Mysterious Ethiopian Nature & Culture

Flight time: 7 h

Flight with Ethiopean Airlines from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa. Arrival at Bole International Airport in the morning of the next day. Here you are welcomed by our tour guide and transferred to our hotel in Addis Ababa.

Meals: L/D

Accommodation: Heyday Hotel or similar, Addis Ababa

Travel: 1-2 h, 50 km

In the morning sightseeing tour through the capital, which is located at an altitude of up to 2,450 masl. A city of contrasts with modern skyscrapers next to corrugated iron huts, donkey and horse carts next to modern means of transport, colourful traditional markets next to supermarkets. Besides the most important historical monuments you visit the National Museum, where the famous skeleton Lucy is kept.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Heyday Hotel or similar,Addis Ababa

Flight time: 1 h

Travel: 1-2 h, 50 km

Early morning flight to Lalibela. The village is named after King Lalibela and is situated at 2,600 meters above sea level and was not wrongly declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. Nowhere else you will find the typical Ethiopian rock-hewn churches in such concentration and quality. A play of light and shadow, colours and shapes. The whole day is available for sightseeing these incredibly impressive monuments.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Lalibela lodge or similar, Lalibela

Travel: 1 h, 30 km

Hiking: 5 h, 7 km (difficulty: easy/moderate, altitude difference: ↑300m, ↓300m)

Today you go for a hike in the surroundings of Lalibela. You will climb to the foot of the Asheten Mariam Mountain, which is enthroned high above the city. At about 3,000 to 3,300 meters above sea level you start your hike through picturesque mountain villages and over fields with views over the Lasta Mountains.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Lalibela Lodge or similar, Lalibela

Flight time: 0.5 h

Travel: 1 h, 50 km

Flight to Gondar, the Ethiopian imperial city in the 17th and 18th century. You visit the Imperial Palace District, the Bath of King Fasilidas and the church Debre Berhan Selassie. Overnight stay in the beautifully situated Goha Hotel high above the city.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Goha Hotel or similar, Gondar

Travel: 1 h; 35 km

Hiking: 4 h, 7 km (difficulty: easy/moderate, altitude difference: ↑300m, ↓300m)

Short drive of only about 35 km to reach the Kossoye escarpment from Gondar, on the way there, short stop at a former settlement of the Falasha (Ethiopian Jews), where today pottery and clay figures are sold. The second stop on the way to the lodge serves for the first hike with a wide panoramic view over the western mountain ranges. After lunch, further hikes in the surroundings of Kossoye. Overnight stay in the Befiker Kossoye Lodge (located at 3,000 masl.)

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Befikir Eco-Lodge or similar, Kossoye

Travel: 2 h; 100 km

Hiking: 6 h, 15 km (difficulty: moderate/medium, altitude difference: ↑550m, ↓200m)

Beautiful drive through the highlands to the Simien mountains. This rugged mountain region is home to numerous animals that are only found in Ethiopia, such as the Walia ibex, the Ethiopian wolf and the Gelada baboon. After a short stopover in Debark you will hike in the area of Sankaber, where you will enjoy the first impressions of this spectacular mountain region at the edge of a huge canyon landscape. Today you will encounter troops of Gelada baboons. Overnight stay at Simien Lodge for 2 nights (located at 3260 m).

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Simien Lodge or similar, Simien Mountains National Park

Travel: 1.5 h; 40 km

Hiking: 6 h, 10 km (difficulty: medium/difficult, altitude difference: ↑850m, ↓850m)

Drive to Chennek. Ascent of the Bwahit, the second highest mountain of Ethiopia (4,430 masl). From the summit, magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and the peak of Ras Dashen, the highest mountain in the country (4,543 masl) are the major views. Here you are very likely to see the endemic mammals for the area called walia ibexes. If this climb is too strenuous for you, you can go for a short hikes in the area around the camp - the camp site in Chennek is one of the best wildlife observation possibilities in the park and located right at the edge of the fabulous views.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Simien Lodge or similar, Simien Mountains National Park

