14 Days Grand Ethiopia Tours

Tour Name – 14 Days Grand Ethiopia Tours

No of Day/night – 14 Days & 13 Nights          

Mode of transportation – Car & Flight

Day 01 Arrival and Addis Ababa City Tour          

You will meet our staff upon arrival from your international flight and after breakfast, begin your exploration of Addis Ababa with visits to some of the city’s most iconic historical, cultural, and religious sites. The day includes the following highlights:

• Entoto Maryam Church: Located on the Entoto Hills, this is one of the oldest Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo churches, built in 1877 by Emperor Menelik II. The church features traditional Ethiopian architecture with octagonal domes. Inside, you’ll find a collection of royal artifacts, including Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu’s crowns, ceremonial garments, their royal bed, and a mirror gifted to the Empress by Queen Victoria.
• Entoto Hills: At an elevation of 2,900 meters above sea level, the Entoto Hills offer a stunning panoramic view of Addis Ababa. This area, once the capital before the city moved to its current location, holds great historical and spiritual significance.
• Ethnological Museum: Situated within the main campus of Addis Ababa University, this museum is housed in the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. It offers a deep insight into Ethiopia’s diverse cultures, with exhibits covering anthropology, music, and traditional life. It is also recognized as the first university museum in Ethiopia.
• National Museum of Ethiopia: One of the most important museums in sub-Saharan Africa, it showcases Ethiopia’s rich archaeological heritage. Here, you will find the world-famous fossil remains of Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis), as well as Selam, a remarkably complete child hominid fossil estimated to be 3.3 million years old.
• Merkato: Conclude your day with a visit to Africa’s largest open-air market. Established during the Italian occupation in the late 1930s, Merkato spans several square miles and hosts over 7,000 businesses. It offers a dynamic experience of the city’s daily life, where you can find everything from spices and textiles to handmade crafts and electronics.

Overnight Aya Addis hotel Addis Ababa

Day 02 Fly Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar

 This day after breakfast you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Bahir Dar. You will be met upon arrival and drive to

Blue Nile Falls known as Tis Abay meaning great smoke it is situated on the upper course of the river about 30 kilometers downstream from the town of Bahir Dar. On arrival make a small trekking loop along the river side to view the water fall at every angle. (Note that the volume of the water could be minimal because of 2003 a hydro-electric station has taken much of the flow out of the falls except during the rainy season. Later drive back to Bahir Dar after Lunch you will have

Boat trip on Lake Tana the largest lake in Ethiopia and the source of the Blue Nile River, on arrival we will visit Ura Kidane Mehret, one of the earliest monastic church in the peninsula. It was founded in the 14th century by the saint Betre Mariyam although the present circular church dates from the 16th century. Its interior is decorated with numerous murals painted between 100 and 250 years ago.

Overnight Naky Hotel Bahir Dar

Day 03 Drive Bahir Dar to Gondar

After breakfast you will drive to Gondar After lunch you will begin your visit to the Royal Capital of Ethiopia. Gondar was founded in 1636 by Emperor Fasiledes

Castle of Gondar Because of its historical importance and architecture, the fortress was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The complex of buildings includes Fasilides’ castle, Iyasu I’s palace, Dawit III’s Hall, Empress Mentewab’s castle, a chancellery and library from Yohannes I, a banqueting hall from the emperor Bakaffa.

Debre Birhan Selassie (The Enlightening of Trinity) It was founded in the late 17th century by Iyasu I, but the building had to be rebuilt after fire and lightning. Most other churches in Gondar were destroyed by the Dervish of Sudan; Debre Birhan Selassie escaped because it was protected by brave bees. The walls contain biblical stories, depicting several scenes of the life of Christ and various saints. Some of the scenes are brutal, beheadings are depicted with bloody detail, and the devil also made it to the colorful walls.

Fasiledes Bath is a significant historical and cultural site in Gondar. It’s a square Embattlement pool with a two storied palace situated within and it plays a crucial role in the celebration of Epiphany, the Timkat festival. The compounds walls have been slowly engulfed by the thick slithering roots of ancient badian trees that are now intertwined with the crumbling brickwork.

Overnight Haile Resort Gondar

Day 04 Gondar Excursion to Simien Mountain National Park

After breakfast the trip starts from Gondar to the famous and beautiful Simien Mountains National Park. The park is known as the roof of Africa and contains several high mountains and the only place in Ethiopia registered by the UNESCO as a natural beauty. After two hours’ drive from Gondar we will start hiking admiring Beautiful landscapes and mountains and enjoying nature. There will be a chance to see some wild animals especially the endemic Gelada Baboons. Later you will be drive back to Gondar.

