Immerse Yourself In The Beauty And Culture Of Ethiopia
“New Jerusalem” that boasts 11 13th-century churches chiseled out of natural rock face (and said to have been built with the help of angels). The city remains a site of pilgrimage and devotion for Ethiopian Christians today.
A burning hot, hostile desert in the northeastern corner of the country that was named the cruelest place on earth by National Geographic. A land of salt mines, colorful sulfur fields and camel caravans.
Day 1: Addis Ababa to Dessie
Day 2: Dessie To Lalibela
Day 3: Lalibela to Mekele
Day 4: Hayk-Woldeya to Mekele
We will continue the drive to Mekele via Woldeya. We will make a stop at the Majestic Lake Hayk and see the fishermen in their boats. After that we will continue the journey to Mekele where we will stay for the night.
Day 5: Hamed Ila
On the way to Hamed Ila, you will join with police scouts, road guides and permits to visit the Afar region. From the town of Berehale, we will continue to Hamed Ila. There, we will see Camel caravans on the way from the Salt Lake to Mekele where they sell the salt that they extract from the lake. We will camp overnight in Hamed Ila.
Day 6: Dallol
Following breakfast, we will journey to the famous Dallol region. It lies 110m below sea level and is one of the most unique places on Earth. There was even an Ethiopian Reggae band named after this area. The numerous springs here that spout hot water, acids and minerals have created a very colorful landscape. From here we will visit Lake Asale which is where the salt is extracted by the Afar people. You can see the salt being extracted and even try your hand at it. After the long day we will return to camp in Hamed Ila.
Day 7: Erta Ale
From Hamed Ila, we will continue to Erta Ale via Kusawad. The Erta Ale volcano has been in a constant state of eruption for over 40 years. You will camp in the village of El Dom, where it will be an early-to-bed night.
Day 8: Today is an early-to-rise start at 2 am to start your hike to the crater rim of the Erta Ale volcano. At the top, you will peer down at the permanent lava lake (the only one in the world!) while the sun rises over the horizon. Definitely the highlight of the trip! After the hike back to the camp and a bit of breakfast, you’ll continue driving to Lake Afrera for overnight camping or in a local hotel.
Day 9: Lake Afdrera is a wonderfully bright green lake situated with black basalt mountains behind it. It’s a stunning location, Here you can see more salt extraction from the lake, where the Afar nomads continue the same activities they have for centuries. The salt extraction here is the main supply of salt to Addis Ababa. From Afdera, we proceed driving to Semera via Logia. Overnight in Semera in a hotel.
Day 10: Today we drive through Yangudi-Rassa National Park (home to the endangered African Wild Ass), and then to Awash for overnight.
Day 11: Yagund to Harar. Overnight in Harar.
Day 12: Harar city tour. After lunch drive to Diredawa. Overnight in Diredawa.
Day 13: Diredawa to Awash. Overnight in Awash Lodge.
Day 14: In the morning, we will go for a game drive in Awash National Park, which is one of Ethiopia’s most popular national parks. Here you will enjoy wonderful birdlife and many mammals, such as gazelles, kudus, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons, and colobus monkeys. It might also be possible to see lions, leopards and other cats, if you’re lucky! After the drive, we will continue driving to Sodere for overnight, where you can go for a refreshing swim in the pool or a shower in the hot spring water. Overnight in Sodere.
Day 15: After a morning swim, we continue on our way back to Addis, stopping in Debre Zeit for a lunch by one of the beautiful lakes in the area. Overnight in Addis Ababa.
Day 1 – Take the morning flight from Addis to Lalibela
– Visit the Underground Rock-hewn churches (a UNESCO Site and regarded as the eighth wonder of the world)
Day 2 – Drive most of the way (35-40 minutes) and walk the last 20 minutes to the hilltop Monastery of Asheton Maryam with amazing view optional Trek and//or ride Mule all the way to the mountain
– Return to Lalibela for lunch. In the afternoon visit NakutaLa’ab Monastery located in a cave.
Day 3 – Excursion to Yimrhane Christos a unique wood and granite church built in a cavern before the time of King Lalibela. And the finest example of its kind in Ethiopia and known as a bridge in between Axumite and Lalibela civilization.
– Late afternoon, enjoy a typical Ethiopian coffee ceremony in an authentic place in the villages of Lalibela!
Overnight: Hotel
Day 4– Take the flight to Mekele
City tour in Mekele
Overnight in Mekele
Day 5 – Mekelle – Volcano
You will drive from Mekelle to – Dodom. start early drive to Dodom (at the base of Erta Ale). Leave after an early breakfast, possible at 07:30. This is may be one of the worst roads in the world. The 70 km distance may take about 5 hrs passing through changing landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and occasional palm lined oasis. After you pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert land, Dodom is about 9.5km from ErtaAle and it takes about 3 hrs trekking. Early dinner around 17:00 and trek up to ErtaAle at 20:00 hours. Camels transport all the camping materials and some food (sleeping materials like light mattresses and mat and water) to the rim of the volcano, where we spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. ErtaAle 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. ErtaAle contains the world’s only permanent lava lake. ErtaAle 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. Overnight: camping on the mountain
Day 6 – ErtaAle-HamadEla
waking up early ErtaAle -Dodom Leave back to Dodom you will reach latest at 8.00 am at the camp , after breakfast time to relax. then drive to HamadEla 100km, picnic lunch on the way on shed of palm tree, reach HamadEla 04:30, better village with a total population about 500 people. You will see lots of camel caravans and you will have the sun set look from the very shallow salt lake Assale. Overnight: camping at HamadEla.
Day 7 – HamadEla- Dallol- Mekelle
Morning tour Drive to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the
localities are mining salt. 1,200 km2 (460 sq mi) the Afar Depression is covered by salt, and you will Look the activity of breaking the salt from the ground, local people are cutting in to rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity; Dallol + Lake Assale + salt canon, camel caravans, follow up camel caravans and Drive back to HamadEla for lunch and proceed to Mekele.
Take the evening flight from Mekele to Addis Ababa.
Evening will be traditional dinner with traditional dances as a Farwell night party
