Private Tour
10 Days North Historical Tour
Overview
Available languages
240 hours
Mobile ticket
Ethiopia's historic north is rich in cultural heritage. Visit the ancient centres of Axum, Gondar, the magnificent complex of Lalibela and the 17th century monasteries of Lake Tana. A visit to the lush panoramas of the Simien Mountains National Park reveals a natural beauty, rich with endemic mammal and birdlife.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
All Entrance fee
International and domestic air ticket Visa fees Excess luggage charges
Flights and personal fee
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Arrival in Addis Ababa and City Tour
Addis Ababa
upon arrival at Bole International Airport you will be met by a Welcome Ethiopian Wanderer Tours representative and be taken to your reserved hotel. Depending on your arrival time, we have various sightseeing options: 5-6 hours city tour Mount Entoto with the best views over the capital. Institute of Ethiopian Studies, where you can see a variety of artefacts from all the different regions reflecting the history and culture of the country National Museum which among other exhibits the 3.5-million-year-old bones of Lucy. George Cathedral, where paintings by the famous Ethiopian artist Afework Tekele and other ecclesiastical wealth and cultural heritage of the past are displayed. Trinity Cathedral: this is the burial place of members of the imperial family and noted patriots; the cathedral is the most magnificent of its kind in the country, ornamented with carvings, mosaics and other artistic works. The Mercato, the largest open-air market in Africa
Addis Ababa – Bahir Dar
Bahir Dar
This day it will be a long drive from Addis to Bahir Dar. Morning: Boat trip on Lake Tana In the morning, you will fly together with your guide to Bahir Dar, for hours taken to your hotel. We then undertake a boat trip on Lake Tana to explore the nearby monastery of Ura Kidane Mihret on the Zege peninsula, known for its 14th-century, round, grass-roofed churches and their magnificent murals, the Azoa Mariam and Ura Kidane Mihret churches. Its architectural styles with mud-plastered round walls and a conical thatched roof are typical examples of ancient Ethiopian orthodox churches. The monastery is found hidden in the forest of the Zege peninsula. Ura is especially well known for its fine frescoes, manuscripts, and ecclesial objects, such as the crowns of various emperors dating from the 14th century, gold and silver processional crosses, silver drums, and royal vestments. On our walk through the densely-forested area we hope to encounter monkeys and abundant bird life. On the lake,
Bahir Dar – Gondar (170 km) 3 hours drive
Gonder
After breakfast, we drive to Gondar, a 17th-century royal city of Ethiopia, affluent in the imperial structure of a Castle Compound and the spectacularly painted Debre Birhan Selassie Church. Afternoon: After lunch, we visit to the royal enclosures of Fassil Ghibe and all the castles of the Gonderian emperors as well as the famous Debre Berhan Selassie Church, which is completely covered in murals, with the angels’ faces on the wooden ceiling that has become a trademark of Ethiopian art and design.
Gondar – Simien Mountains National Park (120 km)
Gonder
Early in the morning, we continue our journey to the Simien Mountains National Park auf. We will reach the Simien Lodge, the highest lodge in Africa, around noon. After lunch, we start exploring the Simien Mountains National Park. Due to its unique landscape and its endemic fauna the park has been declared a UNESCO world nature heritage site in 1996. In the park, you may experience the very close interaction with the friendly Gelada Baboons. We drive up to Sankaber (3’220m) and admire the impressive scenery with its deep gorges and valleys and the highest waterfall in Ethiopia. Here a gentle walk would take us about 2 hours. We hope to encounter further endemic animals, such as the Walia Ibex and the Simien fox. In the late afternoon, we return to Debark, where we will spend the night.
Debark – Axum (240 km)
Axum
after breakfast, we continue to Axum (approx. 7hrs.) with once again stunning views. Axum at an altitude of 1637m is considered a holy city in Ethiopia where Ethiopian Christianity is said to have begun, dating back over 2000 years. The Axumite kingdom is also considered the cradle of Ethiopian civilization.
Full day in Axum
Axum
The city tour of Axum includes Axum stelae or obelisks, the largest single piece of stone erected by human beings anywhere in the world, castles of former monarchs, Mariam Tsion Church which is built on the site of Ethiopia’s first church, the Palace of Queen Sheba, the inscriptions King Ezana and the tombs of the kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel.
Axum – Yeha – Mekelle (250 km)
Mek'ele
After breakfast, we will visit the temple of Yeha (approx. 50km / 1 hour.). The way passes through Adwa, where in 1896 the famous battle between the Ethiopians and Italians tool place. Yeha was a pre-axumite settlement and is famous for its well-preserved stone temple with 12 m high walls estimated to be 2‘500 years old.
Mekelle – Lalibela
Lalibela
today we continue our drive through ever changing landscapes to Lalibela (approx. 8 hours). We will reach Lalibela in the late afternoon.
Full Day in Lalibela
Lalibela
ay we will visit the 11-renowned rock hewn churches of Lalibela, also known as the “8th wonder of the world”. The Lalibela rock hewn churches are physically carved from the rock on which they stand. These towering edifices seem to be a superhuman creation in scale, workmanship and concept. Some are sculptured out of a solid volcanic rock, others are connected by long underground tunnel and mazes. Some are quarried enlargements of caves. The first group of six churches lies in rock cradles, one behind the other: Bet Golgotha, Bet Mikeal, Bet Mariam, Bet Maskel, Bet Dangal and Bet Medhanealem. Bet Medhanealem, the largest rock hewn church in the world is built like a Greek temple.
Lalibela – Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
This day we will have long drive about 9 hours Evening: In the evening you will be invited to a memorable farewell dinner in one of Addis Ababa’s traditional restaurants with cultural songs, dances and traditional food and drinks. You will then be transferred to Bole International Airport.
