Early in the morning, drive to Bahir Dar, en-route visit Blue-Nile Gorge and Debre Libanos monastery. If you think the Grand Canyon is impressive, compare it to its African cousin – the Blue Nile Gorge. Situated 210 km north of Addis Ababa and is about one mile wide and deep, the Blue Nile Gorge is one of the most spectacular gorges in the world. After 100 km drive on the waylays the renowned monastery of Debre Libanos, founded in the 13th century in a magnificent 700m-deep canyon.

SIGHTSEEING

• Blue Nile Gorge
• Debre Libanos Monastery

Overnight Stay at Jacaranda Hotel or Similar, Bahir Dar.

Have a boat trip on Lake Tana. On Lake Tana, there are 37 islands and 32 of them having churches and monasteries of considerable historical and cultural interest. We visit the monastery church of Ura Kidane Mihret, which is the best known of the monasteries and has an important collection of religious icons from the 16th to 18th centuries A.D. 

In the afternoon drive to the Blue Nile Falls, this is known locally as Tissisat (smoking waterfall): 100 m (328 ft) wide, the water plunges for 45m, giving rise to steam clouds and rainbows. Early in the afternoon drive back to Bahir Dar and finish the day with a lovely sunset over Lake Tana. 

SIGHTSEEING

• Lake Tana and its island monasteries
• Blue Nile Falls

Overnight Stay at Jacaranda Hotel or Similar, Bahir Dar.

After lunch, we will visit Gondar, the first capital city with the reign of Fasilides. In Gonder, there are a dozen castles built by various emperors over the course of 236 years. The city seems more of European than African origin. In the afternoon, we visit Fasiladas' Palace, probably the most impressive of all the castles found in the area and the oldest one! We continue going to the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie (Light of the Trinity). The interior is decorated with beautiful frescos, cherubs, and paintings. Debre Berhan Selassie is rumored to once have been the proposed final resting-place of the Ark of the Covenant of the Ethiopian Empire, which began in 1632. 

SIGHTSEEING

• Royal Enclosure of Gondar
• Debre Birhan Selassie Church

Overnight stay at Goha Hotel or similar, Gondar.

After breakfast drive to Simien Mountain National Park. Debark is a small market town at an altitude of 2700 meters close to the boundary of the Simien Mountains National Park. Corrugated–iron-roofed buildings surround the colorful and busy market area. Before entering the park, you have to register at the park headquarters just outside town. Here, armed scout – one of the park regulations, joins you. Then drive to Sankaber for the best view. En route, pass through pretty country, the foothills of the Semen Mountains, with a carefully tended field, open pasture with grazing horses, stands of trees and distant rocky peaks. At the high point of the road, there are superb views across the weirdly eroded foothills of the range and you may also be lucky enough to spot you first Lammergeiers and Gelada Baboons of the trip. 

SIGHTSEEING

• Stunning Landscapes
• Wildlife and Local Lifestyle

Overnight stay at Ras Dejen Hotel or similar, Debark

Here you will enjoy driving across Simien Mountain National Park and the fascinating river basin of Tekeze, one of the biggest rivers in Ethiopia.

SIGHTSEEING

• Lima Lima zig-zag Road
• Tekeze River 
• Axum Stelae Field

Overnight stay at Sabean Hotel or similar, Axum.

 After breakfast in Axum, you will have a city tour in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Legends narrate in the Kebra Nagast (Book of Kings) how the city of Axum as early as the 10th century B.C. was already the city where the Queen of Sheba resided. It is said that the son of Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, Menelik, brought the Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Axum and it remained there to this day, preserved in a sanctuary. Famous long before the time of Christ, Axum was the capital of the long Axumite reign, one of the oldest African empires and represented a crucial trade connecting-point between Africa and Asia for almost a thousand years. Visit the Granite stone Stele of Axum, the Tombs of King Kaleb and his son King G/Meskel, the Ezana’s stone inscriptions, Queen of Sheba’s palace and Swimming pool, and the Church of Zion, the final resting place of the True Ark of the Covenant.  

Early afternoon, drive to Debre Damo monastery on the top of the cliff. Accessible only by a 15-meter long rope and women aren’t allowed to enter. Proceed driving to Mekele for an overnight.

SIGHTSEEING

• St. Mary Zion Church
• Debre Damo Monastery
• Wukro Cherkos
• Negash Mosque 

Overnight stay at Planet Hotel or similar, Mekele.

A long but beautiful drive takes us to the highlight of your visit to Ethiopia. If the day goes smoothly we might have time to visit Yemrehanna Kristos church en route. 

SIGHTSEEING

• Yimrhane Kirstos Church
• Some small towns on the way

Overnight at Panoramic View Hotel or Similar, Lalibela

After breakfast, start your tour of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, visiting the Northwestern Cluster of churches - Bet Medhane Alem, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danagel, and Bet Mikael. and in the afternoon, visit the Southeastern Cluster of churches – Bet Gabriel-Rafael, Bet Merkorios, Bet Amanuel, and Bet Abba Libanos. Finally, you will visit the most famous of all the churches – Bet Giyorgis, constructed in honor of the patron saint of Ethiopia – Saint George.

SIGHTSEEING

• Bet Giyorgis
• Bet Medhane Alem
• Bet Maryam and More

Overnight at Panoramic View Hotel or Similar, Lalibela.