Historical and Cultural Tours

Program: Historical and Omo valley cultural tour
Code: MELODY_T 008
Transport: Air and surface
Duration: 15 days and 14 nights

• Day 01: Arrival at Bole International Airport. Warm reception by your guide and Transfer to hotel for check-in after short break City tour of Addis Ababa Overnight in Addis Ababa.
• Day 02: Fly from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar and you will visit the 3 ancient monastery on the islands lake Tana (by boat) after lunch break you will drive 35km from Bahr Dar and half hour trekking you will to see the fascinating gorge of blue Nile falls. Overnight stay in Bahr Dar
• Day 03: in the morning You will drive180 km from Bahr Dar to Gonder after a lunch break you will explore the royal enclosure which contains several stone-built castles of different emperors. The most impressive building is Fasilidas castle. He was the emperor who established Gonder as a powerful cultural and religious center at 16th century. Overnight stay in Gonder
• Day 04: In the morning you will drive from Gonder to Semen Mountain. The Semen national park is register as UNESCO world heritage site. The highest mountain in Ethiopia Ras Dashen is also found in the semen national park. The park is home of mountainous and wild animal species like the Walya Ibex and Chelada baboon which are endemic in Ethiopia. This is an ideal place to do some trekking to the most beautiful place with panoramic views. After a short trekking you will drive back to Gonder for Overnight stay
• Day 05: Fly from Gonder to Axum and Full day visit historic sites it was once the capital of the Ethiopian kings and the oldest ancient civilization in the world and represented a connecting-point between Africa and Asia for almost a thousand year. Some of the archaeological sites can give you an idea of the former high standard of civilization visit the famous steles ,see the churches of St. Mary of Zion which contain the crowns of Ethiopian kings and other treasures and the tomb of king Kaleb . Overnight stay in Axum
• Day 06: After breakfast drive to visit the ruins of Yeha dating from the 8th to 5th centuries BC, and thought to be the capital of Ethiopian civilization before Axum. Afterwards, visit the Debre Damo monastery, where the men climb up a 15-m rope to enter the uphill situated monastery. Return to Axum for overnight.
• Day 07: Fly from Axum to Lalibela after short break start visit the first group of the magnificent rock-hewn churches of Lalibela which are carved out of living volcanic tuff with super architectural skill that the world has never seen, yet elsewhere. UNESCO registers these churches as world heritage. Among churches of this group Bete Medahine Alem (house of the redeemer) is the largest with 5 aisles, 72 pillars, vaulted dome and molding decoration. Bete Mariam (house of St. Marry) is the most decorated among the rock hewn churches. Overnight stay in Lalibela
• Day 08: In the morning excursion to Yemerhane Kirstos cave church outside of Lalibela through beautiful mountainous land scape of last region. Back to the hotel for lunch and after noon visit the second group of the rock-hewn churches; Bete Emanuel (house of Emanuel) is architecturally the finest. Bete Giorgis (the house of George) is the finest of all the churches in Lalibela for which reason art historians conclude that this church is carved at the end of the cluster. Overnight stay in Lalibela
• Day 09: Fly from Lalibela to Addis Ababa on arrival Depart south from Addis via the Great Rift Valley, stopping on the way at Lake Ziway to visit the beautiful birdlife on the shores of the lake. Continue driving to Hawassa for overnight stay
• Day 10: In the morning visit the fish market on Lake Hawassa, and then drive continue to Arba Minch via Dorze village the Dorze people live in the Guge mountains near Arba minch in a cold and misty climate. They are very famous for their skills in cotton-weaving. Many of the traditional clothes of the Ethiopians came from chencha the biggest town in the area. Overnight stay Arbaminich.
• Day 11: in the morning take a boat trip on Lake Chamo to visit the crocodile market and hippo pods also you will visit Nech sar national park to visit zebras and other wilds animal after the boat trip, continue driving to Jinka via Weyto (market day Sunday) and Key Afar (market day Thursday). Overnight stay in Jinka
• Day 12: Drive from jinka to Mursi proceeds to the Mursi people and village. For beauty where the Mursi women use clay plates into their lips. Drive from Mursi to turmi and if the day you arrive Monday or Saturday admire the very colorful markets of the Hamer and Dassanech tribes are famous for their hairstyles, ornaments, scarification, culture and more… Overnight stay Turmi
• Day 13: Today will be a day trip to visit the people of the Karo tribe depart from Turmi on the shores of the Omo River. The Karo people are the smallest in number of all of the tribes of the Omo Valley and they are known for their elaborate decorations particularly during local ceremonies. Overnight stay in Turmi
• Day 14: Drive back to Arbaminch on the way visit konso people. The konso people are famous for their terraced agriculture and for their practice of sculpting wooden totem called”WAKA” to the mark their gravies. The konso have a special kind of social organization, interesting handicrafts and a special architecture which can be seen and experienced best by trekking through the region. Overnight stay in Arba minch
• Day 15: Drive from Arbaminch to Addis Ababa on the way you will visit the UNSCO world heritage site Tiya. After visit drive back to Addis Ababa. Evening Have a farewell dinner at one of the best traditional restaurants of Addis where you can taste the variety of Ethiopian meals, and see the folkloric dances of the Ethiopians.
• Then, be transferred to the airport for your departure. End Tour.