From Addis Ababa: 5-Day Gheralta Cluster Churches Tour

Discover the Gheralta Cluster of churches on a 5-day tour from Addis Ababa. Visit the National Museum, the Holy Trinity, and the Ethnographic Museum.
Discover the Gheralta cluster of churches on a 5-day tour from Addis Ababa. Visit the National Museum, the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and the Ethnographic Museum. Explore the rock-hewn churches of Wukro Cherkos, Abraha Atsbeha, and Dugum Sellase.

Day 1: Addis Ababa
Be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Refresh and begin your sightseeing of Addis with a drive up to Mount Entoto for a panoramic view of Addis. Descend down and drive to the National Museum where you will have a chance to spot the oldest hominids of ‘Lucy’ fossil. Visit and proceed to the Holy Trinity Cathedral built during WWII. Then proceed to the Ethnographic Museum, which used to be the palace of Emperor Hailesellase. To wrap up, drive to Merkato, the biggest market in East Africa. Overnight in Addis.

Day 2: Addis Ababa – Mekele – Hawzen
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Mekele. Be met upon arrival and drive to Hawzen, visiting en route the semi rock-hewn church of Wukro Cherkos. Then Abraha Atsbeha, the first church in Ethiopia. Its interior is painstakingly decorated. Finally, stop at Dugum Sellase. Overnight in Hawazen.

Day 3: Hawzen
Have an excursion to Debre Tsion Abune Abreham Monastery which is entirely carved from the living rock. Visit and proceed to Yohannes Makudi, one of the early Ethiopian Coptic Christian churches which is accessed via a narrow cleft between towering sandstone walls. Overnight in Hawzen.

Day 4: Hawzen
Drive to the foot of Geraltha to visit the monastery of Debre Mariam Korkor, which dates back to the 6th century. After a few minutes’ walk from Mariam Korkor, visit the small rock church known as Abba Daniel’s Prayer room. Then drive back to Hawzien. Overnight in Hawzen.

Day 5: Hawzen – Mekele – Addis Ababa
Drive to Mekele to catch your flight to Addis. In the evening, attend a folkloric dinner where you will have a chance to taste several national dishes and watch dances of the various ethnic groups of Ethiopia. The traditional coffee ceremony will also be served. Later, transfer to the airport for your departure.

To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.

This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 24 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 24 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.