City tour in Addis Ababa
Mornig exploring Addis Ababa. Begin the tour with visiting the National Museum, one of the most important sub- Saharan museums in all of Africa? The museum is home to the fossilized humanoid Lucy, as well as an amazing collection of artefacts, royal items and art. Then after you visit the Ethnological Museum, which was the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie.
Afternoon visit Holy Trinity Cathedral, is the largest Orthodox Church in Ethiopia and has survived through many historical periods, as its interesting architecture can attest to you. The Cathedral contains the thrones and the tombs of the emperor Haile selase and some of the royal family. Visit Merkato, the largest open air market in Africa and finally drive to Entoto mountain to see the bird eyes’ view of Addis Ababa with an altitude of over 3000 m above sea level. O/ n hotel in Addis Ababa. which is the third highest located capital city in the world.
Nazareth Lying just 100km from the capital, then driver a very popular resort place known as Sodere, it is very known for its natural hot spring, Olympic size swimming pools and it takes advantage of the volcanic mineral springs which bubble in several spots. Stay and relax then drive back to the Capital.
Drive through Oromo villages to the west, on the way visit Geffersa water reservoir with many species of birds and drive across the Menagesha Suba Forest ,and continue driving to Ambo ,source of well known bottled mineral water and the vine yards and the water Falls of Guder .And you will visit extremely scenic landscape to see the crater lake of Wonchi ,down from the top hill you can see the ancient monastery ,located on the top of island in the Lake Wonchi .And drive back to Addis (the Capital).
Drive 140 km North-East of Addis Ababa to visit Debre Berhan, a town founded by king Zera Yacob (1434-1468). It was important in the earlier days because of its proximity to Ankober and the trade routes through the Rift valley to the coast. Ankober is located a short distance of 43 kms from Debre Berhan built on the edge of the great escarpment of the Rift valley. It is also founded by king Zera Yacob in the 15th century. And Ruins of the palaces of King Sahle Selassie and his predecessors are worth visiting. Drive back to Addis (the Capital).
On this tour visitor can combine history and culture with some good bird watching. As we pass through the Sululta Plain we can see Black-winged plovers, Wattled Ibis, Blue-winged geese, Common Cranes and Wheat ears. We will also see one of Ethiopia’s endemic mammals, the Gelada or bleeding heart baboon. (In the gorge we will see a variety of vultures – Lammergeyer, Ruppell and Lappet faced vultures).
Debre Libanos lies after 110 km from the capital city of Addis Ababa on the northen historic rute. It is an important monastic center for Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity since in the beginning of 19th c. The monastery was founded by the renowned 13th century mystic, Saint Teklehaimanot and there is a small cave near the church (which is of recent construction) where he is said to have stood for seven years on one leg, until the other wasted away and dropped off. After the church visit we can make the climb to the cave of St Teklehaimanot. Near the cave monks may show visitors the remains of some 300 monks, slaughtered in 1936 by the Italian invaders. If you continue up the hill from the cave from the top there is a great view of the surrounding countryside. We will have picnic at Gorge or from Ethio- German Lodge. Walk to Portuguese Bridge of the 16th century during the war between Lowland Muslim and Highland Christian, built to connect Shewa and Gojam then drive back to Addis. O/N hotel in Addis Ababa.
Morning after breakfast heading to south-west on the Jimma road, before turning due south on to the Butajira Road. Melka Kunture lies near the Awash River Gorge and is one of the most important Neolithic sites in Ethiopia. Hand axes and various other implements have been found here. There is a museum at the site. Further drive on the Butajira Road turn to right after 8km there is rock hewn church called Adadi Mariam, contemporaneous with those of Lalibela – in fact local tradition ascribes it to King Lalibela who is said to have had it built on his visit to Mount Ziquala.
Our final stop today is at Tiya a World Heritage Site classified by UNESCO, where we can see the northern most example of a peculiar type of engraved, standing stelae which stretch across parts of southern Ethiopia. These stelae are believed to have been erected between the 12th c and 14th c and are almost certainly grave markers – recent excavations at Tiya have revealed the remains of young people of both sexes, aged between 18 to 30 years old buried in foetal positions. Back to Addis. O/N hotel in Addis Ababa.
DAY1. After breakfast drive to visit the tranquil-Menagesha Forest, a 35km drive from Addis Ababa and enjoy picnic lunch.
After picnic lunch visit the nearby Menagesha Mariam Monastery. Then continue in the west direction up to Ambo town where you will visit the Addis Alem Mariam church and the waterfall at Guder. Dinner and overnight in Ambo.
DAY2. Drive back to Addis Ababa
Day1. Drive to Awash National park.
Early mornig drive to Awash and then enjoy the splendid natural beauty of Awash waterfall. After lunch break game drive to Salla plains for wild life and bird watching. O/n hotel or lodge in Awash
Day2. Full day excursion tour around Awash park.
Start driving to the foothills of mount Fentale where you can begin the five hours’ trek to the volcano. Then drive back to the beautiful natural spa or palm pool with picnic lunch. From there drive to the remote Sabure typical Afar peoples market if the day is Saturday where they have separate cattle and commodity market. After taking the picnic lunch at the hot springs drive to lake Beseka near the Hyena Cave to see the Hyena’s leave the cave here one can see a minimum of twenty to thirty Hyena while enjoying the aquatic birds at lake Beseka including the rare Pink Flamingoes. Then drive back to Awash National Park. O/n hotel or lodge in Awash.
Day3. Game view and drive back to Addis Ababa.
Early morning drive to the southern section of the park for another game viewing, and start driving back to Addis Abab.Lunch stopp at Nazareth before you return back to Addis. Overnight in Addis Ababa.
Day1: Drive 275 KMs south of Addis Ababa to Lake Hawassa, Lunch on the way probabely at Zway. Afternoon visit the Lake Hawasa and the beautiful town of Hawasa. overnight hotel Hawassa.
Day2: After breakfast visit the fish market and drive to Mount Tabor, where you will be welcomed by pretty Sidamo girls wearing beads to entertain you to the tribal dance. After viewing the panorama of Hawasa and the surrounding area, continue to Wondo Genet (which is a paradise ended). Here you stop for refreshment and lunch. After lunch proceed towards Langano, which was developed into an unsurpassed resort popular, situated along its western bays, fronting sandy beaches perfect for swimming, sailing, water skiing and wind-surfing. Overnight at Langano
Day3: In the morning swim in the Lake and drive to Awash National Park. Its wildlife consists mostly of East African plain game with the exception of Giraffe, Elephant and buffalo. Here it mostly consists of Beisa Oryx, Somme ring’s Gazelle, Greater and Lesser Kudus, Water buck, Bat eared Fox, Warthog, Caracal, and the like, Lunch en route dinner and overnight at Awash National Park.
Day4: Drive back to Addis Ababa enjoying scenic Savanna Views.
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