Danakil
Depression and Lalibella Rock Churches
Attractions: History, Religion,
and Scenery & Wildlife
Duration: 14 Days & 13Nights
Transportation: Surface (4x4 Jeep)
Day 1: Arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Air port
Meet
and greet you by our representative
and transfer you to the hotel. Dinner
and Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 2: Addis Ababa City Tour
You will have an early breakfast
and your first visit in Addis Ababa will be the National Museum (pre historic, cultural, archaeological attractions), Ethnographic Museum of Addis Ababa University (culture, dressing style, traditional practices of over 80 ethnic groups,
and collection of traditional musical instruments). Your visit also comprises tourist attraction sites like Emperor Minelik’s Palace, St. Raguel’s Church (after a drive to Entoto Mountain - 3000 meter above sea level), Merkato, (the largest open market in Africa). Dinner
and Overnight stay in hotel.
Drive to Awash National Park
After breakfast, you will drive to Awash National Park (225 Km from Addis). On the way, you will visit Lake Basaka
and its aquatic birds. Up on arrival at the park, you will check into a lodge. In the late afternoon, you will do sightseeing at the Awash waterfalls
and see the wild life. Dinner
and Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 4: Drive to Semera
You will have an early breakfast
and drive to Semera (357km from Awash NP). There you will check into a hotel. Finish all the formalities in Semera where you will get your Afar permits
and we will pick up the mandatory scouts
and road leaders. Dinner
and Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 5: Drive to Afdera
Right after breakfast, an early morning drive will take you to Afdera (244 Km from Semra) via Serdo on a track through the desolate landscape with only some coned shaped volcano’s here
and there to Afdera salt lake ( Lake Afdera is a wonderfully bright green lake situated with black basalt mountains behind. Here you can see salt extraction from the Lake, where the Afar nomads continue the same activities for a century. The salt extraction here is the main supply of salt to the country). Late in the afternoon you will visit the salt extractors at the lakeside. In the evening you will stretch your tent. You will have dinner
and stay the night in the tent. Overnight stay camping at Afdera.
Day 6: Drive Erta ale via Kusurawde
You will have breakfast & drive to Erta ale via Kusurawde (60km from Afdera)
and continue drive to Dodom (20 Km from Kusurawde), a nearby settlement to Erta ale (the Erta Ale volcano has been in a constant state of eruption). Today is an early-to-rise start at 2am to start your hike (approximately 10km from Dodom) 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. After the hike, back to camp
and a bit of breakfast, you’ll continue driving to Hamed Ella for overnight.
Day 7: Drive to Hamed Ela
Right after breakfast, an early morning drive will take you to Hamed Ela (approximately 30 Km from Erta ale). Late in the afternoon you will walk for a few minute following the camel caravan carrying salt bars from the
Depression to the highland. In the evening you will stretch your tent. You will have dinner
and stay the night in the tent. Overnight stay camping at Hamed Ela.
Day 8: Drive to Dallol
An early morning drive will take a day trip to Dallol, (which at 116m below sea level is the lowest point on the African continent & 120km from Hamed Ella). Here the landscape is beautiful, the ground many shades of red
and yellow from the hot water, acids
and minerals spurting up from the ground). You will also visit Lake Asale, which is the salt lake from which the Afar nomads extract salt. Late afternoon, drive back to Hamed Ella for overnight camping. You will have dinner
and stay the night in the tent. Overnight stay camping at Hamed Ella.
Day 9: Drive to Mekelle
Right after breakfast, an early morning drive will take you to Mekelle (170 Km from Hamed Ela) via Berhaile. You will see the camel caravans along the way, carrying salt from the salt lake to Mekele for sale. Then you will arrive in Mekelle (late afternoon). Dinner
and Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 10: Drive to Lalibela
After breakfast, you will be driven to Lalibela (470 Km from Mekele) through the Ambalage Chain of Mountains. Your arrival in Lalibela will be late in the afternoon. You will check into a hotel, have dinner
and spend the night there.
Day 11: Visit the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
Early in the morning, after breakfast, your visit will be to the eleven rock-hewn monolithic (carved from a single rock) churches of Lalibela (UNESCO World heritage site, with magnificent architecture & paintings inside the churches). In the evening you will get back to the hotel, rest, have dinner
and relax. Dinner
and Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 12: One more day to explore the Lalibela Rock-hewn Churches
Right after breakfast, an early morning drive will take you to historical churches around Lalibela like the Hill Church of Asheton Mariam (on the back of a mule or on foot), Yimerhane Kirsotos, Nakute LeAb or Genete Maryam. Dinner
and Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 13: Drive to Kombolcha
An early morning drive after breakfast will take you to Kombolcha (335 Km). En route visit Hayk Estifanos Monastery (45 Km before Kombolcha, famous for its variety of bird life near the town of Hayk). Later, you will drive to Kombolcha & upon arrival; you will check into a hotel & stay the night there. Dinner
and Overnight stay in hotel.
Day 14: Drive to Addis Ababa
and departure
after breakfast, you will be driven back to Addis Ababa (375 Km). You will arrive in Addis Ababa late afternoon where you will do some shopping for souvenirs. Finally you will be taken to a farewell dinner depending on your scheduled flight; you will be transferred out to Bole International Airport for return flight back home.
Price: € 799
Email: freetedo@gmail.com
Phone: +251-116625310
Skype: ethiopiatour
