Day 1 Addis Ababa to Bahir Dara
After a short briefing we drive to Bahir Dar, the road takes a winding route over the Ethiopian Plateau towards Debre Libanso for lunch. After eating we continue to our campsite at Bahir Dar. Bahir Dar is a large town on the edge of Ethiopia’s largest lake, the deep blue Lake Tana. Optional Activities: Lake Tana cruise. Blue Nile Falls
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 Bahir Dar
Bahir Dar is a large town on the edge of Lake Tana with a sticky tropical ambience, more similar to somewhere like Awassa in the Rift Valley. This is probably the most important commercial center today, with a population of 150, 000, it's the largest town in Ethiopia and the fastest growing as well.

The central market is one of the finest in the country and worth a few hours. You can pick up a goatskin injera, a holder used by herdsmen as a "picnic basket". There in a daily fish market on the shore of the lake about 500m from the Ghion Hotel. Here you can also see a great many papyrus tankwa boats, and a large numbers of pelicans.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 3 Bahir Dar to Gonder
In the morning we drive from Bahir Dar to Gonder, the tour arrives in the afternoon; here there’ll be a tour of Gonder. Gonder is the most immediately impressive of Ethiopia’s major cities, and was the first capital city of the Ethiopian Empire, which began in 1632 with the reign of Fasilidas.

In Gonder, there are a dozen castles built by various emperors over the course of 236 years. The city seems more European than African and also has Islamic influences. In the afternoon, we visit Fasilidas' castle, probably the most impressive of all the castles found in the area and the oldest one! Constructed in 1640 and re-stored some time in the mid-20th century.

Fasilidas castle is made of stone and shows a unique combination of Portuguese, Axumite and even Indian influences. The walls are decorated with a symbol similar to the Star of David, which became the emblem of the Ethiopian royal family after the Solomonic dynasty reclaimed the Throne in the 13th century.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 4 Gonder to Simien Mountains
4 km after leaving Gonder on our way to the Simien Mountain National Park, we visit the Woleka village. This village of the Felasha (African Jews) is famous for their (poor) ceramics made in the Felasha tradition. All but one of the Felasha occupants was airlifted to Israel during the last famine. The Felasha woman who remains is also trying to emigrate to Israel.

Than we head off to the Simien Mountains, one of Africa’s largest mountain ranges (Simien National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The road passes over mountainous areas of wild beauty, drawing close to the Simien Massif (in Amharic, Simien means north). In the park, many of the mountain peaks exceed 4,000 m (13123 ft); the highest is Ras Dejen, at 4,543 m (1905 ft) above sea level is the highest point in Ethiopia and the 4th highest in Africa.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 5 Simien Mountains to Axum
The road passes over mountain regions of the National Park with all of its wild beauty, passing though the Limalimo Mountain, we traverse the Tekeze valley, with breath taking views all day we finely reach Axum. The legends narrated in the Kebre Nagast (‘Book of Kings’) recount how the city of Axum was as early as the 10th century B.C already the city in which the Queen of Sheba resided. It is recounted that the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant to Axum and it remains there to this day, preserved in a sanctuary.

Famous long before the time of Christ, Axum was the capital of the long Axumite reign, one of the oldest African empires, and represented a crucial connecting-point between Africa and Asia for almost a thousand years. A visit is organised to the stelae: granite monoliths dating from pre-Christian times and decorated with symbolic engravings. In ancient times, there were seven large steles, now one of them is in Rome – Mussolini brought it there during Italy’s occupation of Ethiopia.

We'll also visit the museum, next to the church of Tsion Maryam, build by Haile Selassie’s wife and contains the crowns of past Kings, ancient crosses and the supposed Ark of the Covenant. There is also a visit to the church of Tsion Maryam (St Mary of Zion), which contains the crowns of Ethiopian kings and other treasures, although entrance is forbidden to women. Then at night the tour stay’s in one of the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 6 Axum to Mekele
By way of a beautiful panoramic roads, we drive to Yeha, the ruined city of Yeha dates back 2,700yrs. The cities most antiquity is a well-preserved 12m-high stone temple that is thought to be over 2, 500yrs old. Nobody knows what religion was practiced in the temple, but appearances suggest links with the pagan faith of the Sabaean civilization of South Arabia. A little further along the road we find the monastery of Debre Damo, the oldest church in Ethiopia (dating from the Axumite epoch). Only men are allowed to visit the church and it is necessary to climb up to it with the aid of a rope. From the 8th to the 15th century, in this region, hundreds of rock-hewn churches were carved and constructed out of one rock. Many of the churches are carved directly into the cliff walls of the ‘Ambas’: typical Ethiopian mountains with flat tops and almost vertical sides. Along the way, we visit some of the churches. Then it’s onward to Mekele for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 7 Mekele to Lalibel
The whole day is required to cover this distance. The unpaved road climbs several times to heights of about 3,000 m and descends into valleys where powerful rivers run. The landscape is dry, but visually splendid. For a considerable stretch, the winding road follows the spectacular canyon of the river Tekeze, one of the principal rivers of Ethiopia. Just before Lalibela, is the beautiful rock hewn church of Genete Mariam. Afterwards we arrive to Lalibela in the evening; dinner and overnight in a hotel.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 8 Lalibela
This strange city in the mountains of Lasts is located at 2,600 m above sea level. Roha, as it was known back in the 10th century to the mid 13th century and was the capital of the Zagwe dynasty. Its modern name comes from the most famous of the Zagwe rulers, the 12th century King Lalibela.

It contains 11 monolithic churches that were built in the 12th century and are carved out of the pink granite rock; they have been classified as one of the wonders of the world. Each church has a unique architectural style; all are superbly carved and most of them are decorated with well-preserved paintings. The entire city may be described as a sculpture dedicated to the glory of God. Legend has it that King Lalibela was instructed by angles to build the replica of a rock city he saw in a vision, other stories say he was in exile in Jerusalem and was inspired to create the ‘new’ Jerusalem in Roha. The day is dedicated to visiting the churches and exploring the city itself. Tonight we have dinner and stay in the same hotel as the previous night.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 9 Lalibela to Kombolcha
The road runs through villages, cultivated plains and small passes. Here, we are close to the land occupied by the Afar shepherds, a Semi-nomadic people who live mainly in the deserts of Danakil depression. We encounter them on the road with their caravans of camels. Dinner and overnight in a hotel in Kombolcha.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 10 Kombolcha to Addis Ababa
The road crosses the Ethiopian plateaux, with its vast expanses of cultivated fields. In Senbete, on Sundays, there is an interesting market where the Afar, Oromo and Amhara peoples meet. We arrive in Addis Ababa in the evening. Your tour ends here.
Meals: Breakfast