Overnight Haile Resort Gondar

Day 05 Fly Gondar to Lalibela

After breakfast you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Lalibela. You will be met upon arrival and taken to your Hotel. After lunch you will Visit

Bete Golgotha-Mika’el: a twin-church complex marking the most sacred area, featuring the Selassie Chapel within Bete Golgotha said to house the tomb of King Lalibela and striking carved reliefs of saints inside Bete Mika’el

Bete Maryam: possibly the oldest church in the site, with an intricately painted ceiling depicting biblical scenes and windows symbolizing the Trinity and crucifixion

Bete Meskel: a small chapel carved into the courtyard of Bete Maryam, the “House of the Cross”

Bete Denagel (House of the Virgins): an intimate, grotto-like chapel adjacent to Bete Maryam, reputed to commemorate fifty Christian nuns martyred in late antiquity

Bete Medhane Alem: the largest free-standing monolithic church in the world, shaped like a Greek temple. Inside, dozens of columns support the vaulted ceiling, and the polished stone floor reflects shafts of light from high-aperture windows. In one corner stand three symbolic empty graves for the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Later in the afternoon, you’ll visit the western group’s standalone masterpiece:

Bete Giyorgis (Church of Saint George): isolated on a sloping rock terrace to the southwest of the village, this church is carved in the shape of a perfect cross and often considered the most elegant of all 11. It stands in a sunken pit and is reached via tunnels and trenches

Overnight Maribela Hotel Lalibela

Day 06 Fly Lalibela to Addis Ababa

After breakfast, you’ll spend the morning exploring the remaining rock hewn churches of Lalibela like:-

• Bete Gabriel-Rufael (House of Archangels Gabriel and Raphael)
• Bete Marqorios (St. Mercurius/Mark the Evangelist)
• Bete Emmanuel (House of Emmanuel)
• Bete Abba Libanos (House of Abbot Libanos)

These southeastern cluster churches, carved into volcanic rock, showcase exceptional Aksumite architectural features and intricate decorative motifs unique to Lalibela, After visiting these sacred sites, you’ll be transferred to Lalibela Airport to catch your flight back to Addis Ababa.

Overnight Aya Addis hotel Addis Ababa

Day 07 Fly Addis Ababa to Semera & Drive to Ahmed Ella

You will meet upon arrival at Semera airport and you will be warmly welcomed by our team and begin your drive to Ahmed Ella. Along the way, you’ll witness the stunning and dramatic landscape shaped by solidified lava, rock formations, sand dunes, and the occasional palm-lined oasis. As you pass through several small Afar hamlets, you’ll stop to visit Ahmed Ella village, home to over 500 residents. Here, you’ll get a firsthand look at the traditional lifestyle of the Afar people, known for their resilience and unique culture. In the late afternoon, continue to the spectacular Salt Lake Asale, a vast and shimmering salt flat. You’ll have the opportunity to swim in a natural pool and enjoy the mesmerizing sunset reflected on the salt-covered ground a truly unforgettable experience.

Overnight Camping at Ahmed Ella

Day 08 Visit Dallol & Drive to Erta Ale

After breakfast, begin your day with a drive to Dallol, one of the most geologically active and colorful places on Earth. Situated at approximately 125 meters below sea level, Dallol is among the lowest and hottest inhabited locations in the world. Explore the otherworldly landscape shaped by volcanic activity—vivid salt formations, sulfur springs, bubbling brine pools, and the famous oily lake that make this one of Ethiopia’s most surreal sites.

Return to Ahmed Ella for lunch, and then continue your adventure towards Erta Ale, Ethiopia’s most iconic volcano. Upon arrival, trek to the crater rim in the late afternoon and spend the night witnessing the breathtaking sight of the active lava lake.

Erta Ale is a shield volcano with a 30 km-wide base and a 1 km² summit caldera. Standing at 613 meters, it houses one of the world’s only permanent lava lakes, continuously active since the early 20th century. This rare and powerful natural wonder is both alluring and physically demanding, offering an unforgettable experience under the stars.

Overnight Camping at Erta Ale

Day 09 Drive from Erta Ale to Lake Afdera – Return to Semera & Fly to Addis Ababa

After breakfast, depart from Erta Ale and drive to Lake Afdera, a region known for its vital role in Ethiopia’s salt extraction industry. Located in the southern part of the Afar Depression, Lake Afdera is a striking saline lake where water is pumped into nearby salt pans for solar evaporation, creating vast, glistening salt fields.