Options
10 Days North - The Historical
to the historical place
Duration: 10 days
lunch,dinner and breakfast
northern part of Ethiopia
land crosser
Pickup included
Reviews
6 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Experience The Heart of Ethiopia
patriciadS2411XH,
Nov 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00If you are wanting an authentic Ethiopian experience through the eyes and heart of someone deeply in tune with the land and culture, Abebe and his team are the way to go. I came to Ethiopia afraid I wouldn't have enough time here to deeply connect and am so grateful I decided to trust Abebe to curate my experience. He is professional and flexible. He handles inevitable bumps in stride. I had total trust in him organizing my journey after listening to my wants and needs and he didn't disappoint--he spun pure magic. His deep love and respect for the diverse cultures and regions here is infectious in the best way possible. His love for Lalibela runs especially deep. He'll have you falling in love with all Ethiopia has to offer in no time. Fun, joyful, extremely knowledgeable and intuitive, 💯 recommend.
Amazing group trip
tsegar2025,
Aug 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We joined Ethiopian Wanderer Tours for two amazing group trips — one to Wenchi Crater Lake and another to Awash National Park — and both experiences were unforgettable! The organization was excellent from start to finish. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing Ethiopia’s beauty and history. Transportation was comfortable, and every detail was taken care of so we could simply enjoy the journey. Wenchi was breathtaking with its crater lake, green hills, and peaceful boat ride, while Awash National Park amazed us with stunning landscapes, wildlife, and the powerful Awash Falls. Both trips were perfectly paced, and the atmosphere in the group was fun and welcoming. If you want to explore Ethiopia with professional guides and well-planned itineraries, I highly recommend Ethiopian Wanderer Tours!
Super Abebe
travelin tommy,
Nov 29, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Based on his previous excellent TA reviews, I contacted Abebe by email about three months before my intended travel inquiring about the possibility of putting together a personal tour just for myself. A previously planned week with my adult son in The Seychelles meant that my schedule would not fit already planned group tours, and my wife’s health precluded her participation. So, I wanted to see if he could/would assemble a tour that would work for me alone at a reasonable price. He responded promptly, as he always did subsequently too, with encouragement. Over the course of a few days and a few emails, we worked out an itinerary that covered the places I wished to experience at a very fair price. He was very accommodating when I suggested a couple modifications to hotels in which I wished to stay. When my flight arrived in Addis Ababa, he met me at the airport. After checking in to my hotel and showing me around Addis that day with his driver, we did discuss that it would be necessary to modify the itinerary order, because two days previously the border between the Amhara and Tigray regions had been closed to transport by land. As a consequence, it was necessary for me to forego the planned trip by car from Gondar to Axum. So, Abebe set me up for visiting all of the places I intended, but I had to do more domestic flying on Ethiopian Airlines and go to those places on dates different from the original plans. In the places I visited, Abebe had a good guide meet me at the airport. The exception was in Mekele, where I was met by a shuttle bus driver from a hotel who had my name; it was not the hotel originally planned for Mekele. The hotel check-in desk did not seem to know I was coming but was willing to accept me as a guest. Since I wasn’t sure I was in the right place, I waited in that hotel’s lobby for more than 30 minutes when the “guide” showed up. He had contacted the shuttle driver enroute, so I was only partially unsure of my status. He was also 30 minutes late the next morning, so I left Mekele for a drive north an hour late without the "guide", because my driver (not speaking much English) had accidentally picked up someone else walking out of the hotel and went for a long drive before the mistake was discovered. I spend way too long on this small quibble, because all of the other guides Abebe arranged were terrific. Two of the best meals I had in Ethiopia (Ethiopian cuisine) were with Abebe. Even on my last morning in Addis, Abebe came to see me to the airport, even though it would have been perfectly fine for me just to get on the shuttle from the hotel to the airport. In summary, I frankly cannot imagine a better guide anywhere than Abebe. Besides being quite competent, he is a very fine human being.
Probably The Best Tour Operator In Ethiopia
N6179OShayleyw,
Dec 30, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I have personally known Abebe for more than six years and have closely worked with him in the tourism industry in Ethiopia. Abebe is one of the most professional and committed person I have come across during my stays in Ethiopia. Besides his extensive knowledge about Ethiopia’s history, diverse ethnic groups and various cultures, Abebe is most importantly one of the kindest, honest and candid person I have met. Beyond, Abebe and Ethiopian Wanderer Tour is one of the most reliable and best organized tour agency that never fails to give you an authentic and most enjoyable experience of Ethiopia and its people. I do and will always recommend Ethiopian Wanderer Tours for people travelling to Ethiopia and planning to explore the country. Thanks again and all the Best from Germany!
Incurable Tour with Abebe
735shirina,
Dec 18, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The whole two weeks were excellent mainly because of our fantastic guide, Abebe, who was extremely knowledgeable about Ethiopia and worked very hard to make our whole experience really wonderful. Our itinerary felt very well planned and thorough but not overwhelming and I felt I saw a great deal of Ethiopia. Abebe was very kind, considerate and really good fun and he has an instinctive sense of what tourists want. The camping in the Simien mountains, Abebe's tour of Gonder and Axum and the two days in Lalibela were particular highlights. The driver we had was also very competent and reassuring on difficult roads and I felt we were in very safe hands with him.
My trip in Ethiopia
ria j,
Nov 18, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yes! It was a very memorable trip and one that we would suggest to other people! The communications were excellent, and we were very impressed that the arrangements ( confirmation of tour and procurement of airline tickets) were made in shorts order. The information on the tour ( the package) provided was excellent. 10/10 for Abebe! He is a wealth of knowledge, great personality, very vibrant, full of educational information, great company and very competent. He has great attention to detail to make sure that he could provide anything we might need!
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