Lalibela And Dallol 9 Days Tour Package

Day 01: Drive to Awash National Park

Head out early for Awash National Park. You pass Lake Beseka, which has expanded over the last decade, requiring the Djibouti-Addis Ababa railway line to be raised on several occasions. Continue past the entrance to Awash National Park towards Assab and the lodge at Bilen. Outside the park, this habitat contains grassland, savannah, and wetlands.

There are over 450 species of birds found in this savannah grassland, including the Abyssinian Roller, Abyssinian Ground Horn Bill, Endemic White Tailed Swallow, Buff Created Bustard, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Honey Guide, Woodland Kingfisher, and many, many more! Enjoy the vibrant and varied wildlife while exploring this gorgeous national treasure. Even inexperienced birders will be impressed by the beauty, variety, and abundance of spectacular species in this inviting habitat. Be on the lookout for the Beisa Oryx and Swayne’s hartebeest, among the 46 species of mammals recorded in the park.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: Awash Falls Lodge

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 380 km

Game drives vary the time duration

Day 02: Awash National Park - Semera

After breakfast, we will pick you up from your hotel for the journey to Semera. You will drive via Awash National Park. You are likely to see beisa oryx, kudu, defassa waterbuck, Soemmering's gazelle, warthog, and baboon. The park is also a great place for birdwatchers. The long drive through the Rift Valley leads us to the Afar regional people in which homeland we will be traveling the coming week. When you are lucky you might see some game while traversing the Yangudi Rassa NP which holds the last population of the African wild ass.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: Semera Local Hotel

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 480 km

Game drives vary the time duration

Day 03: Semera - Afrera

Today we entering the Danakil but before we do so we have to finalize our entry permits (which have been applied for well before departure from Addis Ababa) in Semera, the regional capital. The destination for today is the Salt Lake of Afrera where we see the salt extraction from the lake.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: Comping

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 180 km

Game drives vary the time duration

Day 04: Afrera – Dodom – Erta Ale

We continue our journey through the Danakil towards Dodom, a small settlement and the base for approaching the Erta Ale volcano. Around 9 PM you will, taking advantage of the 'cooler' hours of the day, start our ascent to the rim of the caldera of Erta Ale. It takes about 3 hours to cover the distance of 10 km and 500 m in altitude. A camel caravan is accompanying us with our luggage and equipment. The rest of the day we explore the fascinating features of the volcano.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: Comping

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 125 km

Game drives vary the time duration

It is possible to add an extra day at Erta Ale, exploring more of this extraordinary place)

Day 05: Erta Ale - Dodom - Ahmed Ela

After observing the sunset over the spectacular, fire-spitting, crater lake we return to our base camp in Dodom. Sometimes very rough track leads us northwards to the settlement of Ahmed Ela, the base for the salt caravans transporting the precious salt from the nearby Lake Asale to the market in Mekele. It is a place with lots of activity connected to the arrival and departure of the endless caravans. Ahmed Ale is our base for the coming days to explore the surrounding area.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: Comping

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 175 km

Game drives vary the time duration

Day 06: Ahmed Ela (Lake Asale) Dallol and Drive to Mekel

Today we follow the camel caravans to Lake Asale to observe the harvesting of the salt. It is a centuries-old handcraft of cutting and shaping salt blocks. Sometimes thousands of camels are present to take the load and transport it to Mekele. We have ample time to follow the caravans on foot. Be prepared to visit the place recorded as the hottest inhabited place on our planet.

The ghost town of Dallol is an abandoned miner’s town and is mostly constructed out of salt. Nearby lies the fantastic and extraordinarily beautiful Dalol volcano where we spent most of our day. Some say it is the most colorful place on the planet. You will fly back to Addis Ababa. The last day of your unforgettable visit to Ethiopia brings us back to Addis Ababa. A hotel room for day use is available. We say goodbye to dear friends with a visit to a cultural restaurant, enjoying the great Ethiopian food together with traditional music and dance from all over this fascinating country.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: Axum Hotel

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 380 km

Game drives vary the time duration

Day 07: Drive to Lalibela

Start the long journey to Lalibela early in the morning on a smooth paved road and, after a couple of hours, reach the spectacular mountain range of Amba Alaje. Continue through green valleys and flat plains before turning west towards Lalibela at Woldia (approximately 4.5 hours). The road after Woldia offers one of the most scenic routes in the country. It involves climbing on winding roads along steep hills and evergreen lush valleys up to the Delanta Plateau (3,500 meters), then contouring around the valley for a couple of hours, before arriving at Lalibela in the late afternoon (approximately 4 hours).

Despite the town of Lalibela being isolated in the Lasta Mountains at 2,630 meters above sea level, it is still the home of Ethiopia’s top sight and one of the world's greatest historical and religious sites.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: Panoramic View Hotel or Similar

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 380 km

Game drives vary the time duration

Day 08: Lalibela

Early in the morning, you will start to Visit Lalibela. Lalibela transects amazing rust-colored canyons and high jagged peaks. At over 8,500 feet the small town of Lalibela is situated high in the Lasta Mountains. Even though Lalibela has been a destination for travelers and pilgrims since the 16th century, the town is remarkably undeveloped. The day is spent exploring the ancient city and its many rock-hewn churches.

Lalibela is arguably one of the most important religious and historical sites in Africa, and certainly in the entire Christian world. Although it is not widely known in the West, Ethiopia was the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion and, due to Ethiopia’s becoming Christian long before the Catholic church was born or instigated the structure we recognize today, the roots of Ethiopian Orthodox religious practices are as recognizably Jewish as they are Christian.

The Lalibela churches are said to have been constructed during King Lalibela’s reign in the 12th and 13th centuries when Lalibela (then known as Roha) was the capital of the Zagwe dynasty. Legend has it that King Lalibela was exiled to Jerusalem and returned to Ethiopia to build a New Jerusalem. There are many theories as to how these architecturally very advanced churches were built, and by whom, including angels and the Knights de Templars. Thanks to UNESCO, the main road to Lalibela has been paved, and in recent years Lalibela finally received electricity. Water shortages are an almost daily occurrence and the hotels ration water.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: Panoramic View Hotel

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 80 km

Game drives vary the time duration

Day 09: Visit Yimrehane Kristos and Fly back to Addis Ababa

After breakfast, we visit the church of Yimrehane Kristos - the most popular church outside of Lalibela. This church was constructed almost a century before the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and is one of the most well-preserved late Axumite churches of Ethiopia today. Over the centuries pilgrims have journeyed to the cave to die, and have their mummified remains housed in the back of the cavern.

The beautiful Yimrhane Kirstos church consists of a big natural cave with a layered wall of granite and wood as its front, intricately carved inside and out, with colorful murals adorning the interior walls. This evening you will enjoy a special dinner at Ben Ababa's open-air restaurant. This afternoon, you are transferred to Lalibela Airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa, officially called Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.

This evening we enjoy a traditional Ethiopian buffet dinner and local drinks, celebrating our journey through this culturally rich and fascinating country, you will be invited to a farewell dinner party at one of the best traditional restaurants in Addis where you taste a variety of Ethiopian meals, and watch the folkloric dancers of the Ethiopian people.

After dinner, you are transferred to the hotel in Addis for your last night in Ethiopia. This evening you will have transferred to the international airport in Addis Ababa for your onward flight, bringing this unique Ethiopia Tour to an end.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD

Accommodation: -

CONSULTANT NOTE

You will drive approximately 80 km

Game drives vary the time duration