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Natural Wonders of Ethiopia Tour

Ethiopia’s most extreme and least-visited landscapes in one journey: from the savannah of Awash National Park to Afar culture, salt lakes, Erta Ale’s lava lake and the surreal colours of Dallol.

12 days

Awash & Afar

Adventure & nature

Private & tailor-made

Overview Highlights Itinerary FAQ Contact

About this tour

From savannah to the volcanic heart of the Danakil

This package explores Ethiopia’s most extreme and least-visited landscapes, from wildlife-rich savannahs to the volcanic heart of the Danakil Depression. Designed for travellers seeking raw geography, cultural depth and well-organized adventure, the itinerary combines national parks, Afar culture, salt lakes, active volcanoes and otherworldly terrain.

From the lava lake of Erta Ale to the surreal mineral formations of Dallol, this tour reveals a side of Ethiopia few ever experience: guided, unhurried and expertly planned.

Trip facts

Duration12 days

Best timeOctober – March

DifficultyModerate: extreme heat, volcano hike

AccommodationHotels, lodges & camping

Start / endAddis Ababa

StylePrivate, tailor-made

Highlights

What you will see

Awash National Park

Game viewing and birdwatching in one of Ethiopia’s key wildlife reserves.

Afar culture

Visit Afar villages and see how life is shaped by the desert.

Lake Afdera

A salt lake known for salt extraction and striking desert scenery.

Erta Ale volcano

Trek to the crater to see the lava lake, and camp near the volcano.

Dallol

Surreal geothermal formations in one of the hottest places on Earth.

Lake Assale & the salt caravans

Salt flats and the traditional caravans of Ahmed Ela.

Sample itinerary

Day by day

A 12-day example. We adjust every itinerary to you.

Day 1 · Arrival in Addis Ababa

Arrive in Addis Ababa. Overnight in the city.

Day 2 · Awash National Park

Drive to Awash National Park for game viewing and birdwatching in one of Ethiopia’s most important wildlife reserves. Overnight near Awash.

Day 3 · Semera & Afar culture

Drive to Semera. Visit local Afar villages and gain insight into traditional lifestyles shaped by the desert. Overnight in Semera.

Day 4 · Lake Afdera

Drive to Lake Afdera, known for its salt extraction and striking desert scenery. Overnight near the lake.

Day 5 · Dodom & the Erta Ale trek

Drive to Dodom and begin the trek towards Erta Ale volcano. Overnight camping near the volcano.

Day 6 · Waydodo

Descend from Erta Ale and drive to Waydodo. Overnight camping.

Day 7 · Ahmed Ela

Drive to Ahmed Ela, a key Afar settlement and traditional salt-caravan hub. Overnight camping.

Day 8 · Dallol & Lake Assale

Early departure to Lake Assale and the geothermal formations of Dallol, one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth. Return to Ahmed Ela for overnight camping.

Day 9 · Mekelle via Berhale

Drive to Mekelle via Berhale, through dramatic desert landscapes. Overnight in Mekelle.

Day 10 · Kombolcha via Lake Hayk

Drive to Kombolcha. On the way, visit the Hayk Estifanos Monastery on Lake Hayk, one of Ethiopia’s important religious sites. Overnight in Kombolcha.

Day 11 · Return to Addis Ababa

Drive back to Addis Ababa. Time permitting, visit the Senbete market. Overnight in Addis Ababa.

Day 12 · Addis Ababa city tour & departure

A full-day city tour of Addis Ababa, followed by a farewell dinner and your departure.

Lodges can replace camping on request, and camping gear can be provided.

Reviews

What our travellers say

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 94 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Dessislava M 
 
 
 
 Verified Amazing!
Perfect organization! Very kind and helpful people! They are professionals, and you can be sure with them! Good hotels, comfortable cars, exellent drivers and guides! We were happy every day!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Stasys M 
 
 
 
 Verified From historical Lalibela to vibrant soutern tribes
Icredible trip: beutiful nature, fiery people. Well organized. Competent and helpful gides.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Regina R 
 
 
 
 Verified Highly recommended
Our group chose this company based on recommendations. It fully met our expectations. The accommodation was selected at a high level. The drivers and guides are professional. I can confidently recommend it.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Giedrius_19 
 
 
 
