HISTORY & CULTURE 16 days

01. Arrival in Addis Ababa. Transfer to the chosen hotel. Have a free morning. Afternoon (1400 hrs from the hotel) tour of the capital: visit Entoto mountain with views over the capital, the National museum, St George church and the Mercato, biggest open air market in Africa.
Meals free. ON (overnight) hotel.

02. Fly to Gondar. Short visit the castles & the Debre Birhan Selasie church (light of Trinity) with wonderful murals. Then drive to Debark, the gateway of the Semien mountains
Lunch in Gondar; dinner & ON hotel in Debark

03. Enter into the Semien national park and full day excursion: admire spectacular views and with the chance to spot endemic animals as the Lammergeyer, the Gelada baboons, the Walya Ibex and more.
Lunch box; dinner and ON Semien lodge or Limalimo lodge

04. Drive to Axum, admiring very nice views over the Semien mountains and visiting Tigray people villages and culture. Afternoon visit the steles, St Mary of Tsion church (where legend says the Ark of Covenant is deposited), the bath & palace of Queen of Sheba.
Have your meals & ON hotel

05. If not all visited on 23 afternoon, have final visit of Axum. Then visit Yeha pre-Christian temple and Wikro Cherkos church.
Lunch on the way, dinner & ON lodge in Wikro or Hawsen

06. Drive to Lalibela, to reach late afternoon.
Lunch on the way; dinner & ON hotel

07. Full day visit of the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela, defined as the 8th wonder in the world. Churches built in the 12th century; the African Jerusalem.
And late afternoon take part of the coffee ceremony in a traditional house or the hotel.
Meals & ON at your hotel

08. Fly to Addis Ababa; meet your Land Cruiser and drive to Jimma, the coffee region (with change to visit coffee plantations).
Lunch box on the way; dinner & ON hotel

09. Proceed to Bonga admiring coffee plantations then drive to Mizanteferi for permits, visiting Dizi people on the way. Then drive to ShoaGhimira to visit the Menit and Surma people.
Lunch on the way; dinner & ON camping in Tum or Mizanteferi.

10. Visit Surma people. The Surma are famous for their traditions, women wearing plates into their lips and men different scarification all over their body. With luck you could find a donga: the Surma people stick fighting game.
Lunch box; dinner & ON camping Turmi.

11. Proceed to Nyangatom villages and visit this very interesting tribe. Drive then to Turmi for the very colorful Hamer people, famous for the decorative hairstyles and ornaments.
Lunch box on the way; dinner & ON Emerald lodge Turmi

12. Morning drive to Omorate, at Omo river bank, to visit the Dassanech people. Afternoon visit a Hamer village and with luck we try to visit the marriage ceremonies as bull jumping & Evangadi dances.
The Hamar are known for their unique custom of “bull jumping,” which initiates a boy into manhood. First, female relatives dance and invite whipping from men who have recently been initiated; this shows their support of the initiate, and their scars give them a right to demand his help in time of need. The boy must run back and forth twice across the backs of a row of bulls or castrated steers, and is ridiculed if he fails. Meals & ON Emerald lodge Turmi

13. Full day in & around Turmi. Visit Turmi village market of the Hamer, Karo & Dassanech prople. Then remaining time for Hamer people, eventual bull jumping, etc
Meals & ON Emerald lodge Turmi

14. Drive to visit a Konso people village, which are famous for the terracing agriculture, way of life and traditions (is UNESCO heritage). Continue then to Arbaminch.
Lunch on the way; dinner & ON Emerald Resort Arbaminch, with spectacular views over Chamo & Abaya lakes.

15. Morning drive to Chencha mountain to visit the Dorze people, with their unique culture, houses and traditions.
Afternoon boat excursion on Chamo lake to admire the biggest crocodiles in Africa (reach 6 meters of length), hippos and birds.
Meals & ON Emerald Resort Arbaminch.

16. Drive back to Addis Ababa visiting on the way a Guraghe people village.
Late afternoon time for final visits or souvenir shops in Addis Ababa.
Dinner invited by the Green Land Tours & Hotels in a traditional restaurant with folkloristic dances. Then transfer then to the airport for departure.