Eastern Ethiopia Safari | Ethiopia Safari

Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Walled city of Harar

Early morning, transfer to airport for flight to Dire Dawa (08:00).
In Dire Dawa, you will be met at the airport and will transfer to Harar.
From Harar, take a drive to Babile and the Valley of Marvels.
The Valley of Marvels has wonderful landscapes, famous for its balancing rock formations.
Additionally, the town of Babile has a very large market on Saturdays and a camel market on Mondays and Thursdays.
After the visit, time permitting you may visit Koremi, a village made of stone houses set on top of a plateau.
Return to Harar for overnight at Heritage Plaza Hotel/Ras Hotel/Rewda Guesthouse.

Day 2: Walled city of Harar

Today is a full day discovering the treasures hidden in the narrow alleyways of the walled city of Harar, with its colorful markets, countless mosques and shrines and unique Harari people and homes.
Sites to visit include: the House of Rimbaud, Ras Tafari’s House, Ras Mekonnen’s Palace, the Harari National Cultural Center, and the tomb of Emir Nur, who built the famous Jugol, as the wall is known locally.
At night you will visit the hyena man, who feeds the hyenas every night just outside the walls of the city.
This tradition was started long ago to prevent these wild hyenas from hunting for food in the town.
Guests are welcome, and encouraged to feed the hyenas themselves.
Overnight in Harar at Heritage Plaza Hotel/Ras Hotel/Rewda Guesthouse.

Day 3: Safari Ends

In the morning, visit the last places of interest in Harar.
After lunch, depart to Dire Dawa.
You will have a brief visit to the lively market at Kefira before transferring to the airport for return flight to Addis Ababa (17:00).

Queen Of Sheba Palace

The Queen of Sheba who was an "exotic and mysterious woman of power" is one of the great religious figures who appear in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible and the Muslim Koran. And her Palace is found right here in Axum. Why would you not want to stop by here and take in the scenery and snap a few photographs?

Bet Giyorgis Church

Bet Giyorgis is the most famous of Lalibela's rock hewn churches and gets its name from the patron saint of Ethiopia, St George. The church lies uncovered unlike all the other churches and is accessible by a short walk from either of the clusters (often described as the "8th Wonder of the World").

St. Mary of Zion

Around 300AD the first St. Mary of Zion was built in the town of Axum by the first and largest Christian Kingdom outside of the Roman Empire. The church itself has been rebuilt several times over the past 1700 odd years, with the latest version (as you can see below) having been finished in 1964.

Lalibela Churches Northern Cluster

We explore the "Northern Cluster" of Lalibela's rock hewn churches on this page, by Northern Cluster, we mean the grouping of Churches north of the River Jordan. These Northern churches are from what we were told, are older than the southern cluster and the workmanship shows that to be true (ish).

Axum Stelae Field

This amazing Stelae field is around 1700 years old and is found on the opposite side of the road from the St. Mary of Zion Church and around 2 minutes drive from the centre of town. These Stelae are believed to be the grave stones of past Aksumite Kings.

Debre Birhan Selassie Church

Located in the heart of Gondar, is one of Ethiopia most beautiful churches, the famed Debre Birhan Selassie. As one enters the compound one first notices the stone wall surrounding the church grounds, again it is a good idea to walk the wall and take in those 12 amazing rock towers.

Lalibela Churches Southern Cluster

The town of Lalibela hosts some of the Worlds most amazing Rock hewn churches dating back to around the 13 century. On this page, we get to explore the "Southern Cluster" of these churches, by Southern Cluster we mean the grouping of Churches south of the River Jordan.