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Lalibela to Abune Yosef: Highland Adventure through the Holy lands
Combining a visit to the historic Lalibela rock-hewn churches with trekking in the highlands is the perfect way to experience Ethiopia's rich history as well as its natural beauty. Lalibela is usually billed as Ethiopia's number one tourist attraction not to mention holy shrine to which thousands of Orthodox pilgrims flock every year on January 7th. We believe the contrast of visiting the churches that attract people from all around the world with visiting a mountain that very few people visit gives the adventurer the best of both worlds.
After spending three days in Lalibela visiting the amazing rock-hewn churches that have converted Lalibela into the holy land for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, we start our 3-day trek to Abune Yosef (4300m), Ethiopia's third highest massif. After a 6-7 hour first day and stunning panoramas of arid escarpments and basalt towers, we arrive at the village of Tigu Kebele (3700m), the base camp for attacking Abune Yosef. We will spend two nights in the highland village, eating our meals and meeting local families. The summit day we will wake up and get an early start to increase our chances of seeing the simien fox, an endemic species rarely seen in Ethiopia. It is not uncommon to run into the endemic gelada baboon and see lammergeyers circling around the peak. The third day, we return to Lalibela the same way we came, with a new respect for this high-altitude rugged outpost of spirituality.
Total number of days on tour: 8 days
Total number of days hiking: 3 days
Trek difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
Itinerary
| Day 1 |
Arrival to Addis Ababa, airport transfer to hotel. Overnight Kaleb Hotel |
| Day 2 |
Arrive to Lalibela in the early afternoon, have lunch and visit the first Lalibela rock-hewn church cluster. Overnight Mountain View Hotel |
| Day 3 |
Lalibela: Early day hike to Asheten monastery and church (4 hours total). Hike to 3400m and visit some of the first churches carved in Lalibela. In the afternoon, we visit the second cluster of Lalibela churches in the afternoon. Overnight Mountain View Hotel |
| Day 4 |
Lalibela: Visit Yimrehana Christos church that is 42km away by car, and spend the afternoon and evening exploring Lalibela on your own. Overnight Mountain View Hotel |
| Day 5 |
Abune Yosef: 6-7 hour trek from the hotel (2600m) to base camp in Tigu Kebele (3700m). |
| Day 6 |
Abune Yosef: Wake up early and do 3 hour trek to summit of Abune Yosef (4300m). Have lunch on summit and walk back to base camp. |
| Day 7 |
Abune Yosef: 5-6 hour trek back to Lalibela, stopping for lunch on the way, meals provide by guide/cook. |
| Day 8 |
Lalibela: Fly to Addis Ababa enjoy farewell dinner and city visits. |
*All meals on trek provided by VET guide/cook
*Trekkers may opt for pack mules or donkeys to carry backpacks etc.
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