Hikes through the ancient kingdoms of the Abyssinian highlands

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Bahir Dar.

Arrival at Bahir Dar airport: welcome and transfer to your hotel

Boat excursion on the Zeghe Lac Tana, home to around thirty islands and as many churches and monasteries.

Observation of numerous birds, hippopotamuses, and fishermen on their tankwas (traditional papyrus boats).

Visit to the Ura Kidane Meret monastery, a remarkable example of Éthiopie architecture and religious painting and its museum housing a collection of crosses dating back to the 14th century.

Walk among the coffee plants and mango trees to the Azoua Mariam church.

Return by boat to Bahir Dar.

Road to the village of Tiss Abay.

Route towards the village of Tiss Abay.

After crossing the Blue Nile by an old 16th century Portuguese bridge, walk along a path to a superb viewpoint overlooking the Blue Nile Falls(400 m long and 45 m high) then reach the foot of the waterfall after crossing a lovely suspension bridge.

Ascent by another path and return to the other bank by boat.

Visit of the village and coffee ceremony in a village house

In the evening, head to an azmari bet, a local music and dance club where the azmari, like the medieval minstrel improvises in verse about local life.

Pretty road along the eastern shore of Lake Tana

Capital of Éthiopie from the 17th to the 19th century, Gondarr holds a rich architectural heritage.

Visit of the imperial city which groups within an enclosure of 900 m, palaces, churches, monasteries, public and private buildings of a very particular style, marked by Indian and Arab influences, and transformed by the baroque aesthetics transmitted by Jesuit missionaries.

Visit of the Debre Birhan Selassie Church, an ancient and very famous church whose ceiling and walls are entirely painted with beautiful hundreds of angel faces.

Return to Gondar

Route towards Débark.

Registration with park authorities and transfer to Buyt Ras

TREK: Buyt Ras (3120m) - Sankaber (3250m) Walking time: approx. 4h Elevation gain: +600m Elevation loss: -300m

Acclimatization hike with impressive views over the northern plains and splendid panoramas up to Sankaber camp, located on a rocky spur

Observation of Gelada baboon colonies, great apes of the Ethiopian highlands. These baboons are vegetarian and live in groups of 200-300 with a dominant male. They spend their time grazing on grass and grooming each other. The females have a red chest.

Massive erosion over the years has formed one of the world's most spectacular landscapes on the Ethiopian plateau with peaks, valleys and cliffs reaching up to 1500m in depth

Trek: Sankaber (3250m) - Jinbar - Geech (3600m) Hiking time: approx. 6h30 Elevation gain: +700m Elevation loss: -350m

Trail along the escarpment with magnificent panoramic views of the valley below and the surrounding peaks up to the great Jinbar waterfall.

Descent into the valley and climb back after crossing the river through barley fields and giant lobelias until reaching Geech village with its traditional huts with thatched roofs.

Setup at the campsite above the village.

TREK: Geech - - Chennek (3640 m) Hiking hours: approx. 7h Elevation gain: +800 m Elevation loss: -800 m

Progressive climb over the vast plateau through afro-alpine grassland and giant lobelias

Trail along the ridgeline and an impressive gorge.

Wildlife observation: walia ibex and, perhaps the Abyssinian wolf.

Crossing a small valley then climbing to the summit of Inatye (4070 m), splendid viewpoint over the surroundings: plunging cliffs, deep valleys and small plateaus below.

Final descent following the ridges to the Chennek camp (3640 m).

Trek: Chennek (3640 m)- Bwahit Pass (4200 m) Walking hours: approx 4h Elevation gain: +650 m -650m

Ascent to the Bawit pass offering a very beautiful viewpoint over Ras Dashen, the highest peak in Éthiopie.

Great chance to observe wildlife before descending back towards Chennek.

Vehicle pick-up

Road to Gondar.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Lalibela

Arrival in Lalibela, holy city of Éthiopie's Christians, listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Standing at 2500 m altitude, the small town of Lalibela constitutes the most important pilgrimage site in the country.

Discovery of the first architectural treasures of Lalibela, listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco. The churches were not built in a traditional manner, but carved into the rock in monolithic blocks.

Within these blocks, doors, windows, columns, different levels, roofs, … were then excavated. This titanic work was subsequently completed by a vast system of drainage ditches, trenches and passages for processions with, sometimes, openings leading to hermit caves or catacombs.

TREK: Lalibela (2630m) - Ad Medhane Alem (3500 m) Hiking time: approx. 6h

After just half an hour of walking, you leave the town and follow a rocky trail that crosses agricultural lands and forests with very beautiful viewpoints.

Further up, the trail crosses a massif of giant heathers (Erica arborea). These shrubs can become 5 meters tall trees and form a forest.

The trail climbs onto a narrow basalt ridge and onto a narrow plateau. Possibility of observing colonies of Gelada baboons, an endemic species or even the rarer «Netch Zinjaro» - Hamadryas baboon

Arriving at the Ad Medhane Alem site, perched on the edge of the escarpment at just over 3,500 m altitude, rewards you with a magnificent eastward view over the entire region.

Dinner and evening around the campfire with the village community

TREK : Ad Medhane Alem (3500 m) - Small Zigit ( 4030m) – big Zigit (4300m) - Ad Medhane Alem (3500 m) Dist : approx. 25km ; Hiking time : approx. 8h

Early morning departure for a hiking trip to the summit of Abuna Yosef. After approximately 3 hours of walking, you reach the afro-alpine meadow where large tufts of Gwassa grass and giant Lobelias grow, as well as tree heathers on the slopes.

To start, you climb the smaller of the sharp Zigit peaks on the northwest side of the massif (4030 m). Between the two Zigit summits, you can observe basalt organ pipes.

From there, you can walk along the north slope of the mountains where large colonies of Gelada baboons are found (you can often see groups of up to 200 individuals).

You then reach the territory of the Abyssinian wolf, a rare endemic canid species. You may also observe the Lammergeier vulture.

The terrain gradually rises toward the summit before a steep climb for the last hundred meters or so.

Once you reach the 4300-meter summit, the panoramic view is breathtaking.

Return for dinner and evening at the campsite

TREK: Ad Medhane Alem (3500 m) – Lalibela (2630m) Walking time: approx. 7h

After breakfast and a beautiful sunrise, descent towards Lalibela via trails offering superb viewpoints.

Crossing villages, discovery of daily activities of mountain communities and observation of different agricultural practices.

Picnic break with breathtaking views at Merebarbu (3300m) before reaching Lalibela.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Possibility of shopping and/or visit to a craft workshop and/or market

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Addis Abeba