Trekking in Tigray Church by Air – 10 Days
Highlights
Tour Plan
Arrive in Addis Ababa- the third highest capital in the world lies between 2300 - 2500 meters, met by our representative and get transferred into your hotel. And in the evening you will have well come farewell dinner in one of the traditional Restaurant in Addis Ababa with traditional Ethiopian's food and cultural dances together with us.
Overnight:Hotel
Today after breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight to Axum, From around 200 BC to 700 AD, Axum was the seat of an Empire which extended across the Red Sea to Arabia, traded with India and China, had its own alphabet and notational system, constructed great engineering works and dams and which was reckoned in the 4th century to be one of the four great powers of the ancient World.
Today the visitor can see Stella (the largest single pieces of stone erected anywhere – how they were brought from the quarry and erected is still not fully understood), the tombs and castles of kings, Axum Museum and Mariam Tsion Church, built on the site of Ethiopia’s first church. A chapel within the church compound is believed by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians to house the Ark of the Covenant, or the original tablets of Moses.
Overnight: Hotel
After breakfast drive to the most dramatic landscapes in Ethiopia “the teeth of Adwa” via Adwa and Adigrat, it’s about 205kms. – the jagged mountain scenery in the vicinity of Adwa, where the invading Italian forces were defeated by Emperor Menelik II in 1896.From Adwa drive 5kmeast to Madera and visit the monastery of Abba Garima (open only for men) best known for its treasury, which contains the fantastic collection of ancient crowns, crosses, illuminated Gospel and other artifacts donated by various emperor and nobles over the centuries, including a silver cross with gold inlays that once belonged to Gebre Meskel, and the crown of Zara Yaqob.
Overnight Hotel
Today after breakfast start drive to Koraro, then meet with the camel and camel man to make our gear and equipment ready for trekking, after that start walking for 2 hrs to reach to Abune Gebre Michael, It is set up on the west side of Koraro, a long stretch of read façade sandstone escarpment. Reaching the Abune Gebre Michael involves the steep, but no difficult, climb up a chimney strewn with large boulders which should tack about 20 minutes. This is followed by a farther easier climb of 30 minutes. Even though the church is some 400 meters above the plain, the steep climb through chimney makes for a rapid ascent. Abune Gebre Michael is one of the best and finest churches in Gheralta. After that make a stop for picnic lunch, and then start trek to Agoza and camp at the compound of Agoza elementary school.
Overnight: Camping
Today after breakfast start trekking to Abune Yemata it will take around 4hrs, then climb and visit Abune Yemata (Guh) church one of Gherelta's rock-hewn churches 1hour walk will bring you to the foot of the perpendicular rock mountains of Guh-name of the areas- which appear as though they are pillars to the sky. The church is carved on the cliff face of one of the mountains of Guh and there are no ropes like Debre Damo for use in the ascent and it is the most spectacular of any rock church in Ethiopia and the most difficult to access, then walk back to the foot Abune Yemata for camping.
Overnight: Camping
Today after breakfast set up your gear to trek to Mariam Korkor it will take 4hrs to reach to Mariam Korkor village, and then visit Mariam Korkor Church which is bullet in a small plateau. Mariam Korkor is very interesting church with great wealth of material. After a few minutes’ walk from Mariam korkor & visit the small rock church known as Abba Daniel's Prayer room. Then walk back to the village for the overnight stay.
Overnight: Camping
Today after breakfast start trek to Debrestion it will take 8hrs to reach, on the way you will stop and visit Mariam Arefeda, this church was not well known by foreign tourists just like the other churches of Gheralta cluster but it is one of among the 120 miracle rock hewn churches of Tigray and also it was the best church to trekking. The church is painstakingly hewn. It is an edifice foreigner admire. Ruth Plant, concluds, “ this is undoubtedly the most remarkable church that I saw in Gheralta” According to her it is “ comparable” with Maryam Wukro of Imba Seneyti and Medhani Alem Adikesho of Taeda Imba because of its “Remarkable detail” and Carful carving”
Overnight: Camping
Today after breakfast start drive to Mekelle en route visit Abreha Atsbeha church, which is build at 335 AD by the first Ethiopian bishop Abba Salama appointed by the twin King Abreha and Atsbeha, here we will visit Abba Salama prayer cross and its antique fresco which describe the historical background of the twin kings and Old Testament. And then continue driving to Mekelle.
Overnight: Hotel
Today you will fly back to Addis Ababa and you will have city tour of Addis Ababa, start to explore Addis Ababa, the third highest capital in the world, the visit includes the Entoto Mountain, the site from which Menelik the founder of Addis Ababa descended down to the plains. Two churches built by Menelik are found there. Menelik is crowned in one of them. Nearby, Menelik’s old palace is still intact and open for visitors. This is a small museum featuring royal attire, war items, furniture, books etc.
From Entoto Mountains there is a wonderful panoramic view of the city. Also included in your tour is the National museum, which ranks among the most important museums in sub- Sahara Africa. Here the recently discovered skeleton of Selam is on exhibit. Selam was found in December 2000 at Dikika, Afar, in the northern part of Ethiopia. Just like Lucy, Selam is an Australopithecus- aphaeresis. However, there is a major difference between the two since Selam lived over 150,000 years before Lucy!
Finally visit Mercato, the largest market area in Africa, where virtually every possible commodity is on sale, from livestock to computers. For the visitor good at bargaining, there is a huge selection of Ethiopian arts and crafts.
Overnight: Hotel