Day 1 Addis Ababa - Axum Welcome to Ethiopia! After your arrival Addis Ababa Bole International Airport you will be transferred to the domestic terminal for your flight with Ethiopian Airlines to the ancient city of Axum. Meet your guide at Axum airport and transfer to your hotel in town and go on an afternoon visit of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Axum. You will visit the old ruins and the monolithic steale of the Axumitic Empire. Some 2000 years back, Axum has been a fertile region when its kingdom expanded to become a world empire besides Rome and Persia. The economy grew, palaces arose and kings had impressive burial sites and finally, Christianity arrived in ancient Ethiopia. Flight time: 1,5h; Travel time: 1h
Day 2 Axum - Adigrat In the morning there will be some time left to spend in Axum before you start driving towards the East. Along your way lies the temple of Yeha which dates back in the 7th century BC and tells us stories of the times before the Axumite Empire. The setting is beautiful amidst the steep volcanic Adua Mountains. In the late afternoon, we reach Adigrat and get ready before our hike in the pleasant Agoro Lodge which supports the local communities through tourism. Travel time: 4-5h; km: 120 km
Day 3 Trekking Adigrat (2400m/7874ft) - Enaf (3000m/9842ft) The trekking takes you up onto the sandstone ridges and through the farmed valleys with ample chance to see farming and community activities. There is also a surprising amount of wildlife in these mountains with Gelada monkeys, hyrax, jackals among the mammals and a wonderful selection of birds from sunbirds and little Cordon Bleu to Lammergeyers and Batteleur eagles.
Hiking: 4-5h, (difficulty: medium, altitude difference: ?600m/1968ft, ?50m/164ft)
Day 4 Trekking Enaf - Goaghot (2500m/8202ft) Today's medium hiking day takes you from the high plateau into the inhabited and cultivated valleys. You have the opportunity to visit farmers or a very remote rock church or simply enjoy the views. Through a small river valley, you finally reach your next guesthouse in the afternoon. Hiking: 5-6h, (difficulty: medium, altitude difference: ?200m/656ft, ?600m/1968ft)
Day 5 Goaghot - Shimbreti (2800m/9186ft) Today you cross a wide valley and enjoy the beautiful view. Especially in the morning light the red sandstone mountains shine and cast contrasting shadows. Finally, you reach the foot of Shimbreti Mountain. From now on the not easy way leads up again until you finally reach your last guest house on the high plateau. Some farmers live up here and you are welcome to visit them for a coffee ceremony. Hiking: 5-6h, (difficulty: medium, altitude difference: ?400m/1312ft, ?200m/656ft)
Day 6 Shimbreti - Gheralta You leave the plateau early in the morning and descend steeply but briefly. On the road, your vehicle will be waiting to take you to the heart of the Gheralta region. In your beautiful lodge you now have free time to relax or after a few days in the mountains enjoy a shower. Hiking: 5-6h, (difficulty: medium, altitude difference: ?50m/164ft, ?300m/984ft)
Day 7 Gheralda Your morning at the lodge will be one of the most impressive moments of your trip. The red sandstone mountains slowly enlightened by the early morning sun while you enjoy your breakfast in the lodge garden. You will spend the rest of the day hiking the Papaseti valley, no doubt one of the most beautiful corners of the region. Your trail leads you through dry river beds, farmlands, you rest under ancient sycamore trees and also get the chance to see Gheralta
Day 8 Gheralda - Saba In the morning you leave for Danakil Depression one of the hottest and most geographically active regions on earth. You leave the fertile Ethiopian highlands to travel to one of the most inhospitable landscapes on our planet. Temperatures can easily reach 50 degrees and hot winds blow across the flat desert plain at night. Millions of years ago parts of the desert were flooded by the sea, huge salt crusts formed. In the afternoon you visit the Asale salt lake with its endless white salt pan enjoying the sunset. Travel time: 5-6h.
Day 9 Day trip to Dallol Volcano Dallol means "dissolution" in the Afar language and so its appearance is constantly changing. Over the Asale salt lake, you approach this flat volcano, which pushes through the salt crust. Everywhere, bright colors shimmer, which seem to come from another planet. Turquoise green acid lakes form everywhere in its crater. Everything is harmonious and peaceful but you are dancing on an active volcano. The forces of the earth show themselves to you at a flank of the Dallol, where an eruption formed a gigantic salt canyon. In the afternoon you will return back to your camp at the Saba Canyon where you will dip yourself in a small river bed for a nice refreshment. Travel time: 2-3h
Day 10 Saba - Berale - Mekelle The salt caravans use the same resting place tonight and stay among us. Still in the darkness to advance the heat of the day, they set off and head with the dromedary caravans towards Berale. Slowly the steep and barren cliff walls light up in the first sunlight. Finally, the valley widens and you meet a dirt road where you will be picked up by your vehicles.The journey then continues to Mekelle. Travel time: 4-5h
Day 11 Mekelle - Addis Abeba You take the early morning flight from Mekelle to Addis Ababa and transfer to your international flight back home. Before departure you gonna have a traditional farewell dinner in Addis. Flight time: 1,5 h; travel time: 1h.
Ethiopia.11 days $2,090.00
