Blue Nile & Lalibela - 2010/11 Itinerary

15 days - from $2550

• Discover rock-cut churches and ancient obelisks
• Natural wonders of Tississat Falls and Simien mountains
• Explore the forbidden medieval town of Harar

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Blue Nile & Gondar Castles
From Addis Ababa we fly to Bahar Dar on the banks of Lake Tana. Close by is the source of the Blue Nile and the Tississat Falls, a 45m drop which is the start of a 1000 mile journey to Khartoum. In the lively market town of Gondar we'll visit 17th century castles, once the centre of a unique and powerful kingdom unlike anything else found in Africa. On the high plateau we discover the impressive scenery of the Simien range - home to the Gelada baboon and rare Simien fox.

Sacred Axum & Rock-Cut Churches
From spectacular sculpted mountains we arrive in the sacred city of Axum famed for its giant stelae (obelisks), palaces and churches. At Lalibela we discover one of the world's most remarkable archaeological sites. Buildings here are hewn from granite leaving rock-cut churches isolated from the surrounding strata, yet still part of it. We explore several of these 800 year-old works of art before taking a mule trek to a remote mountain church.

Exploring Medieval Harar
Finally, we fly to Dire Dawa and drive up to Harar. The people here are quite different from other parts of Ethiopia. We take a walk around the old town which has a North African flavour with Moorish gateways, ancient walls, narrow alleyways and jostling crowds. The market here is one of the most colourful in Ethiopia. We return to Addis via the stunning scenery and wildlife of Awash National Park.

Itinerary:

Day 1 Join the tour in Addis Ababa; city tour. Days 2/3 Bahar Dar We fly to Bahar Dar on the shores of Lake Tana. We'll view the source of the Nile, take a boat trip on the lake and visit the spectacular Tississat Falls. Day 4 Gondar Driving north, we reach the lively market town of Gondar. Here we visit Debre Berham Selassie Church and Fasiliadas' remarkable Castle complex. Days 5/6 Simien Mountains A spectacular drive brings us to Debark. We have a full day to enjoy an optional day walk in Simien Mountains - home to the Gelada baboon and rare Simien fox. Day 7/8 Axum Explore the sacred city, famed for its giant stelae (obelisks), palaces and churches. Days 9/10 Lalibela One of the world's most remarkable archaeological sites. We visit the rock-cut churches on foot and take mules to Ashatan Maryam Church. Days 11/12 Medieval Harar A short flight takes us east to explore the colourful markets of the ancient Islamic walled city of Harar. Days 13/14 Rift Valley We return to Addis via the stunning scenery and wildlife of Awash National Park. Day 15 Tour ends in Addis. Note: Itinerary may vary due to internal flight time changes.

Accommodations: 14nts hotel; 14 breakfasts included.
Transport: Internal flights/Bus/Boat/Mules.
Comment: Come prepared for poor roads and some simple accommodation, although the warm welcome more than compensates for any discomfort. Included walks around sites are easy with some optional longer walks in the mountains.
Group: Approx. 12 to 16.
Staff: Explore Tour Leader plus driver(s), boatmen, mule tenders and some local guides.
Trip Reference: ET2010

Dates & Prices
Start	End	Prices in US$	Local Payment	Availability
27 Sep 10	11 Oct 10	$2550	0
11 Oct 10	25 Oct 10	$2600	0
25 Oct 10	08 Nov 10	$2600	0
01 Nov 10	15 Nov 10	$2600	0
08 Nov 10	22 Nov 10	$2600	0
20 Dec 10	03 Jan 11	$2600	0
09 Jan 11	22 Jan 11	$2760	0
17 Jan 11	30 Jan 11	$2760	0
21 Feb 11	07 Mar 11	$2770	0
11 Apr 11	25 Apr 11	$2770	0

Prices and itineraries shown for tours departing from January 2011 onwards are subject to change and confirmation with the publication of our 2011/12 brochure, due to be published in October 2010.

The price of a Single Room Option does not necessarily guarantee a single room for every night of the tour. For more information, please refer to the trip dossier / more details for this tour.
Single rooms are available for this tour at a supplement from US$ 300, depending on availability.

Blue Nile & Lalibela - 2010/11 Itinerary

15 days - from $2550

Itinerary:

Dates & Prices