February, 13th-21th 2018
Team Trip & "Let's Go" collaboration Ethiopia trip: Erta Ale and Lalibela
The list of UNESCO world heritage sites in Ethiopia is just enormous and if you want to see most of these spots for yourself, Lalibela included, join us for the trip that's going to become your most cherished adventure! The history of the county dates back to the Old Testament – just imagine how diverse and distinctive its customs are! Looking forward to seeing mind-blowing natural sites? Well, get ready to check out majestic Ethiopian volcanoes: Dallol and Erta Ale.
Team leaders: Mike Korostelev, Sergey Dolya
Photo: Mike Korostelev, flickr/ksengog (Lalibela)
Team leaders: Mike Korostelev, Sergey Dolya
Photo: Mike Korostelev, flickr/ksengog (Lalibela)
Come along with the Team Trip squad to explore over half of Ethiopia's territory reaching Eritrea borders in the Danakil desert. In fact, we're so sure you'll like it we can claim it's going to make it to the top five of your trips ever, regardless where you've been already. You're sure to enjoy open air overnight stays under the star-sprinkled sky of Africa, bathing in steaming hot springs and the lava lake of the Erta Ale volcano, which looks as if it was quality CGI from another adventure movie. That's not it, though. Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a fishing float? You might consider this a weird question but you'll see what we're getting at when you take a swim in salt Lake Afdera. The acid craze of the Dallol volcano, which is the hottest spot of the planet, will show off all the colors you know and more: google the pictures and there won't be any way back left. Add some camel trains carrying salt at dusk like in those pictures of Africa you've seen and you will know for sure – this trip is something you can't do without.
At the end of our trip we'll get you a special treat: visiting Lalibela city, which is considered to be the 8th wonder of the world. The city is a complex of rock-hewn churches with the heights up to 10 meters. The 11 preserved 7th century churches are on the list of UNESCO world heritage sites and each church has its own architecture style with ancient pictures and exquisite carvings.
Breath-taking views, exotic flora and fauna, friendly locals with their unique mysterious culture – you'll be able to remember all of this in five or ten years as all of the adventures will be drone filmed and we'll send a copy of the film to you so that you could reminisce.
At the end of our trip we'll get you a special treat: visiting Lalibela city, which is considered to be the 8th wonder of the world. The city is a complex of rock-hewn churches with the heights up to 10 meters. The 11 preserved 7th century churches are on the list of UNESCO world heritage sites and each church has its own architecture style with ancient pictures and exquisite carvings.
Breath-taking views, exotic flora and fauna, friendly locals with their unique mysterious culture – you'll be able to remember all of this in five or ten years as all of the adventures will be drone filmed and we'll send a copy of the film to you so that you could reminisce.
Dates: February 13th - 21th 2018
Program price – 2100$
Additional 5 day Cape Town program is available – 950$
Please note that the cost of the program does not cover additional expenses as well as the tickets, but we can help you find the best offer available if needed.
Itinerary
Day 1 (February, 13th)
Arrive Addis Ababa, check-in at the guest house. Exploring Addis Ababa (Lucy skeleton, mountain views of the city, market, Christian churches). Flight to Mekele. Check-in at the hotel.
Day 2 (February, 14th)
Danakil desert jeep safari. Erta Ale ascent (in the evening). Exploring the crater. Watching the lava lake. Overnight stay in huts next to the crater.
Day 3 (February, 15th)
Sunrise at the crater. Hiking to volcano's second crater. Sunset near the lava lake.
Day 4 (February, 16th)
Descent. Transfer to Lake Afdera. Swimming in the lake. Guided walks around salt mines. Overnight stay at the shore of the lake.
Day 5 (February, 17th)
Transfer to Lake Assal. Watching camel trains transport salt. Overnight stay at the shore of the lake.
Day 6 (February, 18th)
Dallol volcano ascent. Visiting salt mines and canyons. Transfer to Mekele. Check-in at the hotel.
Day 7 (February, 19th)
Transfer to Lalibela. Visiting Veldia to see Amhara and Raya tribes' way of life. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 8 (February, 20th)
Visiting ten rock-hewn churches first to the north and then to the south from the river Jordan. Visiting Biete Ghiorgis, which the 11th church isolated from the others and considered to be best preserved.
Please note that women are not allowed to enter the churches to the north from the river Jordan.
Day 9 (February, 21st)
Transfer to the Airport. Flight to Addis Ababa. Departure.
Program price – 2100$
Additional 5 day Cape Town program is available – 950$
Please note that the cost of the program does not cover additional expenses as well as the tickets, but we can help you find the best offer available if needed.
Itinerary
Day 1 (February, 13th)
Arrive Addis Ababa, check-in at the guest house. Exploring Addis Ababa (Lucy skeleton, mountain views of the city, market, Christian churches). Flight to Mekele. Check-in at the hotel.
Day 2 (February, 14th)
Danakil desert jeep safari. Erta Ale ascent (in the evening). Exploring the crater. Watching the lava lake. Overnight stay in huts next to the crater.
Day 3 (February, 15th)
Sunrise at the crater. Hiking to volcano's second crater. Sunset near the lava lake.
Day 4 (February, 16th)
Descent. Transfer to Lake Afdera. Swimming in the lake. Guided walks around salt mines. Overnight stay at the shore of the lake.
