ETHIOPIA BY HELICOPTER
ITINERARY
29 - 30th June: Simien Mountains
Meet Jamie on arrival in Addis Ababa and board the helicopter for a flight north following the Blue Nile.
Stop for a coffee on the side of the river before reaching the Simien Mountains and arriving into LimaLimo Lodge for lunch.
Hiking in the National Park, with Gelada Baboon and other unique wildlife.
Take a morning to visit the ancient city of Gondar.
Limalimo Lodge, 2 nights.
1st - 3rd July: Gheratla, Tigray
Fly via the spectacular Tekeze River. Explore the ancient churches in the Gheralta mountains.
Vist the Town of Aksum and Stellae stone monuments.
A day trip to the Danakil Depression, salt pans, the sulphur springs and the Afar people.
Gheralta Lodge, 3 nights.
4th - 5th July: Lalibela
Flying via the church of Yemerehana Krestos before arriving into Laliblea
With an expert local guide, explore the ancient monolithic churches.
Sora Hotel, 2 nights.
7th July: Addis Ababa
Fly to South over the Blue Nile Gorge and a mosaic of farmland back into Addis.
End of Safari
29th & 30th June
SIMIEN MOUNTAINS
Thousands of years of erosion has worn down the Ethiopian plateau and created one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world. At 4,543m, the Simiens are Ethiopia’s highest range.
The jagged peaks and deep valleys are home to rare and endemic wildlife including the Ethiopian wolf, Gelada Baboon, and the Walia Ibex - a wild goat found nowhere else in the world. Also found here is the lammergerie (bearded vulture) - a massive vulture with a wingspan of up to 3 metres, with a distinctive diamond-shaped tail and black moustache. Its old name of ossifrage (or bonebreaker) relates to its habit of dropping bones from great heights onto rocks beneath - bone marrow is its favoured source of food.
The Gelada are a species of Old World monkey found only in the Ethiopian Highlands. Typically seen in large troops, these baboon-size animals are the last surviving species of ancient grazing primates. Their long heavy coats help them withstand the cold temperatures. They have a distinct red chest patch, that has earned them the name of ‘bleeding-heart baboon’.
GONDAR CITY
The fortress city of Gondar was founded in the 17th Century at the foot of the mighty Simien mountains. In 1632, Emperor Fasilidas proclaimed that Gondar would become the Empire’s new capital, and for the next 250 years, the Kings ruled from here. In the heart of the city lies the ancient remains of ‘Fasil Ghebbi’ (Royal Enclosure), with castles, palaces and churches.
LIMALIMO LODGE
Limalimo Lodge is an eco-friendly lodge nestled on the edge of the Simien Mountains National Park, offering stunning views of the dramatic landscapes. The lodge features comfortable accommodation that blends modern amenities with traditional Ethiopian style, ensuring a cozy stay amongst the mountain terrain.
1st, 2nd & 3rd July
TIGRAY
The Tigray region of northern Ethiopia has particularly spectacular landscapes - red stratified mountains and sharp peaks that rise from the plains.
Very little is known about the origin of the 120, or so, churches carved into the rock and cliffs, or their architectural history. Local tradition attributes most of the churches to the 4th century Aksumite Kings, Abreha and Atsbeha.
Access to the churches involves some interesting hikes up the steep (and sometimes sheer) cliff faces. Inside many of the churches are colourful frescoes which are believed to be hundreds of years old. The priests who live on these mountains follow a simple life that revolves around the Orthodox Christian calendar.
DANAKIL DEPRESSION
More than 100 metres below sea level, the Danakil Depression is peppered with colourful sulphurous springs, acid lakes, active volcanoes and giant salt pans.
Some of the hottest temperatures known to man are found here in the Danakil Depression. Unlike anything else on this planet, this extraordinary place is located on a geographical fault within the Great Rift Valley, at the Horn of Africa.
AKSUM CITY
Aksum is a historically significant city in northern Ethiopia, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and archaeological treasures. It was once the capital of the Aksumite Empire, one of the great civilizations of the ancient world.
Explore the impressive stone obelisks and towering monuments that reflect ancient engineering prowess. The largest obelisk, over 24 meters tall, dates back to the 4th century AD. Visit the revered Church of St Mary of Zion, believed to house the Ark of the Covenant, making it a pilgrimage site for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The church's architecture and sacred relics offer insights into Ethiopia's religious history.
GHERALTA LODGE
Founded and run by Enrica and Silvio Rizzotti, this little piece of Italy in the heart of Tigray has long set the eco-luxury bar in Ethiopia.
Boasting extraordinary vistas of the sharp, imposing peaks of the Gheralta range, the lodge is beautifully built with local stone, wood and thatch in a traditional Tigrayan style, blending effortlessly with the wild, rural setting.
4th & 5th July
LALIBELA
Ethiopia’s holiest city & center of pilgrimage, with 12th and 13th century monolithic churches.
Intended to be a ‘new Jerusalem’ following the capture of the Holy lands by Muslims, the rural town of Lalibela is an ancient world with medieval 12th and 13th century rock-hewn churches, hidden crypts and dimly lit passageways, carved from solid granite, a millennia ago. Today, it is not only the physical structures that remain frozen in time, but a place of pilgrimage for many of Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christians.
The 900 year old church of Bet Giyorgis is located on the western side of the cluster of 11 churches that were commissioned by King Lalibela. It was the last one to be carved, and was done so with amazing geometrical precision from a single piece of volcanic rock, 40 feet into the ground in the shape of a Greek cross. Although plain on the inside, there is a curtain that shields the Holy of Holies, in front of which usually stands a priest displaying scripture and paintings.
YEMREHANA KRESTOS CHURCH
Yemrehana Krestos Church is a remarkable medieval rock-hewn church located in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, near the town of Lalibela. Believed to have been built in the 11th century during the reign of Emperor Yemrehana Krestos, the church is noted for its unique architectural style, which features a combination of traditional rock-hewn techniques and intricate wooden craftsmanship.
The church is carved into a mountainside and is distinguished by its charming interior, adorned with vibrant frescoes and distinctive columns.
SORA LODGE
Sora Lodge offers spectacular views of the Asheten Mariam Mountain, the valleys and countryside villages around Lalibela. All rooms have a large private veranda facing east, providing views of the sunrise, while the sunset can be watched from the common verandas facing west. The lodge is perfectly located to explore the ancient town.
7th July
ADDIS ABABA
Addis Ababa is the fourth largest city in Africa - a melting pot of cultures and a bizarre combination of past and present - Italian Fascist buildings sit alongside luxurious high rise hotels; priests in medieval robes mix with African bureaucrats and wandering minstrels singing songs that are centuries-old.
END OF SAFARI
Tropic Air is based in Kenya, and offers a broad range of professional air services using helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
Areas of operation: 16 African countries, covering more than 10 million square kilometers: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo, Chad, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.