Highland / Routes
Three considered itineraries

Plan a slow
passage north.

Two- and three-week routes through the Northern Historical Route, the Tigrayan rock churches, and the walled city of Harar. Small groups, local guides, slow days.

◆ Route 01 · 14 days

The Northern
Historical Route.

The classic loop. Begin in Addis, fly north to Bahir Dar, then drive across the imperial cities — Gondar, Aksum, Lalibela — and return.

From $4,200 · per person
ADDIS BAHIR DAR GONDAR AKSUM LALIBELA ◆ ROUTE 01 · 14 DAYS · 1,820 km
DAY 1–2
Addis Ababa
Entoto, National Museum, Holy Trinity Cathedral.
DAY 3–5
Bahir Dar & Lake Tana
Monastery islands, Blue Nile Falls.
DAY 6–8
Gondar
Fasil Ghebbi castles, Debre Berhan Selassie.
DAY 9–11
Aksum
Stelae, Mary of Zion, royal tombs.
DAY 12–14
Lalibela
Eleven rock-hewn churches; Asheton Maryam.
DAY 14
Return Addis
Final dinner in the Old Town.
MEKELE GHERALTA DEBRE DAMO ADWA ▲ 2,580m ◆ ROUTE 02 · 10 DAYS · 480 km · TIGRAY
DAY 1–3
Mekele & the Gheralta
Base camp under the cliffs; first cliff churches.
DAY 4–6
Abuna Yemata Guh
The roped scramble; ceiling frescoes.
DAY 7–9
Debre Damo
Sixth-century cliff monastery, hauled up by rope.
DAY 10
Adwa
The battle plain; the ridge of Mount Soloda.
◆ Route 02 · 10 days

The Tigrayan
Rock Churches.

For the more vertical traveller. Some churches require unroped scrambles up sandstone cliffs; the views from the altars are among the great prospects of Africa.

From $3,400 · per person
◆ Route 03 · 8 days

Harar & the East.

A different Ethiopia. Walled, Islamic, sixteenth-century, with coffee gardens and the hyena feeders at dusk. Pair with the northern loop or stand alone.

From $2,600 · per person
ADDIS awash BABILE HARAR ◆ ROUTE 03 · 8 DAYS · 1,030 km · EAST
DAY 1–2
Addis Ababa
Mercato, jazz nights at Fendika.
DAY 3–6
Harar Jugol
The walls, eighty-two mosques, hyena feeders.
DAY 7
Babile camel market
Largest in East Africa; coffee on the road back.
DAY 8
Return Addis
Farewell dinner; bookshop run.

Request a route.

Tell us a season, a length, and what you came for — history, churches, ridges, coffee, all of it. We'll send a draft itinerary within five working days.

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+251 11 000 0000
Bole Rd, Addis Ababa