Hiking the Ancient Kingdoms of the Ethiopian Highlands

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Bahir Dar.

Arrival at bahirdar 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 in their tankwas (traditional papyrus boats).

Visit to the Ura Kidane Meret monastery, a remarkable example of Ethiopian religious architecture and 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.

Route 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 pretty suspension bridge.

Return by another path and crossing back to the other bank by boat.

Visit of the village and coffee ceremony in a house in the village

In the evening, meet up at 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 together 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 magnificent hundreds of faces of angels.

Return to Gondar

Road to Débark.

Registration with park authorities and transfer to Buyt Ras

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

Acclimatization hike with impressive viewpoints over the northern plains and splendid panoramas until the Sankaber camp, located on a rocky spur

Observation of Gelada baboon colony, large primates of the Éthiopie highlands. These baboons are vegetarian and live in groups of 200-300 with a dominant male. They spend their time grazing grass and grooming. The females have a red chest.

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

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

Trail along the escarpment with magnificent panoramas over the valley below and the surrounding peaks until the great Jinbar waterfall.

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

Set up camp above the village.

TREK: Geech - - Chennek (3640 m) Walking 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 ridge line 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)- BwahitPass (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 pickup

Road to Gondar.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Lalibela

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

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

Within these blocks, doors, windows, columns, different levels, roofs, etc. were subsequently excavated. This monumental work was later completed by an extensive system of drainage ditches, trenches and passages for processions with, sometimes, openings to hermit caves or catacombs.

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

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

Higher up, the trail crosses a massive area of giant heaths (Erica arborea). These shrubs can become trees up to 5 meters tall and form a forest.

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

Arrival 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) Distance : approx. 25km ; Walking time : env. 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 clumps of Gwassa grass and giant Lobelias grow, as well as tree heathers on the slopes.

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

From there, you can walk along the northern 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 Ethiopian wolf, a rare canid species that is endemic. You can also observe the Lammergeier vulture.

The terrain gradually climbs towards the summit before a steep ascent for the last hundred meters or so.

Once you reach the summit at 4300 meters, the panoramic view is breathtaking.

Return for dinner and evening at the camp

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 the 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.

Opportunity for shopping and/or visit to a craft workshop and/or market

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Addis Abeba