Take time to explore the area and observe the salt harvesting process before continuing to Semera. After lunch en route, you’ll be transferred to Semera Airport for your return flight to Addis Ababa

Overnight Aya Addis hotel Addis Ababa

Day 10 Drive Addis Ababa to Hawassa

After breakfast we will drive to Hawassa. On the way you have a chance to visit

Abijatta-Shalla National Park

It contains 887 square kilometers including Abijatta and Shalla two alkaline lakes. The habitat of Abijatta-Shalla National Park contains open grasslands, dry savannas, arid shrub lands and that were dominated by Acacia trees, which include umbrella thorn acacias, red acacias and gum acacias. You will see Grant’s gazelles, Common Warthogs, the park is also home to 300 species of birds that are listed as endemics, residents, and migratory. Common Ostriches and Somali Ostriches are mostly common for their breeding.

Overnight Haile Resort Hawassa

Day 11 Drive Hawassa to Arba Minch

After breakfast you will visit Hawassa Lake, 16 km long and 9 km wide, with a surface area of 129 square kilometers. It has a maximum depth of 10 meters and is located at an elevation of 1,708 meters. The local Fish Market and different kinds of bird watching at Amora Gedele After lunch you will drive to

Dorze people who are expert in weaving called Shammas Weaving are a primary profession for a number of Dorze people. The shape of their house looks Elephant, in order to remember the existence of these animals around the area many years ago. They are known for their traditional weaving of huts made out of local bamboo.  Enset “fake banana” is the stable food for these peoples.

Overnight Haile Resort Arba Minch

Day 12 Drive Arba Minch – Konso – Turmi

After having your breakfast you will take a boat cruise on the

Lake Chamo, the third biggest Lake in Ethiopia you will have a boat trip to see the crocodiles, hippos & aquatic bird species. The northern shores of Lake Chamo are famous for its large crocodiles, which can be seen in numbers lounging in the heat. The lake is about 32km long and provides a lush wetland habitat for many species of flora and fauna. Visit and proceed southwards to

Konso village, one of the UNESCO site in Ethiopia know by their terracing in order to protect against soil erosion from the sporadic and often heavy rainfall in the region. The villages are encircled by one to six concentric rings of stone walls, mainly consisting of basalt boulders. The age of each town is classified by a generation pole and each family lives in compounds that are accessible only through gateways that require the visitor to enter on all fours thereby rendering any potential attackers vulnerable. One of the best types of coffee for the country is also from this village.

Overnight Paradise Lodge in Turmi

Day 13 Drive Turmi – Nyangatom — Karo – Turmi – Jinka

This morning, we continue through the savannah with shrubs and umbrella acacia trees.

Kangaten (Nyangatom tribe) To adore their long and lean bodies, the Nyangatom women wear numerous necklaces and long Skirts from goatskins that are richly decorated They are indeed fierce warriors which is supposedly demonstrated by their custom to scar their chest; one scar for each killed enemy. Herds of cows are their most valuable property. Later drive to Kolcho, the village of

Karo people at the eastern bank of Omo River with beautiful views, Karo are famous for their intricate face and body painting practices, which they apply on their heads and torso before major events and on the weekly markets. Karo is the smallest tribes of the Omo Valley and Karo men also sculpts and shave their hair into extravagant shapes, with special ochre “caps” of hair usually containing several ostrich feathers. Then back to turmi for lunch and proceed to

Mursi village, the Mursi women, like their Surma cousins, live on the other bank of the Omo River, are famous for their large round (and not only) lip plates worn by women. There are several theories of the wearing of lip plates: disfiguring to prevent enslavement by Arabs in antiquity; protection against the penetration of evil spirits into the body through the mouth; determination of social status, showing the amount of cattle that the groom must pay as a dowry for the bride owning the plate. Mursi are unsurpassed masters of scarification. The scars on their bodies symbolize social status and past merits. The scars are created by using a razor blade and camel thorn. To achieve a bulge, an ash or a fly larva is planted in the wound, which, among other things, eliminates all possible infections.

Overnight Eco Omo Lodge Jinka

Day 14 Visit Ari Village and Fly to Addis Ababa

After breakfast at the hotel you will visit

Ari people, the largest population in the lower omo valley, their traditional territory stretches from the northern edge of Mago National Park to the highland areas around Jinka and Key Afer, The women wear skirts from the banana like tree, called Enset are expert in pottery, blacksmith and distillation of traditional Liquor. Later drive to Jinka airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa End of Service.