 Verified Two weeks trip in Ethiopia
Very interesting and full of impressions 14 day trip. Visited North and South Ethiopia. Well organized and managed. Schedule is quite tough so you have to be in good shape.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Loreta M 
 
 
 
 Verified Colorful Ethiopia
We visited northern and southern Ethiopia. The tour was organized perfectly. Habtu was constantly asking how we were doing. We thank him and the Vast Ethiopia team for a great time.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Zbigniew M 
 
 
 
 Verified Rock-hewn monasteries, nature and black Africa.
The overall impression of our private 15 day stay in Ethiopia is really good. We've founf what we expected most: living ancient history,monasteries and a visit to Natives in the South. Axum offers the great place of holy monuments, the morning processions held there are exquisite. Do not miss Balthazar's tomb. Wildlife; we were happy to ser hipos and crocodiles in natural environment. The Natl Museum in Addis is a must-see. We found the smartest and knowledgable guides in Gondar and Axum. Local flights and ca drives were ok. Roads are bad, yet this was not a surprise. Best hotels on our route were located in Lalibela and Gondar. Do visit this vibrant, unpretentious and friendly country. Zbyszek Miśkiewicz
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Leah O 
 
 
 
 Verified Amazing trip with vast Ethiopia tours!! Highly recommend!
Our family of 6 traveled with VAST Ethiopia tours in March 2024 and had an amazing experience! We visited Addis Ababa and then took a trip through the southern region of Ethiopia, including Bale Mountains NP, Dorze Village Arba Minch, and Hawassa. The guides were skilled, knowledgeable, and incredibly helpful. We loved every minute of it.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    osmoreno68 
 
 
 
 Verified Unforgettable and unique Ethiopia. Magic and diversity in one country
We have made a group of 30 people an unforgettable trip through the North and South of the country. It's all been very interesting. The North with its gem La LIBELA and the interesting places of Gondar and Simiens Mountains. And in the south the amazing wonders of the HAMER, DASSENECH, KARO and MURSI tribes along with the KONSO and DORCE people...With Vast we have not had any problems and we have made the trip as planned in the program... fulfilling the agreed and always trying the best for the group. It is the second time we have done ETHIOPIA in a group and for another one!!!!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Kevin S 
 
 
 
 Verified A great team! Book with them
For many years, I’ve had dreams of visiting Ethiopia. Finally, that opportunity arose for us in May, 2024.I asked friends for recommendations and we were pointed to Habtu Marye and Vast Tours. And we were lucky to find them.I spent some time online researching the things I wanted to see. But being the local experts, I relied on them to take our list, put it in the most logical order, and then they even added some things that I didn’t realize would be important for our visit.We had four full days in Addis. A short time considering everything there is to see in the country. We realized we had to limit ourselves. We spent three days in Addis and one day we headed out of town with Debre Libanos as our destination goal.We were partnered with Abay as our guide and Tesfaye as our driver. They were a great team and we thought we were fortunate to have them. They shared a wealth of knowledge about the sites we were visiting, took us places regular tourists never would have seen, and even gained entrance to several sites otherwise closed when we were there.we felt safe with Abay and Tesfaye. We were cared for. And they took us to restaurants offering wonderful local foods. We believe we saw everything we could in the short time we were on the ground. Of course, there still is a vast country beyond what we saw but that comes with a future visit.Without a doubt, I would use this tour company again and specifically the staff. And you know, that’s the strongest recommendation I can give!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
    Karim 
 
 
 
 Verified Best Agency for Planning Ethiopia Trip
My wife and I compared several agencies before booking. We found Vast to be the most responsive, most affordable, and most complete. Habtu and the Vast team planned our two week Ethiopia trip and were flexible in adding and removing activities although the schedule was already very complete. I am happy to say the trip was incredible. Vast takes safety first and prioritizes customer safety. The hotels we stayed at were always the best in the city we would visit. our trip was suitable for all ages and we will be recommending Vast to all travelers who want to visit Ethiopia!

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from the Danakil Depression Tour?

The Danakil tour is a short 3–4 day expedition from Semera. This 12-day journey travels overland from Addis Ababa, adding Awash National Park, Afar villages, Lake Afdera, more time in the Danakil and a return through the highlands via Mekelle and Lake Hayk.

Plan your Natural Wonders trip

Tell us your dates, number of travellers and what you would love to see. We usually reply within 1–2 working days.

Natural Wonders Of Ethiopia Tour Package