15 days/14 nights Simien Mountains, Lalibela Tigray Churches & Danakil Depression Trekking

Day 1. Addis

– You will be welcomed by your guide/a member of Magma Flow Team at Bole International airport Addis and transfer to your hotel/resort. If your arrival is early morning, city tour of Addis Ababa will be arranged.

Meal plan: Lunch & Dinner

Overnight: Zola/Guzara International hotel (3*) Addis

Day 2. Addis – Gondar

– Morning, fly to Gondar, pick up from Gondar airport and check-in your hotel.

– Afternoon, visit sites in Gondar:

• The Royal Enclosure
• Fasilidass Pool, still used for Timket celebrations
• Ras Gimb Palace Museum
• Debre Birhan Selassie church

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight: Mayleko lodge (4*) Gondar

Day 3. Gondar – Simien Mountains (Buyit Ras – Sankaber)

– Morning, drive to Buyit Ras via Debark.

– Trek (2-3h) from Buyit Ras to Sankaber. En route, visit:

• The wonderful scenario of the landscapes
• Endemic Gelada Baboons

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack & Dinner

Overnight: Camping at Sankaber

Day 4. Simien Mountains [Sankaber – Jinbar Valley – Chennek

– Trek (3h) from Sankaber to Jinbar Valley. En route, visit:

• The place where the Jinbar Waterfall plunges into Geech Abyss.
• Jinbar Waterfall & its adorable landscape.
• Endemic Gelada Baboons 

– Car picks us up from Jinbar Valley and drive to Chennek.

– Trek (0.5-1h) around Chennek to visit villages and local people.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack & Dinner

Overnight: Camping at Chennek

Day 5. Simien Mountains (Chennek – Ras Bwahit) – Gondar

– Drive from Chennek to Bwahit Pass and ascend (3h) to Ras Bwahit (4,430m) the second highest mountain in Simien, enjoy watching the wonderful views of the landscapes.

– Afterwards, descend back to Bwahit Pass, meet our car and drive back to Gondar.

Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight: Mayleko lodge (4*) Gondar

Day 6. Gondar – Lalibela

– Fly to Lalibela, pick up from airport and check-in your lodge.

– Visit the 11 rock-hewn churches of Lalibela.

• BetMedhaneAlem
• BetMaryam
• BetMeskel
• BetDanaghel
• BetMikael
• BetGolgotha (entry not permitted for women).
• BetGabriel-Rufael
• BetMerkorios
• BetAmanual
• BetAbbaLibanos
• BetGiyorgis until the sunset (the most famous of all)

Meal plan: Breakfast

Overnight: Sora lodge (3*) Lalibela

Day 7. Lalibela – Ashton Maryam – Ad Medhane Alem

– Morning, car drops us and start trekking (7-8h). En route, ascend and visit:

• Monastery of Ashton Maryam (3,400m).
• Ad Medhane Alem (3,600m) where you can have a best view of Lalibela.
• Duwalka Plateau (4,000m) where you will have a wonderful scenery of Zanzibera Mountains.

– Afterwards, return to Ad Medhane Alem village.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight: Community lodge/Camping at Ad Medhane Alem village

Day 8. Ad Medhane Alem – Lalibela

– Trek (6-7h) back to Lalibela through the villages and meet the local people.

Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight: Sora lodge (3*) Lalibela

Day 9. Lalibela – Axum

– Morning, fly to Axum, pick up from airport and check-in your hotel.

– Afternoon, visit sites in Axum (all if time permits):

• The famous Obelisks
• Archeological museum
• Queen of Shebas Bath
• Ezanas enscription
• King Kalebs tomb
• King Bazens tomb
• Queen of Shebas Palace
• Mary of Zion church, where the Ark of the Covenant is kept.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight: Yared Zema/Sabean International hotel (4*) Axum

Day 10. Axum – Yeha – Teka Tesfay – Hawzen

– Morning, drive to Hawzen. En route, visit:

• Ruins of Yeha Temple (if interested)
• Medhane Alem AdiKosho: Requires 1h easy trekking
• Mikael MelhayZengi: Requires 1h easy trekking

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight: Gheralta lodge (3*) Hawzen

Day 11. Hawzen – Gheralta – Hawzen

– Morning, visit Abune Yemata Guh (Requires 2h challenging trekking and climbing – not recommended if you have height phobia).

– Afternoon, visit Maryam & Daniel Korkor (Requires 2.5h challenging trekking).

– Afterwards, return to Hawzen.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight: Gheralta lodge (3*) Hawzen

Day 12. Hawzen – Atsbi – Mekelle

– Morning, drive to Atsbi to visit:

• Mikael Imba: Requires 0.75 easy trekking and climbing on a 2m tall ladder
• Mikael DebreSelam: Requires 2h easy trekking

– Afterwards, drive to Mekelle.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight: Axum hotel (3*) Mekelle

Day 13. Mekelle – Danakil Depression (Erta Ale)

– Morning, drive to the Southern part of the Danakil Depression (Erta Ale area).

– TREK (30-40min) to the top of the Erta Ale Mountain.

– Visit Erta Ale Volcano (Lava Lake) during the night.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack & Dinner

Overnight: Outside/inside local huts made up of lava rocks near to the rim

Day 14. Danakil Depression (Erta Ale – Lake Asale/Karum – HamadEla)

– Morning, trek (30-40min) back, meet cars and drive to the Northern part of the Danakil Depression (Dallol area).

– Visit:

• Camel caravans heading back from the salt mining area to HamadEla & highlands (if available)
• Sunset on Lake Asale/Karum.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack & Dinner

Overnight: Outside under the stars in HamadEla 

Day 15. Danakil Depression (Dallol) – Mekelle

– In the morning, visit:

• Dallol Volcano
• Salt Mountains (Canyons)
• Sulfur Lake/Yellow Ponds
• Camel Caravans & Local Salt Mining (if available)

– Afterwards, drive to Mekelle and transfer to Mekelle airport to catch your evening flight back to Addis.

Meal plan: Breakfast & Lunch