Cultural · Hiking · Private
Addis & Its Highlands
The capital and everything within a day of it — stelae, a cliffside monastery, crater lakes and a five-hundred-year-old forest.
The Journey
4 nights, designed around the hours that matter
Five days based in one comfortable hotel, with a different direction each morning: south to the stelae of Tiya, north to Debre Libanos, south-east to the crater lakes, and west into the ancient forest of Menagesha. Ideal for a first visit, a long stopover, or gentle acclimatisation before the north.
Places
- Addis Ababa
- Tiya & Adadi Mariam
- Debre Libanos
- Bishoftu
- Menagesha Suba Forest
Tailor-made journey
Priced to your plans
Quoted individually once we know your dates, lodges and group size.
- Duration
- 5 Days · 4 nights
- Best season
- Oct – May
- Group size
- 2 – 8 guests
- Style
- Cultural · Hiking · Private
Final pricing depends on season, room category and group size. No deposit is taken until the itinerary is right.
Day by Day
The itinerary, as it usually runs
A working draft rather than a fixed schedule — we move days around for weather, festivals and how you are feeling.
Day 1
Addis Ababa
Mount Entoto and Menelik's palace in the morning, then Lucy at the National Museum and Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Day 2
The Southern Heritage Road
Melka Kunture's prehistoric site, the rock-hewn church of Adadi Mariam, and the World Heritage stelae of Tiya.
Day 3
Debre Libanos & the Jemma Gorge
North to the monastery founded in 1284 by Tekle Haymanot, the gorge viewpoints, and gelada monkeys along the rim.
Day 4
Crater Lakes & Mount Zuqualla
The lakes of Bishoftu in the morning, then the walk to the holy crater lake and monastery on Zuqualla.
Day 5
Menagesha forest & farewell
A morning walk in the juniper forest protected since the fifteenth century, then Merkato, a coffee ceremony, and a farewell dinner with music.
What Is Included
- A private vehicle and senior guide throughout
- Four nights at a boutique hotel in Addis Ababa
- All site, museum, monastery and park entry fees
- Local guides for the gorge, mountain and forest walks
- Breakfast daily and lunch on every excursion
- A coffee ceremony and a farewell dinner with music
Not Included
- International flights and Ethiopian visa fees
- Travel insurance (required)
- Dinners not listed, drinks and gratuities
Enquire
Make Addis & Its Highlands yours
Send us your dates and we will confirm availability, quote precisely, and suggest the two or three changes we would make if it were our own trip.
Runs Oct – May · 2 – 8 guests · priced to your plans
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Speak With a Designer
Questions before you enquire?
Altitude, road time, how hard the walking really is, whether the children will cope. Ask us anything — a designer will answer honestly.
Or call us directly on +1909-450-7246