8-Day Northern Ethiopia Historic Adventure

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This morning fly to Bahir Dar and take a boat cruise on Lake Tana to visit the 14th-century Monastery of Ura Kidane Mihret, which is the most famous of the Zege peninsula monasteries. After lunch, drive to the village of Tis Isat to see the Blue Nile Falls, known locally as 'the Great Smoke', the most dramatic spectacle in the country.

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Take a leisurely morning drive to Gondar to explore the historical sites. Visit the Royal Enclosure or Fasil Gibbs within the compound and the castles built by various emperors of Gondar. Then visit Debre Birhan Selassie, the only church that was saved from Mahdist invasion in the 1880s. According to legend, a swarm of bees distracted the invaders. The walls and ceiling of this church are covered with murals – the angels’ faces on the ceiling have become a common motif in Ethiopian design.

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Over millions of years, the large erosions of the Ethiopian plateau created and serrated mountain peaks, deep valleys and 1,500 metres cliff drops making it one of the most spectacular sights in the world. Observe the magnificent scenery with unique flora and fauna like the endemic Gelada baboons, the Ethiopian wolf, the Walia ibex, wild goats, and the impressive bearded vulture, or lammergeier, with its 10-foot wingspan.

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This morning fly to Lalibela. Once you arrive, you'll visit the famous wonders of the rock-hewn churches, starting with Saint George. Bete Medhane Alem is an Orthodox underground monolith church and known for containing some of the best early examples of Ethiopian Christian art, including life-size depictions of the 12 apostles carved into the walls. Then visit Bete Maryam which is small however, the murals are intricate and perfectly preserved. Continue to more churches before you end the day.

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You will visit the second group of churches and King Nakuto's Monastery. The churches you see today represent the higher church of the region, thought to be one of the first in Africa. In each church, the murals offer indications of what the churches were dedicated to. You'll finish the day at the Royal monastery. There you can see the large canvas at the Church of the Monastery of Na'akueto La'ab, with a depiction of the legend of kings.

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Take your flight to Axum, the seat of an Empire which extended across the Red Sea to Arabia. This ancient kingdom had its own alphabet and constructed great engineering works and dams. Today, you'll visit the Ancient City of Axum, the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion that contains the Ark of the Covenant and the Archaeological Museum, containing an interesting variety of objects found in the tombs, ranging from the ordinary household.