North Ethiopia Adventure - 21 Days
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Overview
Highlights
- Danakil Depression - discover the hottest place on Earth where three tectonic plates converge, creating rifting and volcanic activity
- Simien Mountains National Park - search for rare Ethiopian wolves and marvel at some of the finest scenery in Africa
- Bahir Dar - cruise on Lake Tana which is the source of the mighty Blue Nile, one of the River Nile's two main tributaries
- Blue Nile Falls - see the impressive falls known as 'Great Smoke' at Bahir Dar, which are one of Ethiopia's most popular attractions
- Gondar - enjoy a guided tour of the former capital of the Ethiopian Empire and take in highlights including Gondar Castle
- Axum - take in the famous ruins of Stelae Field and the Palace of the Queen of Sheba in this former capital of the Axumite Empire
- Awra Amba - meet village elders and if we're lucky, the founder of this community where every member is treated equally
- Lalibela - marvel at ancient rock-hewn churches including the well known UNESCO-listed Church of Saint George
- Mekele - cross the Adwa Mountains and explore Ethiopia's most northern region, home to stunning scenery and fascinating churches
- Addis Ababa - end your journey in Ethiopia's characterful and lively capital city
What's this trip about?
Details
Destinations
Trip includes
- 20 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners
- 16 nights in hotels / hostels / guesthouses
- 4 nights camping
- All necessary camping equipment (excluding sleeping bags)
- Transportation in an overland expedition vehicle
- Services of two crew (drivers/tour leaders) and local guides along the way
- Sightseeing as per itinerary
- Guided tour of Gondar, Axum and Lalibela
- 3 night Simien Mountains National Park excursion
- Danakil Depression excursion
- Boat trip on Lake Tana
Popular Trips
Itinerary
Welcome to Gondar! The city was formerly the capital of the Ethiopian Empire until overthrown by a Marxist rebellion in 1974. Make your own way to our start hotel and join a 6:00pm Welcome Meeting to meet your tour group and crew. The rest of your first day is free to head out and explore the city, which is famous for its numerous empire-era castles.
Today we enjoy a half-day guided tour of Gondar. Highlights of the tour include Gondar Castle, Debre Birhan Selassie church and the King Fasilides Baths. This palace sits in a now drained swimming pool that was built by Fasilides during his rule in the 17th century.
Gondar - Debark - Simien Mountains National Park. On day 3 we board our overland truck for the first time and travel to Debark. There's a briefing from our mountain guide before we head into the breathtaking scenery of Simien Mountains National Park. We spend thr...
Simien Mountains National Park - Debark. Today we say goodbye to the Simien Mountains and head back to Debark. We spend the night in a local hotel and the evening is free to head out and explore.
Debark - Axum. Day 7 sees us back on the road as we continue our journey through the foothills of the Simien Mountains to Axum, once the capital of the Axumite Empire. This mighty empire once encompassed parts of modern day Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan,...
Axum - Mekele. Today we drive through the scenic Adwa Mountains to Tigray, the northernmost region of Ethiopia. We'll visit one of the regions famous rock-hewn churches, either Abraha Atsbeha or Wukro Chirkos. Both churches date back hundreds of years and are richly decorated with paintings. After our visit, we arrive in the city of Mekele.
Mekele - Danakil Depression. Today we leave our overland truck behind and climb aboard 4x4 vehicles for our excursion into the Danakil Depression. Passing through beautiful Tigre villages, we can enjoy incredible views of the Great East African Rift Valley. We pass ca...
Danakil Depression - Mekele. Leaving the incredible Danakil Depression behind, we return to Mekele where the remainder of the day is at leisure. We'll be reunited with our overland truck on arrival.
Mekele - Lalibela. Day 12 is a travel day as we make our way across Ethiopia to Lalibela. Enjoy a guided tour of the town the following day. Our guide will show us ancient rock-hewn churches such as the UNESCO-listed Church of Saint George and will explain the fascina...
Lalibela - Awra Amba. Today we'll be visiting the small village of Awra Amba. This village is different to most Ethiopian communities because everyone is valued as an equal member of the community. This is in stark contrast to traditional hierarchical Ethiopian values. We'll enjoy a tour of the settlement with a village elder and we may even get to meet the founder, Zumra Nuru.
Awra Amba - Bahir Dar. On day 16 we drive to the small town of Bahir Dar. The town is built on the shore of Lake Tana, which is the source of the Blue Nile, one of the two major tributaries of the mighty River Nile which is so crucial to life in east Africa. Day...
Bahir Dar - Debre Markos. Today we begin our journey south to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. We break up the journey with a stop for the night in the small town of Debre Markos.
Debre Markos - Addis Ababa. Today we complete our drive to Addis Ababa. En route we'll take a detour to drive to the bottom of the Blue Nile Gorge, and up the other side. Arriving in the city, there's free time to head out and explore.
Today our Ethiopian adventure comes to an end. Enjoy a final breakfast in the hotel before making your own way to the airport for your onward flight.
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Escaping a cold London winter back in 1998, we followed the sun for a colourful adventure around the world. Discovering amazing history, interesting cultures and the jaw-dropping beauty of our planet, the friends we made along the way made our journey all the more special. Inspired to share our experiences, the seeds were sown and On The Go Tours was born.
Over the years we’ve grown into a small yet global company, with a purposeful local ethos. True to our own travels, authenticity is core to our holidays. We’d love you to experience a country the way it really is, with people who live there and know it inside out. We know this makes the difference between a great holiday and a truly memorable one. Our carefully sought out English-speaking local guides are passionate about sharing their country with you and we believe that they are amongst the best in the business.
We know too that adventure feels better with a chilled beer poolside or a soft pillow at the end of each day and we search out comfortable hotels and boutique properties for your stay. As we love to say - travel with us and adventure in style!
Unbeatable value: Combining authentic local experiences with an excellent range of 3-5 star hotels & boutique properties, our tours represent unbeatable value. Add in airport transfers, passionate tour guides and all transportation and you do get the best of adventure travel and creature comforts too.
Great group size: With an average of 15 and a maximum of 24, our group size really works well on tour, so you’re bound to meet like-minded travellers and make lasting friendships. Our festival tours do have larger group sizes due to their ‘one-off’ nature.
100% Guaranteed: Not only are all our group tour departures 100% guaranteed, we are also fully financially bonded, so you can book our tours with absolute confidence. We’re proud to say that we recently won 2 prestigious British Travel Awards and were runner up for another 3, testament to the quality of our holidays.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International flights and visas
- Items of a personal nature, additional meals and drinks
- Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
- Sleeping bag and roll mat - please bring your own for camping
- Optional activities
- Local payment - $650pp, paid in USD
Accommodation
18 and over. No upper age limit but anyone over 70 needs to complete a tour suitability form.
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