Day 5 (February, 17th)
Transfer to Lake Assal. Watching camel trains transport salt. Overnight stay at the shore of the lake.
Day 6 (February, 18th)
Dallol volcano ascent. Visiting salt mines and canyons. Transfer to Mekele. Check-in at the hotel.
Day 7 (February, 19th)
Transfer to Lalibela. Visiting Veldia to see Amhara and Raya tribes' way of life. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 8 (February, 20th)
Visiting ten rock-hewn churches first to the north and then to the south from the river Jordan. Visiting Biete Ghiorgis, which the 11th church isolated from the others and considered to be best preserved.
Please note that women are not allowed to enter the churches to the north from the river Jordan.
Day 9 (February, 21st)
Transfer to the Airport. Flight to Addis Ababa. Departure.
What's included?
- double/triple occupancy accommodation in Addis Ababa and Mekele;
- camping sights along the route (open air accommodation, earthen floor huts);
- breakfasts, lunches and dinners while on the route;
- water supplies;
- jeeps with air-conditioning systems;
- guiding services;
- military/police accompaniment for safety reasons;
- nature sites entrance permits.
- plane tickets;
- flight/transfer Addis Ababa – Mekele and back. You can either choose to go by plain (200$ one way) or go by bus (25$ one way, 15 hours), Lalibela – Addis Ababa flight;
- single occupancy charges (150$);
- tourist health insurance;
- meals in Addis Ababa, Mekele, Lalibela;
- visa (if required).
About Ethiopia
Strangely enough, a year in Ethiopia is divided into 13 parts, so you can say that it's sunny 13 month a year in Ethiopia and it's not going to be a figure of speech. It's also weird to realize that going to Ethiopia is like going back to the past – due to year count differences you'll leave home in 2018 and land in Addis Ababa in 2010. Over a half of the population are Christians, so we'll get to see a lot of Christian churches decorated with ostrich eggs – the symbol of true faith. There are few spots in Ethiopia, which are not regarded as a holy place in one of the religions.
Ethiopia is also famous for the most ancient homo sapiens excavation find – Lucy. It is also believed that Ethiopian Christians are the keepers of the arch of the covenant. Ethiopian history is just as rich as the Ancient Egypt's and you'll be surprised to listen about and see all that it has in store for you.
Ethiopian people is a unique one-of- a-kind race, descendants of the ancient civilization. Their history is just like their clothes: full of vibrant colors, distinctive patterns and nontrivial combinations. There're more than 80 separate tribes in the country, which speak their own dialects and stick to the old ways using few to no civilization benefits.
Strangely enough, a year in Ethiopia is divided into 13 parts, so you can say that it's sunny 13 month a year in Ethiopia and it's not going to be a figure of speech. It's also weird to realize that going to Ethiopia is like going back to the past – due to year count differences you'll leave home in 2018 and land in Addis Ababa in 2010. Over a half of the population are Christians, so we'll get to see a lot of Christian churches decorated with ostrich eggs – the symbol of true faith. There are few spots in Ethiopia, which are not regarded as a holy place in one of the religions.
Ethiopia is also famous for the most ancient homo sapiens excavation find – Lucy. It is also believed that Ethiopian Christians are the keepers of the arch of the covenant. Ethiopian history is just as rich as the Ancient Egypt's and you'll be surprised to listen about and see all that it has in store for you.
Ethiopian people is a unique one-of- a-kind race, descendants of the ancient civilization. Their history is just like their clothes: full of vibrant colors, distinctive patterns and nontrivial combinations. There're more than 80 separate tribes in the country, which speak their own dialects and stick to the old ways using few to no civilization benefits.
Good to know
- no special training or experience is required for the ascent. The volcano is just 613 meters above the see level and the trek is only 8 kilometers long.
- no mandatory vaccination is required for the trip. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended though if you have east African and central African countries;
- no malaria zones are entered on the way;
- the air temperature is about 35˚C during the day time and 25 ˚C at night.
- you will need both sunscreen and a hat to protect you from the sun and warm clothes as it's quite cool in the evenings;
- you'll also need basic gear: headlamp, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, small pillow, trekking poles if needed;
- make sure your footwear is designed for long hiking. We recommend getting a pair of light trekking boots or sneakers;
- don't forget to pack insect repellent.
Why choose Team Trip?
- Our team unites travelers, mountaineers, divers, photographers, guides and ethnographers experiences enough and qualified to organize unconventional trips. Surrounded by professionals you will not only learn a lot about the field they work in, but also feel safe and taken care of throughout the travel.
- The team spirit is just as important: we treat our clients like our friends and it's no wonder most of them do stay in touch after travelling with us. Having fun is part of our motto and a great sense of humor is a must for our team members.
- We thoroughly select, check and double-check all of our routes before we lead the group, so there won't be any surprises but for the nice ones.
- Safety is our utmost priority, that's why we only collaborate with trustworthy and reliable accommodation providers, guides and transportation services. We prepare for the trips we organize and our knowledge of the area is impeccable.
- Taking part in wildlife preservation programs and wildlife photography contests allows us to reflect on what we see during our trips. We've won several so far (Siena International Photo Award, Underwater Photographer of the Year 2016, Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen), but most importantly this way we're able to give back instead of merely taking.
Once you have made up your mind or in case further information is required contact us and we'll gladly answer all of your questions and make a booking for you
info@team-trip.ru
+7 999 721 01 84
+7 999 721 01 84
