Length 04 days
Nature
Bale Mountains
Bale Mountains
Dawn on the Sanetti Plateau above 4,000 m, watching for the Ethiopian wolf, then the long descent into the Harenna forest.
Historical journeys
Historic Route and Simien Mountains
Axum, Lalibela and Gondar in the order history built them, then three nights in the Simien Mountains among gelada monkeys and walia ibex.
This tour is paused for now
Paused while Amhara and Tigray are under official travel warnings and northern flights are suspended.
You can travel now on
Length 12 days
Nature
Bale Mountains
Harar, Bale and the Omo Valley
The walled city of Harar, a 4,000 m plateau where Ethiopian wolves hunt, and Mursi villages in the lower Omo, linked by short flights.
Overview
The journey in brief
- Duration
- 12 days, 11 nights
- Where
- Northern · Simien Mountains
- Travel style
- Private tour
- Best season
- October to May
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Price
- USD 3,295 per person
At Sankaber, gelada monkeys graze in large groups along the lip of the Simien escarpment, pulling grass with their hands while the land falls away below them. This trip follows the north’s historic route, from Axum’s stelae to Lalibela’s rock-cut churches and Gondar’s castles, then gives three nights to the Simien Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only home of the walia ibex.
You sleep in a hotel or lodge each night and walk by day, 2 to 4 hours at a time, between about 3,200 m and 3,600 m. Nights are cold. This route is paused for now; we will reopen it when it is safe.
Highlights
- Gelada monkeys grazing along the Simien escarpment at Sankaber
- Walia ibex, found only in the Simien, on the cliffs near Chenek
- Views toward Ras Dashen, Ethiopia’s highest peak at 4,553 m
- King Ezana’s 24 m stele at Axum and the temple at Yeha
- Bete Giyorgis, cut as a cross into Lalibela’s red rock
- Gondar’s castles and the angel ceiling of Debre Birhan Selassie
What is included
- 11 nights’ accommodation, twin share
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Domestic flights Addis Ababa–Axum, Axum–Addis Ababa–Lalibela, Lalibela–Gondar and Bahir Dar–Addis Ababa at the Ethiopian Airlines discounted fare
- Private vehicle and driver, with 4WD in the Simien and to Yemrehanna Kristos
- English-speaking guide throughout
- Local church guides in Axum and Lalibela
- Simien Mountains park fees and an armed park scout
- Entrance fees and the boat on Lake Tana
- Airport transfers
- Bottled water
What is not included
- International flights
- Ethiopian visa
- Domestic fare difference if you do not fly Ethiopian Airlines internationally (about USD 300 for this tour)
- Single room (optional extra)
- Meals not listed
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Tips for guides, scouts and drivers
- Travel insurance
Itinerary
Day by day
Day 1Addis Ababa Arrival, and the Route Ahead
Your guide meets you at Bole International Airport and takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours, with a short briefing on the route and an early night before the flight north.
Activities
- Airport pickup
- Route briefing
- Free time to rest
Day 2Axum Into the Field of Stelae
A morning flight takes you north to Axum. In the afternoon you walk the main stelae field, where King Ezana’s stele stands 24 m high and the 33 m Great Stele lies broken beside it. The obelisk Italy took to Rome in 1937 stands here again, returned in 2005.
Activities
- Morning flight to Axum
- Main stelae field
- Royal tombs beneath the stelae
Day 3Axum The Ark’s Chapel and the Temple at Yeha
The morning takes in St Mary of Zion, whose chapel is said to hold the Ark of the Covenant, the tombs of Kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel, and the palace ruin of Dungur. In the afternoon you drive to Yeha, where a temple from about 700 BC is Ethiopia’s oldest standing building.
Activities
- St Mary of Zion
- Tombs of Kaleb and Gebre Meskel
- Dungur
- Temple at Yeha
Day 4Lalibela Through Addis to Lalibela
Axum’s only flights go to Addis Ababa, so you connect there for the onward flight to Lalibela. You arrive in the afternoon and take a first walk to the churches in the late light.
Activities
- Flight to Addis Ababa
- Connecting flight to Lalibela
- Evening walk
Day 5Lalibela Lalibela’s Churches in the Rock
With a local church guide you spend the morning in the northern group, linked by trenches and tunnels cut through the same red rock. In the afternoon you look down into the pit where Bete Giyorgis stands, its roof carved as a cross, then walk the eastern group.
