Ethiopia holidays, tailor made
| country: | Ethiopia |
| departures: | This trip can be tailormade at a time to suit you and can be adapted to suit your interests, budget and requirements as necessary. Minimum 2 people |
| price: | From £879 (12 days) excluding flights. Price based on two people sharing |
the amazing things you'll be doing
If you want an exotic vacation idea then one destination that will surprise and amaze you is Ethiopia; a land of unsurpassed natural beauty, people, culture and history. Following this route you will discover amazing landscapes, excellent wildlife, surreal beauty of salt lakes, centuries old historical heritage of Lalibela churches and many more. We are distinguished by our qualified, efficient and cost effective packages all designed to provide you the ultimate service that will turn your dream vacation into a reality.
Through this trip you will explore Wonchi Mountain and its amazing crater lake, the great rift valley, numerous bird fauna, wildlife and take a game drive in Awash National Park. You will also visit the spectacular salt lakes in the midst of the Afar area where 'Lucy', the oldest known hominid was found. Finally marvel at the astonishing rock hewn churches of Lalibela which show extraordinary technical skill in the use of line, proportion, decoration and a remarkable variety of styles.
Through this trip you will explore Wonchi Mountain and its amazing crater lake, the great rift valley, numerous bird fauna, wildlife and take a game drive in Awash National Park. You will also visit the spectacular salt lakes in the midst of the Afar area where 'Lucy', the oldest known hominid was found. Finally marvel at the astonishing rock hewn churches of Lalibela which show extraordinary technical skill in the use of line, proportion, decoration and a remarkable variety of styles.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Addis Ababa. A welcoming reception and transfer to your hotel. |
| Day 2: | City tour. Visit Addis Ababa the third largest city in Africa with an estimated population of five million and the third highest capital in the world. Addis is a colorful and vibrant city regarded by many as 'The African diplomatic capital'. Visit St. George cathedral, natural history, ethnological museum and others, among the most important in sub Saharan Africa. You can also wander around Merkato one of the largest outdoor markets on the continent. Enjoy the city's plenty of cultural experiences, folk dancing, singing, night clubs and restaurants. |
| Day 3: | Drive to Wonchi Mountain and Crater Lake. In the morning drive about 162kms south to Mt. Wonchi 3220mts above sea level. Enjoy the view of Lake Wonchi below this mountain which is incredibly fantastic. Many call Lake Wonchi the "Switzerland of Africa". Towered by caldera walls, it is a picturesque and breathtaking view especially from the mountain. Also take an exciting horse ride and boat drive to an island on the lake where a small church called St. Kirkos is also situated. |
| Day 4: | Drive to Awash. Drive to East of Addis to Awash National Park en route visiting Debre-Zeit crater lakes; take a hot natural water bath at Sodore resort and a short trek to visit the magnificent Awash falls. |
| Day 5: | Visit Awash National Park. Visit Awash National Park and the Fantalle crater measuring 3.5km in diameter, take in the terrific view down into an enormous caldera. Also marvel at the spectacular awash gorge, the rich wildlife like beisa, oryx, soemmering's gazelles, leopards, lions, jackals and over 400 bird species |
| Day 6-7: | To Asaita and the spectacular salt lakes. Journey to and visit Afar region, the birth place of "Lucy" the oldest known hominid in the world dated at least 3.2 million years old, and a land of continuing seismic activity with earth tremors frequently felt and several still active volcanoes. Visit the splendid and dream like beauty of the salt lakes that are more than thirty in number. |
| Day 8: | Drive to Woldia. Drive to Woldia en route visiting the beautiful Afar and Bati people. |
| Day 9: | Visit Lalibela. Visit Lalibela where you will get an impression of landing in a kingdom at least seven centuries behind your own. Alvares, the early 16th century Portuguese writer, described them as 'edifices, the like of which can not be found anywhere else in the world.' In Lalibela you will marvel and be immensely impressed by the remarkable rock hewn, monolithic, semi monolithic and cave churches built at least seven centuries ago. |
| Day 10: | Drive to Kombolcha. Drive from Lalibela via the historical town of Wuchale to Kombolcha. |
| Day 11: | Drive back to Addis. After breakfast drive to Addis Ababa through fascinating topographies and small villages along the road. And at night enjoy a farewell dinner in one of the best restaurants in Addis. |
| Day 12: | Departure. Transfer to the airport. |
If you want a customized itinerary, quotation, or any other tour information about this trip we are very happy to help.
travelling with a local operator
This holiday is operated by a company based in the holiday destination and they will be able to provide expert local knowledge. They will be able to tailor make your holiday to suit your requirements not only concerning the dates of travel but also typically the standard of accommodation, and thus price. It is rare for local operators to be able to help with the booking of your flights.how this holiday makes a difference
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All the guides throughout the trip are locals who are well trained and with adequate experience. We purchase most of the items that are necessary for your stay, from local shops. You may also wish to buy gifts and souvenirs, weavings, and intricate creations and various kinds of handicrafts from the locals. The income they will earn as a result of your trip will have a great deal of importance for their children and families they support.
Most of the accommodations are owned and operated by the locals. They have put in place environmental conservation, water and energy usage, and economic policies such as employing local staffs and using local resources for the services they provide. As part of an environmental responsibility, they participate in different initiatives like in '2 trees for 2000', a millennium initiative against the deforestation and land degradation in Ethiopia. It is a campaign that has helped the community to realize the importance of clean and green environment. They also protect the environment by giving away plastic bags to recycling agencies. For you to have better knowledge of the trip we will provide you an accurate pre-trip information before the start of the tour. Also in order for you to have a good understanding of the places, the environment, and the local community; we will supply you with our Travelers Code of Conduct which is also supplied to our staff and local suppliers. If you get some spare time at Lalibela, we recommend a visit to a local initiative which provides services in supporting and promoting disability prevention and rehabilitation. They have an income generation scheme and vocational trainings to help improve their lives. This small initiative also gives training to the community about personal hygiene and environmental sanitation. As part of our environmental concerns, this trip will help us buy a few seedling trees in a way to support an initiative which is working with school administrations through planting vegetable gardens and nurseries. The idea is to raise environmental awareness among students and to teach skills on how to grow, protect and plant trees as well as vegetables for income generation or improved diets. |
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