to Jinka airport to take flight to Addis Ababa.

Arrival in Addis Ababa, check-in at the hotel for day use of the room. Free afternoon to rest (the car and the guide will be available to make a purchase or last visit). Starting at 7:30 p.m., farewell dinner in a traditional restaurant.

Finally, transfer to the airport to take the flight back.

Note:- The driving hours are for reference, and will largely depend on the number and duration of stops requested by passengers during the route.