Duration
14-Day
Accra, Ethiopia
14-Day Best of Ethiopia - North and South Combined
Overview
Combine the classical sights of Northern and Southern Ethiopia in just one vacation. This tour is a good mix of Ethiopia's cultural and natural diversity. You will feel like traveling to different countries on one journey. You'll be able to visit the best of Northern and Southern Ethiopia in just 2 weeks.
Plan snapshot
Quick Facts
Route
Addis Ababa to Addis Ababa (City)
Via Bahir Dar (City), Gondar (City), Lalibela (Town)
Country & park
Ethiopia
Style
Mid-range safari
Group size
1-12 travelers
Starts
Any day if available
Minimum age
18 years
Activities
game drives, nature hikes/walks & boat trip
Accommodation
Heyday Hotel - Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – All Meals Included
Meals
All Meals Included
Pickup
Airport transfer included
Booking
Request quote
Currency
USD
Rates
Rates Per Person
USD
Start datesSingle2+ people
Jan 1, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
$5,841 USD
$3,487 USD
Before booking
Important To Know
Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
This tour is unavailable for children.
Rates include a fixed budget for flights during this tour. Flights may cost more, depending on travel dates. If so, your quote will reflect this.
Quote flow
Request Guidance
We advise requesting quotes from 3 operators ()
Requests are sent directly to the tour operator
If preferred, you can contact the tour operator directly
Route
country
Ethiopia
Start
Addis Ababa (Day 1)
Day 2-3
Bahir Dar (City)
Day 4-5
Gondar (City)
Day 6-7
Lalibela (Town)
Day 8-10
Arba Minch (City)
Day 11-12
Yirga Alem (Town)
Day 13
Lake Langano
End
Addis Ababa (City) (Day 14)
Tour Features
Mid-range tour
This mid-range tour uses lodges and hotels.
Private tour
This tour will be organized exclusively for you and won't be shared with others.
Can start any day
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
Can be customized
You can request minor changes to the accommodations and destinations of this tour.
Suitable for solo travelers
Solo travelers can book this private tour.
18
Minimum age of 18 years
The minimum age for this tour is 18 years.
Activities & Transportation
Activities: game drives, nature hikes/walks & boat trip
Game drives: normal 4x4 vehicle
Getting around: boat, normal 4x4 vehicle, hiking/walking & air transfer
This operator can select your international flights, but you'll have to book them yourself
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Accommodation & Meals
Day 1
Heyday Hotel
Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 2-3
Jacaranda Hotel Bahir Dar Mid-range hotel in Bahir Dar (City) – All Meals Included +3 Photos
Mid-range hotel in Bahir Dar (City) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 4-5
Goha Hotel
Mid-range hotel in Gondar (City) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 6-7
Lalibela Lodge Mid-range lodge in Lalibela (Town) – All Meals Included +3 Photos
Mid-range lodge in Lalibela (Town) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 8-10
Paradise Lodge
Mid-range lodge in Arba Minch (City) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 11-12
Aregash Lodge
Mid-range lodge in Yirga Alem (Town) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 13
Bishangari Lodge
Mid-range lodge at Lake Langano – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 14
End of tour
(No accommodation)
All Meals Included
Day By Day
Tour step
Arrival
You'll be collected from the airport. Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.
Day 1
Arrival Addis Ababa, city tour
Arrival in the morning. Transfer to the hotel (if the rooms are ready for occupancy). Sightseeing tour through the capital, which is located at an altitude of up to 2,450 masl. A city of contrasts with modern skyscrapers next to corrugated iron huts, donkey and horse carts next to modern means of transport, colourful traditional markets next to supermarkets. Besides the most important historical monuments, you visit the National Museum, where the famous skeleton Lucy is kept. Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Addis Ababa (City) Stay: Heyday Hotel Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 2
Flight Addis Ababa - Bahir Dar, Blue Nile Falls
Domestic flight to Bahir Dar, the green bustling university town on Lake Tana. The largest lake in Ethiopia is situated at 1,800m above sea level, has a pleasant climate, and offers excellent freshly squeezed fruit juices and squeezed fruit juices, and excellent fish dishes. In the afternoon you will visit the Nile Falls, 35 km away, which we experience from different perspectives during a walk. Mid-range hotel located in Bahir Dar (City) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Bahir Dar (City) Stay: Jacaranda Hotel Bahir Dar Mid-range hotel located in Bahir Dar (City) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 3
Boat trip on Lake Tana with visit to island monasteries
In the morning you will take a boat trip to Lake Tana. On this trip, you can observe fishermen with their papyrus boats and the diverse fauna of the lake (e.g. pelicans and hippos). Your destination is one of the many islands, where you'll visit a monastery church with its paintings and church treasures. In the afternoon you can relax on the lakeside promenade with fruit juice or alternatively visit the Bahir Dar market. Mid-range hotel located in Bahir Dar (City) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Bahir Dar (City) Stay: Jacaranda Hotel Bahir Dar Mid-range hotel located in Bahir Dar (City) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 4
Drive Bahir Dar - Gondar, afternoon visit of the castles
With the private vehicle, you drive north to Gondar, the second-largest city and until 1855 capital of Ethiopia, where the former imperial palace with church and baths can be visited. The Fasil Ghebbi Palace from the 17th century is located in the large palace district, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You also visit the Debre Berhan Selassie Church, which is located a little outside the palace, to see the ceiling painted with angels' faces, in addition to the round church architecture typical of Ethiopia. Mid-range hotel located in Gondar (City) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Gondar (City) Stay: Goha Hotel Mid-range hotel located in Gondar (City) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 5
