DAY 1: ARRIVE IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Upon arrival in Ethiopia, a representative from Blessed Tours will be waiting to pick you up at the airport and take you to your Hotel, which is located just 5 km from the airport.

Depending on your arrival time, you may have time to explore the capital and visit sites like the National Museum (home of the world-famous human ancestor fossil Lucy), the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Ethnological Museum, which will give you an insight into the history and culture of Ethiopia. In the evening you will have the opportunity to sample the famous Ethiopian cuisine and see a cultural show at a restaurant in town before returning to your Hotel for the night


DAY 2: FLY TO GONDAR & DRIVE TO THE SIMIEN MOUNTAINS
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Gondar and then continue overland into the Simien Mountains National Park. Ethiopia's most popular place for trekking, this spectacular landscape has jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and a dramatic escarpment with views over the rugged lowlands. Check in at the Lodge, and head out for a short hike in search of the endemic gelada baboons. Return to the lodge for dinner and drinks.


DAY 3: SPOT WILDLIFE ON A SCENIC ESCARPMENT TREK
After breakfast, head back out to Simien Mountains N.P. is famous for its wild landscapes of deep gorges and soaring rock spires, interspersed with traditionally cultivated plateaus. It is also home to the fifth-highest mountain range in Africa, with the highest point being the summit of Ras Dashen at 4,543 meters.

These high-altitude landscapes are home to exotic wildlife unique to the area, such as the iconic Walia ibex, the Gelada baboon, several birds of prey and the extremely rare Ethiopian wolf, which has an estimated population of 50 in the Simien Mountains (out of 400 in the entire country). The rareness of the species residing in the Simien Mountains led to the formation of the National Park and its listing as a World Heritage site as early as 1978. Return to the.


DAY 4: LODGE TO LODGE TREK IN SIMIEN MOUNTAINS 
After breakfast at the lodge you will go for a morning hike in the Simien Mountains. Depending on your interests and fitness level, your hike can take from one to six hours. Along the way you will experience the beautiful landscapes of the Simien Mountains and most likely run into the endemic Gelada baboon. These baboons are pretty sociable so you will be able to get quite close to them.

Should you opt for a shorter hike you will return to the lodge for lunch. If you decide to go on a longer hike you will enjoy a packed lunch at one of the best viewpoints along the trail. Arrive back at the Lodge to enjoy dinner by a roaring fire.


DAY 5: BLEND HIKING & YOGA IN AN ACACIA FOREST
Kick off the day with yoga and a hearty breakfast, then set out to explore more of the Simiens with its myriad ecosystems. Dropping off from the escarpment, witness these ecosystems changing from high mountain desert into acacia forest. Enjoy a 2-hour hike through the forest, a prime habitat for birding. In the afternoon, opt for a 30-minute hike to the local community, to learn traditional beer brewing, cooking and coffee making. Or unwind at the lodge, with more yoga, a massage, or simply soaking in the views.


DAY 6: EXPLORE GONDAR
After breakfast at the lodge, drive back from the Simien Mountains to Gondar, the former royal capital of the Ethiopian Empire. Have lunch at the traditional Restaurant and set out on a tour of this historic city First visit to the fortress city Fasil Ghebbi, also known as the Royal Enclosure. This 70,000-sq meter UNESCO World Heritage site was once the seat of emperor Fasiledes and his successors in the 16th and 17th centuries. The numerous castles and palaces that remain within the walls of the enclosure are a testament to the royal capital’s former splendor.

The cultural tour continues with a visit to Fasiledes’ Bath. Emperor Fasiledes built this rectangular pool to convince the people that he was a true believer of the Orthodox faith. Although the complex was used for bathing it was also used for religious celebrations, some of which carry on to this day. Once a year, during the Timkat festival, the pool is filled with blessed water and devotees are invited to swim and frolic in the pool in a ceremonial replication of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River. Before heading back to the Hotel in the late afternoon, you will visit the Debre Berhan Selassie church with its beautifully painted ceilings.


DAY 7: FLY TO LALIBELA 
Today after breakfast, fly from Gondar to the town of Lalibela. Check in to your hotel, enjoy lunch and you will drive 50 km outside of Lalibela to the beautiful Yemerehana Christos Monastery, one of Ethiopia’s best-preserved late Axumite churches. In contrast to the other churches you have seen on this tour, this 11th century monastery is constructed using both stone and wood. Be sure to go inside to look at the walls that have been painted with murals depicting scenes from the Bible.


DAY 8: DISCOVER THE ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES OF LALIBELA
Today you will spend the day exploring Lalibela, which is regarded as one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities (second only to Axum) and an important center of pilgrimage. The most famous attractions in Lalibela are the monolithic rock-hewn churches, which are the biggest monolithic temples in the world, and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The rest of today will be dedicated to exploring these architectural wonders. Nothing will prepare you for what you are about to see. Every individual church is unique in shape, size and perfectly carved and decorated by hand. Some of the churches you will see along your tour today are the historically interesting churches Bet Medhane Alem (the largest monolithic church in the world and home to the Lalibela Cross) and Bet Maryam (possibly the oldest of the churches). 

You will have a local guide showing you around who will be able to tell you everything you want to know about these churches. At the end of the day you will return to the Hotel to relax and enjoy a nice dinner


DAY 9: RETURN TO ADDIS ABABA
After an early breakfast you will be picked up at your hotel and taken to the airport for your domestic flight back to Addis Ababa.

From Addis Ababa you can connect with your international flight back home. Depending on the time of your international flight you may have some time to explore the capital if you were unable to do so on your first day (at own expense). If you wish we can help arrange for a day room so that you can store your luggage and use shower facilities before your international flight.