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Day 1
Day 1
Arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s high-altitude capital. Your private chauffeur will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to relax and acclimatize.
Day 1
Day 1
Accommodation
Swiss Inn Hotel
Swiss Inn Hotel

Day 2
Day 2
Morning – Flight from Addis Ababa to Dire Dawa, followed by a scenic drive to Harar with your private driver.
Lunch – Check in at your hotel and enjoy lunch at your leisure.
Afternoon – Excursion to Babile Town, renowned for its bustling markets (general market on Saturdays and camel market on Mondays & Thursdays).
Evening – Meet the famous Hyena Man outside the old city walls and, if you wish, feed the hyenas yourself – an unforgettable, adrenaline-filled encounter.
Day 2
Day 2
Accommodation
Grand Gato Hotel
Grand Gato Hotel

Day 3
Day 3
Morning – Guided walking tour through Harar Jugol, the ancient walled city with its maze of colorful alleyways, shrines, mosques and traditional Harari houses.
Lunch – Enjoy local cuisine at a traditional restaurant or your hotel.
Afternoon – Visit key cultural sites such as Ras Teferi’s House, Harari National Cultural Center and the Tomb of Emir Nur, then browse lively markets filled with spices, baskets and textiles.
Day 3
Day 3
Accommodation
Grand Gato Hotel
Grand Gato Hotel

Day 4
Day 4
Morning – Free time in Harar for last-minute visits and shopping.
Afternoon – Drive back to Dire Dawa and explore Kefira Market, one of the area’s most active and colorful markets. Evening flight back to Addis Ababa and overnight in the capital.
Day 4
Day 4
Accommodation
Swiss Inn Hotel
Swiss Inn Hotel

Day 5
Day 5
Morning – Fly to Semera and start your journey into the Afar region.
Lunch – Stop in Afdera for lunch by Lake Afdera, a striking salt lake set amid stark desert landscapes.
Afternoon – Continue across the desert to Hamedila, your base in the Danakil Depression. Settle into camp and enjoy dinner under a sky filled with stars.
Day 5
Day 5
Accommodation
Camping in Hamedila
Camping in Hamedila

Day 6
Day 6
Morning – Travel to Dallol, one of the hottest and most surreal places on earth. Explore its vivid mineral terraces, steaming vents and salt formations, and watch camel caravans and Afar workers extracting salt.
Lunch / Preparation – Continue to Dodom Village, where permits, camels and supplies are arranged. Enjoy lunch and a short rest.
Afternoon & Night – Begin the 8.5 km trek to Erta Ale (approx. 2.5–3 hours). Camels carry your gear while you hike to the volcano’s rim for an extraordinary night camping near the glowing lava lake.
Day 6
Day 6
Accommodation
Camping Erta Ace
Camping Erta Ace

Wake before dawn to watch sunrise over the crater and the molten lava below – a truly otherworldly scene. After descending to base camp, enjoy breakfast and then drive back towards Lake Afdera for lunch and a short break. Continue through changing landscapes to Mekele, the main city of Ethiopia’s northern highlands, arriving in the late afternoon.
Accommodation
Planet Hotel
Planet Hotel

Depart Mekele after breakfast for Hawzen, stopping en route to visit:

Wukro Cherkos Church – an easily accessible rock-hewn church with historic significance

Nejashi Mosque – an important early Islamic site believed to have sheltered the first Muslim refugees in Africa

Arrive in Hawzen for lunch and check-in. In the afternoon, hike to the rock-hewn churches of the Gheralta Mountains, including Mariam Korkor and Daniel Korkor, famous for their frescoes and wide-ranging views over the plateau.
Accommodation
Vision Motiv Hotel
Vision Motiv Hotel

This morning, tackle the adventurous climb to Abuna Yemata Guh, often described as one of the world’s most dramatic churches, carved into a sheer cliff high above the valley floor. Inside, admire vibrant 15th-century paintings and panoramic views. Return to Hawzen for lunch, then drive back to Mekele for your afternoon flight to Addis Ababa. In the evening, celebrate with a farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant with live music and dance.
Accommodation
Swiss Inn Hotel
Swiss Inn Hotel

Depending on your flight time, enjoy some free time for last-minute shopping or a short city tour before your private transfer to the airport for your onward journey.


  • ✅07 nights hotel accommodation in shared double/twin rooms as per itinerary
    ✅02 nights camping including full-board meals and all camping equipment
    ✅Private transportation for all transfers and excursions as outlined in the itinerary
    ✅English-speaking guides for sightseeing at each destination
    ✅All meals from breakfast on Day 2 to breakfast on Day 10
    ✅Entrance fees to all sites and cultural attractions listed in the itinerary
    ✅Drinking water provided in the vehicle throughout the tour
    ✅All applicable taxes


  • ❌ International airfare, visa fees, and any airline surcharges or penalties
    ❌ Personal expenses and gratuities
    ❌ Alcoholic beverages
    ❌ Any services not specifically mentioned in the Cost Includes section

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Ethiopia Discovery: Harar, Danakil Depression & Ancient Highlands

10-Day Cultural & Adventure Journey Through Ethiopia’s Most Iconic Landscapes
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No hidden costs
Experience Ethiopia in all its diversity—ancient cities, volcanic wonders, and sacred rock-hewn churches—on this unforgettable 8-day journey. Begin in the historic walled city of Harar, a UNESCO treasure known for its colorful markets, unique local culture, and the legendary evening hyena feeding ritual. Continue to the dramatic landscapes of the Danakil Depression, one of the hottest and most extraordinary regions on earth, where you explore the surreal salt flats, the vibrant mineral pools of Dallol, and trek under the stars to the active crater of Erta Ale for an overnight volcano-side camping adventure. Travel north into the Tigray region to visit ancient churches, including Wukro Cherkos, Nejashi Mosque, and the breathtaking cliff-top sanctuary of Abuna Yemata Guh, often called “the church in the sky.” With expert guides, scenic drives, domestic flights, and cultural immersion throughout, this tour offers a complete, once-in-a-lifetime Ethiopian experience.
Tour Operator: Anbessa
Tour starts Addis Ababa
Tour ends Addis Abeba
Duration 10 days 9 nights
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$3,500.00
per person PRICE double occupancy
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