Welcome to Addis Ababa. On your arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, after clearing immigration and customs, you are welcomed by Gemsbok Safaris staff and transferred to your hotel.

Addis Ababa is the largest city of Ethiopia and its capital. Addis Ababa, which in Amharic means “a new flower”, is located in the centre of the country, 2,100–2,300 m above sea level, one of the highest capital cities in the world. It 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 the headquarters of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

In the afternoon your sightseeing of Addis starts with a visit to the National Archaeological Museum, which ranks among the most important museums in sub-Saharan Africa. It houses the 3.5-million-year-old bones of Lucy, believed to be an ancestor of all humankind, and many ancient exhibits that reflect the importance of Ethiopia as the ‘Cradle of Mankind’. Its historic room features finery worn in wars, such as crowns, weapons and pictures of wartime heroes and kings.

Continue to the Ethnographic Museum. With its two main sections covering local crafts and the regions and peoples, it is an ideal place to start learning about Ethiopia’s rich ethnic diversity. The museum has an impressive array of religious crosses, triptychs and murals, as well as Haile Selassie’s (Ethiopia’s last Emperor) bedroom and bathroom.

Visit St. George’s Cathedral (Giorgis Cathedral) at the north end of Churchill Road. Designed in the traditional octagonal shape, it was built in 1896 to commemorate Ethiopia’s victory over the Italians at the Battle of Adwa. The cathedral houses the work of Afewerk Tekle, the renowned Ethiopian artist responsible for the stained-glass windows of Africa Hall, and a small museum in the compound.

Once you finish, return to your hotel.

Meals: lunch and dinner.

This morning you are transferred from the hotel to the airport for your flight to Bahir Dar. Bahir Dar, meaning “by the side of the sea”, is one of the best-planned cities in Ethiopia, the third largest and arguably the most beautiful. As the capital of the Amhara region it is home to historic monasteries, charming lodges, fish markets, beautiful lakes and the famous Blue Nile Falls. Dozens of islands on Lake Tana are home to 14th-century monasteries with ancient ornaments, frescoes and fascinating wall paintings.

After checking in to your hotel, your first destination is Lake Tana. It is the largest lake in Ethiopia (3,600 km²) and the source of the Blue Nile. Of its 37 islands, 20 shelter monasteries believed to date from the 14th century; they hold artefacts of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and are burial sites of former emperors. The island you visit holds the monastery of Ura Kidane Mehret and, if time allows, you also visit Azwa Mariam; both are known for their ancient manuscripts, paintings, crosses and artefacts.

After breakfast, drive 185 km (about 3 hours) to Gondar, once the royal capital of the Ethiopian Empire, founded in 1636 by Emperor Fasiledes. From castles to churches, the city is adorned with medieval-style buildings constructed by the emperor and his descendants. Visits include Fasiledes Castle and Fasiledes Bath. Once thought to be the emperor’s swimming pool, the bath is now a baptism site symbolising the waters of the River Jordan; every year on 19 January, during Timket (Epiphany), hundreds bathe in its waters. (Your visit will not fall on this holiday.)

After lunch, visit Debre Birhan Selassie Church, built in the late 17th century by Iyasu I, grandson of Emperor Fasiledes, whose walls and ceilings are adorned with rows of winged cherubs representing the omnipresence of God. After dinner, watch the traditional “Eskesta” dance for which Gondar is known.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Lalibela. The drive from the airport to town takes about 40 minutes; check in to your hotel and start exploring. The small town of Lalibela is home to one of the world’s most astounding sacred sites: eleven medieval rock-hewn churches, each carved entirely out of a single piece of stone.

Lalibela, the “New Jerusalem”, was built by King Lalibela in the 12th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The churches are large, several more than ten metres high. Because they are carved below ground level, they are ringed by trenches and courtyards cut with graves and hermit cells, and connected by a maze of tunnels and passages. The churches are divided into two groups and visited on foot; the steps are uneven and walking around requires a little agility. Often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, they are still active places of worship.

After lunch, visit the north-west cluster of churches: Bet Medhane Alem (the largest monolithic rock-hewn church), Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, Bet Debre Sina and Bet Golgotha, plus the isolated monolith of Bet Giyorgis (the Church of St George).

Today you visit Asheton Maryam monastery. As you climb, the views become increasingly impressive: from the trailhead you look down on central Lalibela and the rock-hewn churches, then the trail passes through small rural villages and follows narrow, winding paths up to the monastery. The climb is long but incredibly rewarding.

The monastery is still in active use, with a resident priest who welcomes worshippers and visitors and shows sacred items including crosses and a Bible illustrated with colourful, intricate drawings. Then return to town and visit the remaining rock-hewn churches.

Take part in a traditional coffee ceremony, an integral part of Ethiopian social and cultural life passed from generation to generation. An invitation to a coffee ceremony is a mark of friendship or respect and an example of Ethiopian hospitality.

Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa. On arrival, your sightseeing of Addis includes:

The Holy Trinity Cathedral, built in 1945, is renowned for its stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. It also houses the tombs of the late emperor and his family, and the tomb of the English feminist Sylvia Pankhurst. (The cathedral is currently under maintenance.)

A visit to Merkato, the largest open market in Africa, where virtually every possible commodity is on sale, from livestock to computers. It is closed on Sundays, and for a visitor good at bargaining there is a huge selection of Ethiopian arts and crafts. If time does not allow a visit to Merkato, you will visit Shola market, a smaller and more easily accessible version of Merkato.

Later you are dropped at your hotel to refresh and relax. Tonight you enjoy a cultural evening and farewell dinner at one of Addis Ababa’s restaurants. Ethiopia is a mosaic of peoples with more than 80 languages and many lifestyles, costumes and cultural dances; enjoy some of these dances and traditional dishes with a glass of Tej, a wine made from honey.

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight (check-in is 2–3 hours before departure). Many thanks and have a safe flight.