Danakil Depression via Lalibela Ethiopia Tour 9 days

Day 1 Addis - Desse

Drive to Desse town via Debre Birhan Ankober. After a 130 Km drive from Addis turn to Ankober town a name that means monkey gate to indicate Ethiopia’s endemic Gelada baboon is abundantly found on the mountain. Visit the old place of Minilik that he used before he moved to Entoto in Addis. Lunch in Debre Birhan and head to Desse.

Overnight: Desse Hotel

Day 2 Haik Estifanos - Lalibela

Drive to Lalibela via Haik Estifanos monastery. Haik means lake in Amharic that is to indicate the area is named after the lake of Haik Estifanos monastery. After visiting the church and lake islands we head to Lalibela and have lunch in Weldeia town.

Overnight: Lalibela – hotel

Day 3 Lalibela

Visit half of the 11 rock hewn churches in the morning and half in the afternoon, may be after lunch. Stunning the stones carved to make these monolithic churches in the 12 century, using the tools of that time. They are the first must see place in Ethiopia.

Overnight: Lalibela – hotel

Day 4 Sekota - Mekele

Drive to Mekele city via Sekota. The Zagwe dynasty rulers emerged in Lasta and their Agew languages is spoken here. Uniquely identify this Agew people from the rest on your way to Mekelle, the city gate to Afar. Prepare tents, scouts, entry papers from Police for Afar and buy food stuffs, drinks, malaria pills etc in Mekelle.

Overnight: Mekelle – hotel

Day 5 Danakil: Mekele - Dallol - Hamedila

Start Expedition to Afar Danakil Depression from Mekelle via Korem early in the morning. This day is a special day in your life to sink in -130 meter below sea level surface a place called Dallol. It is the hottest place on earth. On the way surprisingly see half dressed men extracting salts in the desert and visit different colors of minerals bubbling out.

Overnight: Hamdale – camping

Day 6 Danakil: Erta'ale

Afar Danakil Depression - day two expedition is to Erta'ale volcanic lake. After you arrive near Erta'ale stretch your tents and walk in the middle of nowhere only you feel sandy wind in a very hot temperature. At night time the view of the volcanic lake standing on the rim of the well is astonishing breathtaking, see the exploding volcano and returns to the well before reaching the well, again and again molten lava temperature inside the well is over 3000 degree centigrade.

Overnight: camping

Day 7 Danakil: Lake Afdera - Erta'ale

Continue excursion to Lake Afdera Ethiopians' unfinished source of salt. Attend Afari people extracting salt, salt caravan. On your way take the picture of the landscape of sulphur, phosphate minerals, blue, white, yellow and other colors in between make it colorful planet on earth. Return back to Erta'ale to admire again the volcanic lake in the evening.

Overnight: camping

Day 8 Danakil: Berhale - Mekele

Drive back to Mekelle town. Stop over Barehalie town of Afar tribe. It is the place of market in the region heading to Mekelle town of the Tigray people.

Overnight: Mekelle – hotel

Day 9 Mekele

Drive to Mekelle town after the amazing nomadic inhospitable area of Afar. Mekelle awaits you the lovely food that you had missed in the desert, city tour in Mekelle and buy air plane ticket to fly back to Addis Ababa or plan to continue the remaining historical routes of North Ethiopia, Mekelle to Axum, Gonder, Bahirdar, Addis Ababa over land.

Overnight: Mekelle – hotel

Day 10 Mekele - Addis Ababa / Mekele - Desse

Fly to Addis Ababa from Mekelle and end the visit in Ethiopia attending Ethiopian cultural music traditional food and drink at Yod Abyssinia traditional restaurant close to the air port.
Overnight: Addis Ababa- Bole Airport to return back to your country.

Or Drive to Desse from Mekele over land and stay one night in Desse town to head to Addis the next day or continue driving to Axum from Mekelle over night in Axum and continue the historical routes to Gonder, Bahirdar and reach in Addis in extra 5 days.

Day 11 Desse - Addis Ababa

Drive to Addis from Desse and attend the Ethiopian cultural music traditional food & drink at Yod Abyssinia traditional restaurant close to the air port.