Welcome to Addis Ababa.

Addis Ababa “New Flower” is the third highest capital in the world. It is located at 3,000m above sea level which offers bracing temperatures and plenty of fresh highland air. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, “Mercato”.

Addis Ababa is Africa‟s diplomatic capital with headquarters for the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Economic Commissions for Africa.

On your arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, after clearing immigration and customs welcome by Absolute Ethiopia Tours staff and get transferred to your hotel.

Langano is located in the Great Rift Valley at an elevation of 1,585 meters to the east of Lake Abijata.
According to figures published by the Central Statistical Agency, Lake Langano is 18 kilometers long and 16 km wide, with a surface area of 330 square kilometers and a maximum depth of 46 meters.
As it is free of Bilharzias (Schistosomiasis), unlike all other freshwater lakes in Ethiopia, Lake Langano is popular with tourists and city dwellers for its swimming, water sport, horse riding, forest walking and mountain biking activities. The lake is brown in color and as well one can experience variety of wildlife around the lake, which includes hippos, monkeys, baboons, warthogs, and a huge variety of birds.

On your way visit Lake Ziway, the largest of the northern group of Rift Valley Lakes. It lies about 1.5km east of the town of Ziway, it is best known for its bird life.

Relax by Langano‟s fresh breath taking atmosphere. Lake Langano is bilharzias and crocodile free, and visitors can go for a swim, walk along the shores of the lake or go bird watching in the forests along the lake shores.

Dinsho is the head Quarter of the Bale Mountain National Park inhabited by Oromo people who look for the three of endemic mammals: Menelik's Bushbuck, Semien Fox, and Mountain Nyala. And birds Blue-winged goose, Spot-breasted lapwing, Abyssinian long claw, Wattled ibis, Black-headed siskin, Rouget‟s rail. Other mammals you can expect to see here are warthog, boor reedbuck, Gureza monkey, as well as several other
water and grassland birds.

Full day visit with picnic lunch on Sanetti Plateau, 4000masl, with its striking Afro-Alpine flora, such as the Giant Lobelia and Red Hot Poker. It is the best place in Ethiopia to see the Simien Wolf, the rarest canid in the world, while the huge rodent population, including the endemic Giant Mole Rat, supports a variety of raptors.
The rare Wattled Crane is often seen, while there are a good number of the Spot-breasted Plover. Tullu Dimtu at 4377 m is the second highest mountain in Ethiopia then return back to the Harenna forest and birding around the lodge here one comes encounter with olive baboon, gureza monkey, bush buck, bush pig,
leopard, lions and wild dogs.

Drive to Goba and catch your flight back to Addis Ababa and connect your flight to Bahir Dar.

Bahir Dar is the capital of the Amhara region situated on the shores of Lake Tana, the largest lake in the country. Bahir Dar is one of the best well-planned cities in Ethiopia. Bahir Dar means “by the side of the sea” after check into your hotel Leave for the visit of the Blue Nile Falls, locally known as”Tissiat” – which means “Smoking Water.” The Falls are 328 feet wide and the water plunges some 150 feet, giving rise to picturesque stream clouds and rain-bows. Blue Nile Falls is 32kms from the city. On a clear sunny day you can walk for about 30min walk to the base of the falls. Meet with the locals around for a short coffee break. Cotton spinning is the most famous activity in this area.

Following lunch embark on a cruise on Lake Tana, the largest highland lake in Ethiopia. Lake Tana is also the source of the Blue Nile, a fact that may explain many of Ethiopia's links with the ancient world. Even today, the papyrus tankwa that sail the lake bear a striking resemblance to the boats of Ancient Egypt.

The Simien Mountains National Park is situated about 100km north of Gondar and is one of Africa's largest mountain ranges. At least a dozen of the peaks are over the 4,000m mark, including Ras Dashen, the highest peak in Ethiopia. The western side of the range, excluding Ras Dashen, was designated as the Simien Mountains National Park in 1969, and the entire range was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
The Simien range consists of several large plateaus divided by large river valleys. The spectacular views stretch north towards Eritrea. Three of Ethiopia's endemic large mammals are residents of the Simiens. The Ghelada Baboon is the most common with an estimated population of 7,000. They are often to be seen grazing in herds of up to 400 individuals. There is also the rare Ethiopian Wolf, with a population of no more than 50 that exists high up on the mountain slopes of Ras Dashen, Bwahit and Kidus Yared. Finally there are
600 Walia Ibexes still surviving. Non-endemic mammals include Klipspringer, Bushbuck, and the Common Jackal. Flora includes St John's Wort and an array of Aloe.

Drive to Jinnbar Falls & Hyena Meda to enjoy the beautiful morning scenic view of the mountains and from Hyena Meda climb the Immet gogo /3926m/and have a wonderful view from here. Then proceed to Chennek, 3,620m, home to endemic Walia Ibex, as well as Klipspringers and Bushbucks. Chennek is one of the most spectacular spots in the Simien Mountains and the surrounding slopes are thick with giant Lobelias and Afro-Alpine scrub.