Trip to the famous Simien Mountains
In the morning the drive takes you through the Ethiopian highlands towards the north-east into the Simien Mountains National Park. At a stop in Debark, a small town with about 60,000 inhabitants at an altitude of 2,800m, the formalities are completed at the park's headquarters. In Debark there is the possibility to visit a school for disabled children, which is also supported by SimienEcoTours. After leaving Debark behind, you will ride on a bus for a while to the entrance of the national park. Already here you have several views of this imposing, wildly rugged mountain landscape. We meet the endemic Gelada monkeys, a trusty baboon species, which nibble on grasses and roots in packs of up to 100 animals. Mid-range hotel located in Gondar (City) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Gondar (City) Stay: Goha Hotel Mid-range hotel located in Gondar (City) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 6
Flight Gondar - Lalibela, afternoon visit of the rock hewn churches
Domestic flight to Lalibela, the place of pilgrimage and holy city for the Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. In the afternoon you visit the first group of the world-famous rock churches. The 11 monolithic churches were carved out of the rock by 16,000 Ethiopians in 23 years of construction in the 12th/13th century and are also part of the UNESCO World Heritage. You will have a full day to discover these churches in its details before your sunset dinner will be with splendid views in the Lasta Mountains. Mid-range lodge located in Lalibela (Town) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Lalibela (Town) Stay: Lalibela Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Lalibela (Town) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 7
Visit of the churches and explore Lalibela town
In the morning you will visit the second group of rock churches, from east to west, the churches and sanctuaries of Bet Emanuel, Bet Mercurios, Bet Abba Libanos, the Chapel of Bet Lehem and Bet Gabriel-Rufa'el. Bet Emanuel Art historians consider Bet Emanuel to be the finest and most impressive church in Lalibela. Looked at from above, it's mighty. Then will have a free afternoon or optionally can hang out in the small town and interact with the people. Mid-range lodge located in Lalibela (Town) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Lalibela (Town) Stay: Lalibela Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Lalibela (Town) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 8
Transfer from the Northern highlands to the South
You will be transferred into your connecting domestic flight to Arba Minch via Addis Abeba. The town, situated between the two Rift Valley Lakes Chamo and Abaya is the hub for Southern Ethiopia and where your cultural adventure can start. Arba Minch is a city in the southern part of Ethiopia. "Arba Minch" means "40 Springs", originated from the presence of more than 40 springs. Mid-range lodge located in Arba Minch (City) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Arba Minch (City) Stay: Paradise Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Arba Minch (City) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 9
Experience the traditions of the Dorze villages and see Lake Chamo
In the morning you explore Chamo Lake by boat. In addition to the beautiful scenery, you can watch fishermen on their traditional papyrus boats, herons, birds of prey, pelicans, hippos, and crocodiles. In the afternoon you drive up the serpentine roads to the mountain village of Chencha, the canter of the Dorze people. You will make several stops along the way: visit a pottery family, visit a Dorze village with its characteristic bamboo huts, learn about the process of making bread from the false banana tree and the craft of the cotton weavers who make colourful scarves, clothes, and hats. Mid-range lodge located in Arba Minch (City) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Arba Minch (City) Stay: Paradise Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Arba Minch (City) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 10
Trip to the UNESCO heritage of Konso
Today day you have a full day to visit some of the non-touristic Konso villages in the surrounding highlands. Strolling around the fortressed villages your guide will explain a lot about Konso's beliefs and cultures. Generation trees are erected on a central court in the village not only telling the history of the villages but also being used as sacrificial sites for the locals. The Konso are among only a few peoples in Ethiopia that established permaculture as a means of getting more and better harvests in dry environments which makes them well off compared to other ethnic groups in this region. These are just some of the interesting things to discover while visiting Konso. A meeting with their friendly king (if available) will also give you another chance to learn more about the Konso before you will set off in the late afternoon to Arba Minch. Mid-range lodge located in Arba Minch (City) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Arba Minch (City) Stay: Paradise Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Arba Minch (City) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 11
Drive Arba Minch - Yirgalem
Another gorgeous breakfast overlooking nature awaits you this morning before you will start heading north where the huge Lake Abaya accompanies your journey for quite some hours before you reach the coffee forests of the Sidama region where some of the finest coffee beans grow. In the early evening, you will get a chance to experience your first Ethiopian coffee ceremony watching, smelling, and tasting while hyenas lace from the woods and their laughter echoes all over the place. Mid-range lodge located in Yirga Alem (Town) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Yirga Alem (Town) Stay: Aregash Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Yirga Alem (Town) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 12
Visit the green coffee plantations in Yirga Alem
