Ethiopia Historic Route

A historical and cultural circuit of Ethiopia's northern highlands, linking the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the castles of Gondar, the monasteries of Lake Tana, the obelisks of Aksum and the Simien Mountains.

Ethiopia's Historic Route is the country's most classic tourist circuit. Starting from Addis Ababa and heading north, it covers the ancient capitals and religious sites of the Amhara and Tigray regions, including a number of World Heritage sites. Highlights: the island monasteries of Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls at Bahir Dar; the Fasil Ghebbi castle complex in Gondar, known as the "Camelot of Africa"; the cliffs of Simien Mountains National Park, with its gelada baboons and Walia ibex; the giant obelisks of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum, the ruins of the Queen of Sheba's palace, and the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, said to house the Ark of the Covenant; and Lalibela's 11 medieval churches carved from single blocks of rock, of which the cross-shaped Church of St. George is the most famous. A common plan strings these together with Ethiopian Airlines domestic flights over 8–12 days: Addis Ababa → Bahir Dar → Gondar (with 1–2 days trekking in the Simien Mountains) → Aksum → Lalibela → return; you can add an expedition to the volcanoes and salt lakes of the Danakil Depression in the northeast. Passengers arriving on Ethiopian Airlines international flights can often get discounted domestic legs. In recent years the situation in the Amhara and Tigray regions has fluctuated, and some areas are closed from time to time, so check the latest safety advisories before departure and arrange the trip through a reputable local agency. The highlands sit at 2,000–3,000 meters, so allow time to acclimatize.

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