6 Days Northern Ethiopia Tour (lalibela, Axum, Tigray Churches And Danakil)

Itinerary

Day 1: Fly from Addis to Lalibela then visit Lalibela

Stop At: Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Lalibela 1260 Ethiopia
In the morning, fly north to Lalibela and be transferred to your hotel. After lunch, visit the first group of Lalibela Churches which are located north of a small stream named Jordan River. These Churches were carved during the time of King Lalibela (1181 – 1221) and are registered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In the city of Lalibela you will see about Eleven Rock Churches organized into groups of three.
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at Lalibela Lodge, Lalibela

Day 2: Fly from Lalibela to Axum and Visit Axum

Stop At: The Ruins of Aksum, Axum Ethiopia
Catch a flight from Lalibela to Axum in the morning. Start the tour with a visit to obelisks including the one recently back home from Rome, Italy. The obelisks are carved from single rock, one witness artistic works on the obelisks. Continue with a visit to underground tombs of different kings and royal families. Get through Axum archeological museum for the general understanding of the historical chronology. Then visit church museum and St. Mary Zion church which is believed to be a home to the original Arc of the Covenant.In the afternoon/after lunch break Queen of Sheba swimming pool, inscription of king Ezana which is written in the Sabean language. Continue with a visit to tomb of king Kaleb and Gebremeskel. Then visit Queen of Sheba palace and finally visit Judith stele fields. End of the tour
Duration: 7 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at Branna Hotel, Axum

Day 3: Visit Tigray Churches

Stop At: Abuna Yemata Guh church, Hawzen Ethiopia
Early morning drive from Axum to Hawzein via Adwa. Then visit Abune Yemata. Abuna Yemata Guh is spectacularly sited within a cliff face, halfway up a sheer rock pinnacle 4km west of Megab. The first 45 minutes of the climb is mildly challenging, with a couple of tricky sheer sections requiring toehold action; guides carry ropes for the final push. The last two minutes require nerves of steel to make the final scramble and precarious ledge walk over a 200m drop.
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Maryam Korkor, Ethiopia
Then proceed to Maryam Korkor. Although an unsightly green from the outside, this impressive, cross-shaped church is known for its architectural features (cruciform pillars, arches and cupolas), fine 17th-century frescos and church treasures. It’s also one of the largest churches in the area. The path begins around 1km from the road just southeast of Megab and involves a fairly steep one-hour ascent.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Daniel Korkor, Ethiopia
Just a couple of minutes’ walk from Maryam Korkor is the seldom-used church of Daniel Korkor. It sits atop a paralysing precipice, offers astounding views and has fine paintings.After enjoying Maryam Korkor, there is a short seven-ten min walk to Daniel Korkor. On the way I like to stop under a large sycamore tree, to take in the view and have a snack. Daniel Korkor faces out over the Haiwzen plain, and one of the best pictures of the valley can be taken as you approach the church. Overlooking a terrifying cliff is a small hole in the rockface—that is the entrance to Daniel Korkor. Inside, you will find that there are two chambers where it is believed that two monks lived, before it was converted into a church. The outer chamber is filled with vivid paintings in light pastel colors with a white background, which are very different from any of the other paintings in other churches. Then drive to Mekele.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at Atse Yohannes Hotel, Mekele

Day 4: Mekele to Erta ale

Stop At: Erta Ale, 6611 Ethiopia
We start our day by driving to Erta Ale (which means smoky mountain in Afar language). 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. It is 613 meters, with a lava lake, one of only five in the world, at the summit. It is notable for being the longest existing lava lake, present since the early years of the twentieth century.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Camping Overnight

Day 5: Visit Danakil

Stop At: Danakil Depression, 0125 Ethiopia
Early Morning sunrise at the northern one corresponds to the main pit crater and walk 5 minutes for the southern and central pits could either corresponds to an ancient pit, or to a simple collapse structure. The main pit-crater, 200 m deep and 350 m across, is sub-circular and three-storied. The smaller southern pit is 65 m wide and about 100 m deep. Descend from Erta Ale around 9 am Dodom – Leave back to Dodom after an early breakfast, if possible at 07:00 o’clock.

Duration: 9 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Camping Overnight

Day 6: Danakil to Mekele to Addis

Stop At: Erta Ale, 6611 Ethiopia
Morning tour Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the localities are mining salt. Look the activity of workers breaking salts 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 meters below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world) colorful salts mining, visit Lake Assal, follow up camel caravans (No camel caravan on July, August, and early September) and walk with the Afar people. Drive back to Hamedela and proceed to Mekele.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.