Activities
- Northern group of churches
- Bete Giyorgis
- Eastern group of churches
Day 6Lalibela A Church Built Inside a Cave
About 1.5 hours by 4WD brings you to Yemrehanna Kristos, a church of wood and stone built inside a cave rather than cut from rock. The afternoon is free, or you can climb to the monastery of Asheton Maryam, above 3,000 m, as practice for the mountains.
Activities
- Yemrehanna Kristos by 4WD
- Option: Asheton Maryam
- Free late afternoon
Day 7Gondar The Castles of Gondar
A short flight crosses the highlands to Gondar. In the afternoon you walk Fasil Ghebbi, the walled royal enclosure begun by Emperor Fasilides in the 17th century, and the stone bath where the city celebrates Timket.
Activities
- Flight to Gondar
- Fasil Ghebbi castles
- Fasilides bath
Day 8Debark Eighty Angels, Then Up to Debark
In the morning you look up at the 80 angel faces painted on the ceiling of Debre Birhan Selassie. Then the road climbs north for about 2.5 hours to Debark, the gateway town for Simien Mountains National Park, where we collect your permits and armed park scout.
Activities
- Debre Birhan Selassie
- Drive to Debark
- Park permits and scout
Day 9Simien Mountains Gelada and Jinbar Falls at Sankaber
With your scout you walk the escarpment edge from Sankaber, where gelada graze in groups and barely look up as you pass. The trail leads to a view of Jinbar Falls, dropping several hundred metres into the gorge below.
Activities
- Escarpment walk from Sankaber
- Gelada monkeys
- Jinbar Falls viewpoint
Day 10Simien Mountains Walia Ibex Country at Chenek
A longer drive takes you deeper into the park to Chenek, at 3,620 m, the best area to look for walia ibex on the cliffs. You walk up toward Bwahit, where Ethiopian wolves are sometimes seen, with views across the range toward Ras Dashen, Ethiopia’s highest peak at 4,553 m.
Activities
- Drive to Chenek
- Walk toward Bwahit
- Looking for walia ibex and Ethiopian wolves
Day 11Bahir Dar Down From the Mountains to Bahir Dar
You drive back through Gondar and south beside Lake Tana, most of a day on the road. The evening is free on the lakeshore in Bahir Dar, where pelicans work the shallows.
Activities
- Drive to Bahir Dar
- Free evening on the lakeshore
Day 12Bahir Dar Lake Tana by Boat, Then Home
An early boat crosses Lake Tana to the Zege peninsula and Ura Kidane Mehret, its walls covered in painted saints and Bible stories. After lunch you fly to Addis Ababa and transfer to your hotel or your flight home.
Activities
- Boat to Ura Kidane Mehret
- Afternoon flight to Addis Ababa
- Airport transfer
Itineraries can change with weather, road and flight conditions. We will tell you promptly if they do.
Gallery
A look at the trip
Photo: Unsplash
Good to know
Before you book
- Guide languages
- English, Amharic
- Minimum age
- 10 years and over
- Group size
- 1 to 12 travellers
- Meeting point
- Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa. Your guide meets you in arrivals with a name sign.
- Accessibility
- Lalibela has uneven steps and narrow tunnels, and the Simien walks cross uneven ground above 3,200 m. Not suitable for wheelchairs; travellers with heart or lung conditions should check with their doctor first.
What to bring
- Warm layers
- Hat and gloves
- Sturdy walking shoes
- Binoculars
- Socks for church visits (shoes come off)
- A flashlight for Lalibela’s tunnels
Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered in churches; practical outdoor layers in the mountains, where mornings are cold.
Cancellation policy
This tour follows the Strict policy. Days are whole calendar days before departure.
| When you cancel | What you get back |
|---|---|
| 30 or more days before departure | 50% refund |
| Fewer than 30 days before departure | No refund |
A non-refundable USD 300 per traveller (domestic flights) is deducted before these percentages are applied.
Questions
About this tour
When will this reopen?
When official warnings for Amhara and Tigray are lifted and northern flights resume. Tap Notify Me and we will email you.
What can I do instead now?
Our Bale Mountains trip gives you high moorland, Ethiopian wolves and mountain nyala in a region that is open.
Do I need trekking experience?
No. You walk 2 to 4 hours a day at a steady pace and sleep in a hotel or lodge each night.
Will I see walia ibex and Ethiopian wolves?
Gelada are usually easy to find. Ibex and wolves are wild and shy, so we look in the right places but cannot promise them.
Can I trek and camp instead?
Yes. We can swap the hotel nights for a camping trek from Sankaber to Chenek; ask us for a quote.
Questions welcome
Ask us anything
Dates, prices, hotels, a private version: ask, and a local specialist replies by email.
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