This morning you awake in your traditional bamboo-woven house (traditional Sidama houses) surrounded by the sounds of birds and hyenas. Early birds are welcome to go on a nature walk with the lodge guides to spot some black and white colobus monkeys in the treetops. After breakfast, your guide will take you on a village tour on foot to the Sidama villages. A truly unique experience close to the locals and their culture on lush forest trails and through farmlands. Free afternoon at the beautiful lodge. Mid-range lodge located in Yirga Alem (Town) All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Yirga Alem (Town) Stay: Aregash Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Yirga Alem (Town) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 13
Drive Yirgalem - Langano, visit Abjatta-Shalla Park
On today's drive to Lake Langano, in the afternoon you will have an excursion to the picturesque Abijata-Shalla National Park with its three lakes and a resident population of the thousands of Lesser and Greater Flamingos and other different kinds of bird spices live around the lake. Mid-range lodge located at Lake Langano All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Lake Langano Stay: Bishangari Lodge Mid-range lodge located at Lake Langano Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 14
Drive Langano - Addis Ababa, shopping, dinner, departure
Your last day takes you back to the capital. Before the way back you can enjoy the nature around the lake with its green landscape and vast birdlife. Once in Addis Ababa and if there is time left, you’ll have the opportunity to buy some souvenirs for friends and family at home. After a nice traditional farewell dinner, your guide and driver will transfer you to the airport. All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Destination: Addis Ababa (City) Stay: No accommodation (End of tour) Meals: All meals included Non-alcoholic drinks
Tour step
End of tour
Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. You'll be dropped off at the airport.
Included
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All flights during the tour
All Taxes/VAT
Roundtrip airport transfer
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Excluded
International flights (From/to home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$15.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Getting There
This tour starts and ends in Addis Ababa
This operator can select your international flights, but you'll have to book them yourself
Fly to/from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD - Check price)
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost
Offered by
SimienEcoTours
5.0 operator rating
46 reviews
We organise individual & group tours through whole Ethiopia in an ecologically & socially responsible & sustainable way. The founders of SimienEcoTours are manager Marco from Italy, who currently lives in Addis Ababa, Franziska from Germany, who lived in Ethiopia for more than 7 years, and Birhan, Tadele, Yirga and Solomon, four experienced Ethiopian tour guides. What brought us together is our social and ecological commitment in Ethiopia as well as our love for this country.
Office In
Ethiopia
Size
10-20 employees (Founded in 2014)
Tour Types
Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
Destinations
Ethiopia
Traveler feedback
Reviews
Overall
5.0/5Communication
5.0/5Accuracy
5.0/5Value
5.0/5Safety clarity
5.0/5Cultural value
5.0/5Very well organized tour !
Best way of visiting Ethiopia is a Tour organized by Simien Eco Tours. Our guide, David, spoke good French and was able to give us all explanations of the places we’ve been visiting.
Sandra · France
Meeting communities in harmony with nature.
I went on a 4 day trip with SimienEcoTours to the Guge Mountain near to Arba Minch. It was such a unique experience. Meeting communities on the way to the top, eating and participating in daily lifestyle and routines, crossing agricultural land in perfect harmony with nature and being accompanied by kind, knowledgeable, sensitive, amazing guides. It was a one-kind experience. My heartfelt thanks !! I will carry the memories fondly with me.
Bärbel · Netherlands
Experience Ethiopia's peoples
I had the pleasure of going on a group trip to southern Ethiopia in February and it was simply unforgettable! The insights into the lives of Ethiopians were impressive and gave me a whole new perspective on this wonderful country. The trekking tours through the remote villages allowed us to experience the incredible diversity and warm hospitality of the people at first hand. Every day was a new adventure and I am grateful for the many wonderful memories I was able to take home with me. Special thanks go to our guide Abebe, who inspired us with his knowledge and passion for the country. The entire team - from the cook to the driver - also did a great job and made sure that we felt comfortable and well looked after at all times. A big thank you also to Marco for organizing this fantastic trip. I highly recommend this experience!
Sandra · Germany
The best experience
Excellent expérience. Well balance itinerary. Reliable hotels. Most of all an outstanding guide who lead the entier trip
Frédéric Jochem · United States
Practical answers
Tour FAQs
Are rates charged per person?
Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
Which currency is this tour priced in?
This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
Can children join this tour?
This tour is unavailable for children.
Can this tour start on my preferred date?
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
Can the itinerary be customized?
You can request minor changes to the accommodations and destinations of this tour.
Where do travelers stay during this tour?
Heyday Hotel - Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – All Meals Included. Meals: All Meals Included
Where does this tour start and end?
This tour starts and ends in Addis Ababa
Are airport transfers included?
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Operator policy
Terms and Conditions
Disclaimer
This tour is offered by SimienEcoTours, not SafariBookings.
This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings.
If you request changes to this tour, the advertised rates will likely change.
Rates include a fixed budget for flights during this tour. If flights cost more, your quote will reflect this.
The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability.
If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will suggest a comparable alternative.
This tour is subject to the terms & conditions of SimienEcoTours.
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