A picnic lunch will be arranged for you at a scenic spot.

A sighting of the Walia Ibex is not guaranteed and is usually dictated by the road conditions because these animals generally inhabit an area at least 60km from the lodge.
Visit the Argin village, in the heart of the park a few kilometers southwest of Chenek. You will practice baking injera, beer making, coffee ceremony, Hair or any activities by the locals. Revenues go straight to the local community.

Today you will have a road transfer to Gondar, the former capital of Ethiopia. Enjoy the scenic view & real countryside feeing on your way 110kms/2hrs. Gondar “the Camelot of Africa” is famous for its medieval castles and churches.

Gondar was founded by Emperor Fasiladas in 1636 as the royal capital of Ethiopia. For several centuries Ethiopia had been ruled by a succession of temporary capitals and Fasiladas recognized that a permanent capital might help provide greater internal stability.

By the time of Fasiladas' death in 1667 Gondar was the largest and most important city in the empire. It retained its position as the capital of Ethiopia for 250 years, though this status was largely nominal from the late 18th century onwards.

Gondar has now become one of Ethiopia‟s largest and most impressive cities, with its walled Royal Enclosure.
Gondar‟s most famous monuments are its exceptionally well-preserved 17th-century castles. The largest and best is that of King Fasilidas. It is a stone-built construction with round turrets and wooden balconies. The king also built a remarkable bath a mile or so outside of town known as the „Pavilion of Delight‟. The Bathhouse of Fasil at which thousands of Ethiopians celebrate the Timekat festival every January. This whole complex of buildings is unique in Ethiopia and unlike anything found elsewhere in Africa.

Following breakfast you will drive to the small town of Lalibela, which is home to one of the world's most astounding sacred sites, comprising eleven medieval rock-hewn churches, each carved entirely out of a single piece of stone.

Lalibela, the „New Jerusalem‟, was built by King Lalibela „with the help of angels‟ in the 12th century, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its eleven rock-hewn churches. Perched among wild craggy mountains and vast rocky escarpments, there is a stark cathedral-like grandeur to Lalibela. The houses of Lalibela are of a design unlike anywhere else in Ethiopia, two-storey circular stone constructs that huddle in an amorphous mass over the steep slopes on which the town is built.

The rock-hewn churches are large and several are more than ten metres high. Because they are carved below ground level, they are ringed by trenches and courtyards, the sides of which are cut into with stone graves and hermit cells, and connected to each other by a tangled maze of tunnels and passages.

In the morning road journey to the cave church of Yemrehane Christos, 40kms, built by the king of the same name before the reign of King Lalibela. The church is constructed inside a cave, in Axumite style, similar to the church at Debre Damo, with alternating levels of wood and stone.

If the date (to be advised) meets, attend the yearly celebration of King & Saint Yimrehane Kirstos which is attended by tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over Ethiopia, making it one of the most joyous annual pilgrimages in Lalibela. It is celebrated with greater devotion, the congregation wrapped in white shawls sing with joy along with the priests‟ one after the other and among the swaying choir the priests chanting, dancing, and singing around the church letting out a deep boom of the drums and female‟s voice respond in a piercing chorus of ululations. Then return back to the town.

Following lunch visit the second group of the rock churches. The south-east cluster of churches is more irregular in design than the north-western cluster. Several of the individual churches in this cluster are thought to have been secular in origin, and some predate the reign of King Lalibela by five centuries. The churches in the south-east cluster include Bet Gebriel-Rafael, Bet Abba Libanos, Bet Lehem, Bet Emanuel, and Bet Mercurios. According to legend, Bet Abba Libanos was built overnight by Lalibela's wife, Meskel Kebre, who was assisted by a group of angels.

Today, transfer to Lalibela Airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or go shopping or more sightseeing in Addis.

Visit to Entoto Hills – best introduction place to Addis Ababa. Mt. Entoto is the highest peak in Addis Ababa reaching 3,200 meters above sea level, giving the opportunity to catch stunning views over the city and the surrounding area from the summit.

It is the first settlement in Addis Ababa where Emperor Menelik II resided and built his palace in 1887. It is a historical place which offers a unique glimpse into the history of Ethiopia‟s distinct culture. The compound at the peak hosts the Entoto Mariam church, an Ethiopian artefact muse-um as well as Menelik II palace.

In addition to its historical significance as one drive up the hill there is an appreciable drop in temperature and the air is filled with the scent of the Eucalyptus trees which line the road.
On the way up the roadside stalls offers fresh Ethiopian coffee. Also, if you have an interest in Ethiopian traditional clothes stop by at Shero Meda Market. There is a wide variety of beautiful fabrics, shawls, scarves, dresses, tops and jewellery with lots of choice and really good for gift ideas.
Tonight you will have a wonderful cultural evening at one of Addis Ababa Restaurant; Ethiopia is a mosaic of people with more than 80 languages, different lifestyles, costumes and cultural dances. Take a chance to experience some of these cultural dances and traditional meals with a drink of Tej, a type of wine made from Honey.

later Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Many thanks & have a safe flight.