Travel: 3 h; 130 km

Hiking: 3 h, 8 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑200m, ↓250m)

Bus ride back to Gondar (about 4 hours). Short hike near Kossoye. After a short descent you hike in gentle ups and downs through rural areas against the magnificent backdrop of the Simien Mountains. Again and again you pass rustic rural huts.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Goha Hotel or similar, Gondar

Travel: 3-4 h; 200 km

Hiking: 0.5 h, 3 km (difficulty: easy, altitude difference: ↑50m, ↓50m)

Drive to Bahir Dar on Lake Tana. Boat trip on the enchanting Lake Tana. You cross over to the  Zeghe peninsula, where you will visit typical round churches from the 17th century with interesting paintings during a short walk.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Shimela Lodge or similar, Bahir Dar

Flight time: 1 h

Travel: 2 h; 90 km

Hiking: 3 h, 5 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑150m, ↓150m)

In the morning drive to Tis Abay and hike to the falls of the Blue Nile. A short ascent to a hill opposite the falls, from here you have a wonderful view of the waters of the Blue Nile, which plunge about 45 m - an unforgettable natural spectacle. The falls are called Tissisat, which means steaming water. In the afternoon drive to the airport and flight to Addis Ababa. Overnight stay in the capital.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Heyday Hotel or similar, Addis Ababa

Travel: 6 h; 310 km

Visit to the crater lakes of Debre Zeyt. Afterwards drive south on an asphalt road. Short stop at Lake Ziway and in the Abijata-Shalla National Park, where you can occasionally (seasonally) observe thousands of flamingos as well as Marabu Storks, cormorants, pelicans, ospreys and other birds. The further south you go, the greener the landscape gets. Finally, after a drive of about 6 hours through diverse landscapes you reach your lodge at Yirga Alem - an idyllic place to relax on the last days of the trip.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Aregash Lodge or similar, Yirga Alem

Hiking: 3 h, 8 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑150m, ↓150m)

Hike through the gentle hilly country. The dense flora stands in stark contrast to the rather barren north of the country. A variety of different fruits grow and prosper here, a large part of the rural population lives from coffee cultivation, which has a long tradition here. Here you learn a lot about the traditional way of life of the locals, who also like to let us have a look inside their round huts. In the afternoon you have the opportunity to relax in the garden of the lodge.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Aregash Lodge or similar, Yirga Alem

Travel: 6-7 h; 330 km

Today we drive back to Addis Ababa, partly on the newly constructed express way (highway), where you have the opportunity to buy the last souvenirs.

We'll definitely have a farewell dinner with traditional music and folk dance groups in a typical restaurant. In the late evening return flight to home.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: ---

Flight time: 7 h

Arrival in Europe. Early morning arrival in Frankfurt.

Meals: during flight

• Scheduled flight from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa and back (other airports on request and possibly extra charge);
• Airport tax / security fees;
• all (3) domestic flights with Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa-Lalibela, Lalibela-Gondar, Bahir Dar- Addis Ababa);
• Transfers and rides in private bus and if necessary in four-wheel drive vehicle;
• all accommodations in double rooms with private toilet/shower in hotels or lodges (4x high-range, 8x mid-range);
• full board (1 drink per meal included, alcoholic drinks excluded);
• Voucher for travel literature;
• all entrance fees and permissions at tourist attractions, churches, museums and national parks;
• for Simien Mountains National Park: entrance fees, guide, scouts and rangers;
• all persons for safety and security (when prescribed);
• all taxes and administrative fees;
• all tips for meals;
• all (mandatory) local guides in the single destinations;
• 24/7 emergency assistance;
• experienced SimienEcoTours Mountain Guide (fluently German & Amharic speaking).

• travel to and from Frankfurt Airport (Rail&Fly tickets available on request)
• sleeping bag;
• visa for Ethiopia (currently US$ 82);
• alcoholic beverages;
• tips;
• photo and video fees (if applicable);
• all extras and personal expenses and meals (approx. € 50 to € 100);

• possible increases of fees and/or kerosene surcharges.