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.

Depending on your flight schedule, your sightseeing 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.

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.

Once you finish, return to your hotel.

This morning you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Axum (check-in for local flights is one hour before departure). On arrival, check in to your hotel and explore Axum.

Axum was once the capital of the Aksumite Empire and an important trading centre in antiquity. Today it is a small town surrounded by dry hills that does not easily reveal its glorious past. The tour starts with a drive out of town to the tombs of King Kaleb and Gebre Meskel, passing Mai Shum (the bath of the Queen of Sheba) and King Ezana’s stone on the way. On a clear day the border of Eritrea can be seen from the tombs.

Continue to the magnificent stelae, the world’s tallest monoliths, just north of the modern town square. Each was carved from a single piece of rock; some experts believe they marked the passing of royal personages, others that they had an astronomical function. In ancient times seven of the tallest obelisks stood in the Park of the Stelae. The largest, more than 33 metres high, fell long ago and lies in pieces; another, 24 metres high, was returned from Rome to Ethiopia in April 2005.

The first St Mary of Zion Church, originally built around the 4th century, was the oldest church in Africa. Emperor Fasilidas replaced it with a newer church around 1635, which is still a place of worship. The modern chapel next to it is said to contain the Ark of the Covenant, but only the Orthodox priest who guards it may enter. The museum holds many artefacts tracing the rise and fall of the Aksumite Kingdom.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa, connecting to a flight to Bahir Dar. On arrival in Bahir Dar, transfer to your hotel.

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.

Explore the treasured 12th–14th-century monasteries of Lake Tana by boat and see Ethiopia’s links with the ancient world in the papyrus tankwa boats that sail the lake, strikingly similar to the boats of Ancient Egypt. Visit the round, thatched Azuwa Maryam Monastery on the Zege Peninsula, one of the most aesthetically pleasing churches, then Ura Kidane Mehret, one of the larger monasteries in the region, known for the vivid murals that run around its circular walls. Just 25 minutes’ walk from the boat landing, behind tall palms and coffee farms, it houses frescoes depicting scenes from Ethiopian folklore and Christianity; both men and women may enter, and the small Zege Satekela Museum shows hand-crafted tools and musical instruments still in use today.

After lunch, visit the Blue Nile Falls, “Tis Isat” (smoking fire), 32 km from the city. The falls are about 100 m wide and drop about 45 m, producing a spray of mist and rainbows across the gorge and a small rainforest that delights the monkeys and colourful birds of the area. On a clear day you can walk about 30 minutes to the base of the falls and meet local people for a short coffee break.

In the late afternoon enjoy the view from Bezawit hilltop and visit Bahir Dar’s open-air Agelgil Market.

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 you are taken to your hotel (Ramada Addis, day use) to refresh and get ready for your departure. In the evening you are picked up for a farewell dinner at a cultural restaurant serving Ethiopian cuisine with traditional music and dancing. Later in the evening, transfer to the airport for your departure flight.