SEMIEN MOUNTAINS: from spectacular views to unique churches

Day 1. ADDIS ABABA: Arrival Addis Ababa. Meet the guide at the airport. Transfer hotel. Afternoon tour of Addis. ON htl
Day 2. BAHIRDAR & TISSISSAT: Fly to Bahirdar. Morning Blue Nile falls. Afternoon boat on lake Tana to admire monasteries over its islands, as Ura kidane Mehret & Mahal Zegye Gyorgis. ON htl
Day 3. GONDAR- SEMIEN MOUNTAINS: Drive to Gondar. Tour of the castles and churches: the castle compound, Fasiladas bath, Debre Birhan Selassie (Light of Trinity) with wonderful murals. Then proceed to the Semien mountains; ON htl in Debark.
Day 4. SEMIEN MOUNTAINS, GEECH: Enter into the Semien mountains National park, for the start of your trekking, with spectacular views; and spotting different animals, as the endemic Semien red fox, the Walia Ibex, the Lammergeyer, many birds, mammals as the Red & Golden back jackals, and more. Visit also the Amhara people villages and their culture.
Materials are always brought by mules and/or porters. Overnights are in camping. There will be a cook to prepare meals; you’ll have a dining tent during evening and lunch during the way. Comfortable tents and good camping gear.
Note the evening is quite cold; while during day mild.
We’ll start from highland till reaching the highest peak of the Semien mountains chain (the Ras Dashen, 4620 masl), then proceed lowland (till Tekese river, 900 masl), then again highland (till 2,200 masl) admiring here unique churches and monasteries at the Tigray and Wollo regions (visiting so Tigray and Wollo people, villages & culture)
Day 4: this day well drive till Sankaber (2 hrs) then walk 8 hrs to Geech
Day 5. CHENEK: 8 hrs walk
Day 6. AMBILCO: 6 hrs walk
Day 7. RAS DASHEN: climb Ras Dashen mountain, and then proceed ON Dikdiknit. 10 hrs
Day 8. SISOMENDER: 6 hrs
Day 9. TENTERNA: 9 hrs
Day 10. MESHA: 6 hrs
Day 11. TEKEZE RIVER: 10 hrs
Day 12. ZIQUALA: 10 hrs
Day 13. SORIEL: 9 hrs
Day 14. SEKOTA: 7 hrs. ON camp or local hotel
Day 15. WELIA: 6 hrs
Day 16. ASKETEMA: 8 hrs
Day 17. TABA: 7 hrs.
Visit Arbatu Insisa church (6th century) and Mekina Medhnealem church (11th century)
Day 18. BILBALA: 8 hrs
Visit Yemerehenna Kristos church (11th century)
Day 19. LALIBELA
Drive 1 hr to Lalibela and check in hotel. Afternoon visit the 1st group of the rock-hewn churches. Meals & ON Yemereha hotel www.yemerehahotel.com
Day 20. LALIBELA
Morning walk (or by mules) to Asheten Mariam church. Afternoon remaining churches in Lalibela. Meals & ON Yemereha hotel
Day 21. ADDIS ABABA & DEPARTURE
Fly back Addis Ababa. Ones in Addis, short visit of the Mercato, biggest open air market in Africa. Day use hotel. Dinner in traditional restaurant with folkloristic dances. Then transfer airport for departure