Itinerary
Day 1 - Addis Ababa
Arrive in Addis, where you will take in the busy city.
Meet your helicopter and pilot for the week ahead.
Sheraton Hotel, 1 night.
Day 2 - Bale Mountains
Meet your helicopter and embark on a scenic flight to the Bale Mountains.
Enjoy nature walks and game drives.
Mobile Camp, 2 nights.
Day 4 - Lalibela
Fly north to Lalibela following the Blue Nile Gorge.
With an expert local guide, we will explore the ancient monolithic churches.
Mezena Hotel, 1 night.
Day 5- Simien Mountains
Flying via the church of Yemerehana Krestos, to the Simiens.
Hiking in the National Park, with Gelada Baboon and other unique wildlife.
Limalimo Lodge, 3 nights.
Day 8 - Addis Ababa
Fly to Addis and spend the afternoon exploring the city. Transfer
to the airport for your international flight home.
Sheraton Hotel, 1 night.
End of your safari
Ethiopia by Helicopter
DAY 1: 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 minstrelssinging songs that are centuries old
DAY 2 + 3: BALE MOUNTAINS
2,200 square kms have been designated as the Bale Mountains National Park to protect the astounding range of habitats and a multitude of rare species, many endemic to Ethiopia and some found only within the park. A pristine wilderness with the world’s largest expanse of Afro-alpine moorland.
The mountain terrain is marked by deep gorges and alpine lakes. From the high altitude plateau rises massifs of rounded and craggy peaks, including Tullu Deemtu - the second highest peak in Ethiopia (4,377 m).
About 40 rivers and springs rise in the Bale Mountains National Park, feeding into five major rivers. These springs are rich in minerals and crystal clear - and provide the only source of water year round to the communities living in the surrounding lowlands.
MOBILE CAMP
A private mobile camp situated in the Bale mountains. Bucket showers and short drop loos, surrounded by wilderness. Wake up and swim in the nearby river. It is also the perfect place to see the Ethiopian wolves, the only African wolf.
DAY 4: LALIBELA
The market town of Lalibela is set in the mountainous region of Amhara at 2,200 meters, where 80% of the people are engaged in subsistence farming. Teff, a tiny golden highly nutritious grain, is grown abundantly and farming methods are old-age, typically using ox-drawn ploughs and their produce is taken to market by donkeys.
Adding to the charm of Lalibela are the quaint double storey homesteads called ‘tukuls’ – with windowless walls made of mud and wattle, and the roof of thatch.
St George is Ethiopia’s holiest city & center of pilgrimage, with 12th & 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 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 carved 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.
11th Century Ethiopian King and a royal saint - Yemrehana Krestos, constructed a beautiful stone and wood church in Aksumite style, inside a dark cave. Until 15 years ago, this church, that bears his name, was only reachable after an arduous journey by foot or mule. Located 12 miles northeast from Lalibela, the Yemrehana Krestos church lies within the western side of Mount Abuna Yosef.
DAY 5 + 6 + 7: SIMIEN MOUNTAINS
The Tekeze River has created one of the world’s deepest canyons – over 2000 feet in places. The most striking turquoise blue river flows through this spectacularly
beautiful, dramatically eroded and barren landscape.
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 Simien Mountains 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 lammergeier (bearded vulture) - a massive vulture with a wingspan of up to 3 metres, with a distinctive diamondshaped tail and black moustache.
The Gelada are a species of Old World monkey found only in the Ethiopian Highlands. Seen in large troops, these baboon-size animals are the last surviving species of ancient grazing primates. Their long heavy coats help them withstand cold temperatures. They have a distinct red chest patch, that has earned them the name of ‘bleeding-heart baboon’.
LIMALIMO LODGE
Perched on the edge of the escarpment, Limalimo Lodge is a beautiful place to experience Ethiopia's Simien Mountains National Park. Combining simple luxury and elegant design in a stunning setting, the lodge promotes sustainable tourism with minimal environmental impact, and provides new opportunities to the local community.
AIRBUS H130
Capacity: 6 passenger seats and 1 pilot
Passenger Configuration: 2 passengers - center and front right, 4 in the rear, forward facing
Cruise Speed: 130 knots
Endurance: 3.8 hours
The H130 is ideal for: Tourism and passenger transport, Medevac with stretcher patient
These helicopters are the best in their field, they are high performance, single engine helicopters. They are designed for maneuvering through the air with agility and speed, with superior abilities in extreme environments. They are perfectly suited for operations in high altitudes and hot temperatures, typical of east Africa.
They are the most amazing way to travel, reaching places that are inaccessible by any other form of transport, allowing a panoramic sight seeing of all that Uganda and Tanzania have to offer.
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.