Gondar and Bahir Dar: Castles, ancient churches, waterfalls Gondar to Bahir Dar: castles, ancient churches, waterfalls

Visit Gondar's 17th century Castle Compound and the iconic painted church of Debre Birhan Selassie. Transfer to Bahir Dar for the ancient monasteries of Zege and the spectacular Blue Nile Falls.
A three-day, two-centre tour of classic Amharic Ethiopia. The first day is spent exploring the historic castles and ancient churches of Gondar before transferring to lakeside Bahir Dar for painted monasteries and picturesque waterfalls.

After checking into a comfortable hotel, day one begins with a walk into the centre of Gondar, the capital city of Ethiopia in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the Castle Compound are eleven very different buildings, each one added by a succeeding monarch. An expert local guide will be employed to give all the detailed facts and amusing anecdotes.

After lunch and a little downtime, a slightly longer walk to the edge of the city will lead to a hidden gem of Ethiopian history, the famous church of Debre Birhan Selassie, every possible interior surface covered with characterful and colourful paintings of bible stories and Ethiopian saints.

There will then be free time to explore the city, relax and purchase some souvenirs if wished before dinner and a quiet night if that is your wish. Local bars can also provide for your needs if you are not quite ready to sleep!

After a hotel breakfast on day two, a well-maintained private vehicle will join you to do the four-hour drive from Gondar to Bahir Dar and the beautiful Lake Tana, passing through impressive mountain vistas before dropping down to expansive rice fields and productive farmland. Coffee stops can break your journey when you wish.

Your modern Bahir Dar hotel is particularly comfortable and special but, after a reasonably prompt lunch, you will wish to be transferring to your private boat for the 75-minute trip on Lake Tana to the wooded promontory of Zege. Here you will climb up through the ancient coffee plantations to see a truly secluded and extraordinary painted monastery. Another expert local guide will show you round before a late afternoon return to the very pleasant and friendly town for the night.

The third day will again see you transported by your excellent private vehicle into the countryside outside of the town, to an unspoilt country village called Tis Abay. Here you will have one of the welcoming local guides to lead you up and over the hills for an hour's hike that takes you to the Blue Nile Falls where the Nile drops over the escarpment and starts its long journey towards the Mediterranean Sea. If you would prefer to avoid the hill climb, you can be taken on another, non-circular route that is followed by an almost entirely flat and somewhat shorter countryside trek to the same point. Coffee, relaxation, spectacular scenes and friendly local people will keep you company once you have arrived.

A return to Bahir Dar will mark the end of your tour as you say goodbye to the guide who has been with you throughout the trip. Any further help and advice you need will be very willingly given.

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.

Cancellation is not possible. If you cancel it anyway or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity and the money you paid will not be refunded.