History Tours - Ethio Backpacker Tours

Our great range of history tours are the perfect way to soak in the rich and unique cultural heritage of Ethiopia – a country in which traditional practices, religious rites and ancient myths still very much play an important role in today’s society.

Boasting 9 UNESCO sites – the most of any African country – Ethiopia is a land of treasures and our history tours are the best way to take this all in.

Our top-rated guides will impart a high degree of local knowledge that will allow you to understand the significance of each and every site you visit, making your time in Ethiopia as rewarding and memorable as possible.

Our Top History Tours include:

#1 Lalibela – 1 and 2 Day Trips

Sites visited can include:
• Northwestern Church Cluster
• Southeastern Church Cluster
• St George’s Church
• Na’akuto La’ab
• Yemrehanna Kristos
• Ashetan Maryam (great sunset views)
• Amazing Scenery

Price: includes local guide, but not entrance fees.

Price: includes local guide, hotel pick up / drop off, 1 night accommodation and breakfast, but not entrance fees. Click here to learn more.

#2 Bahar Dar and Gonder – 2 Day Trip

Opt to begin this tour from either Bahar Dar or Gonder and then finish in either Gonder or Bahar Dar.

Sites visited can include:
• Lake Tana
• Tana Monasteries
• Blue Nile Falls
• Royal Enclosure
• Fasilades Bath
• Debre Berham Selassie

Price: includes entrance fees, local guides, transport between cities, Lake Tana boat ride, 1 night accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Bahar Dar and stay Bahar Dar, Day 2: Drive to Gonder, tour Gonder.
Option B) Day 1: Tour Gonder, drive to Bahar Dar and stay Bahar Dar, Day 2: Tour Bahar Dar.

Add-Ons!

You can also add a guided hike in the UNESCO-listed Simien Mountains National Park onto your Gonder and Bahar Dar tour. For more information see here.

#3 Gonder and Axum – 2 Day Trip

Opt to begin this tour from either Axum or Gonder and then finish in either Gonder or Axum.

Sites visited can include:
• Royal Enclosure
• Fasilades Bath
• Debre Berham Selassie
• St Mary Zion Church Complex
• Northern Stelae Field
• Cleopatra’s Bath
• King Ezana’s Inscription
• King Kaleb’s Tomb
• King Balkan’s Tomb
• Queen Sheba’s Palace

Price: includes entrance fees, local guides, transport between cities, 1 night accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 2: Drive to Gonder, tour Gonder.
Option B) Day 1: Tour Gonder, drive to Axum and stay Axum, Day 2: Tour Axum.

Add-Ons!

Why not add a guided tour to the amazing Danakil Depression before or after your Gonder and Axum trip? Departing from Makele, our amazing 3 and 4 day Danakil trips make the perfect accompanying tour if you truly want to see the dazzling diversity of Ethiopia. For more information see here.

You can also add a guided hike in the Simien Mountains onto your Gonder and tour. For more information see here.

#4 Axum and Tigray Churches – 2 and 3 Day Trips

Opt to begin this tour from either Makele or Axum and then finish in either Axum or Makele.

Sites visited can include:
• St Mary Zion Church Complex
• Northern Stelae Field
• Cleopatra’s Bath
• King Ezana’s Inscription
• King Kaleb’s Tomb
• King Balkan’s Tomb
• Queen Sheba’s Palace
• Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women)
• Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor

Price: includes entrance fees, local guides and scouts, transport, 1 night accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 2: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women).
Option B) Day 1: From Makele visit Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor and stay in Hawzien, Day 2: Drive to and tour Axum.

3 Day Trip Price: includes entrance fees, local guides and scouts, transport, 2 nights accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 2: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women) and stay in Hawzien, Day 3: Visit Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor.
Option B) Day 1: From Makele visit Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor and stay in Hawzien, Day 2: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women) and stay in Axum, Day 3: Tour Axum.

Add-On!

Why not add a guided tour to the amazing Danakil Depression before or after visiting the Tigray Churches? Departing from Makele, our amazing 3 and 4 day Danakil trips make the perfect accompanying tour to the Tigray Churches if you truly want to see the dazzling diversity of Ethiopia. For more information see here.

#5 Bahar Dar, Gonder and Axum – 3 Day Trip

Opt to begin this tour from either Axum or Bahar Dar and then finish in either Bahar Dar or Axum.

Sites visited can include:
• Lake Tana
• Tana Monasteries
• Blue Nile Falls
• Royal Enclosure
• Fasilades Bath
• Debre Berham Selassie
• St Mary Zion Church Complex
• Northern Stelae Field
• Cleopatra’s Bath
• King Ezana’s Inscription
• King Kaleb’s Tomb
• King Balkan’s Tomb
• Queen Sheba’s Palace

3 Day Trip Price: includes entrance fees, local guides, transport between cities, Lake Tana boat ride, 2 nights accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 2: Drive to Gonder, tour Gonder and stay Gonder, Day 3: Drive to Bahar Dar, tour Bahar Dar.
Option B) Day 1: Tour Bahar Dar and stay Bahar Dar, Day 2: Drive to Gonder, tour Gonder and stay Gonder, Day 3: Drive to Axum, tour Axum.

Add-On!

Why not add a guided tour to the amazing Danakil Depression before or after visiting Bahar Dar, Gonder and Axum? Departing from Makele, our amazing 3 and 4 day Danakil trips make the perfect accompanying tour if you truly want to see the dazzling diversity of Ethiopia. For more information see here.

#6 Gonder, Axum and Tigray Churches – 3 and 4 Day Trips

Opt to begin this tour from either Gonder, Axum or Makele and then finish in either Gonder, Axum or Makele.

3 Day Trip Price: includes entrance fees, local guides and scouts, transport, 2 nights accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Gonder and stay Gonder, Day 2: Drive to Axum, tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 3: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women).
Option B) Day 1: Tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 2: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women) and stay Axum, Day 3: Drive to and tour Gonder.
Option C) Day 1: From Makele visit Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor and stay Hawzien, Day 2: Drive to Axum, tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 3: Drive to and tour Gonder.

4 Day Trip Price: includes entrance fees, local guides and scouts, transport, 3 nights accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Gonder and stay Gonder, Day 2: Drive to Axum, tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 3: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women) and stay Hawzien, Day 4: Visit Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor and end Makele.
Option B) Day 1: From Makele visit Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor and stay Hawzien, Day 2: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women) and stay Axum, Day 3: Tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 4: Drive to and tour Gonder.

Add-Ons!

Why not add a guided tour to the amazing Danakil Depression before or after your Gonder, Axum and Tigray Churches trip? Departing from Makele, our amazing 3 and 4 day Danakil trips make the perfect accompanying tour if you truly want to see the dazzling diversity of Ethiopia. For more information see here.

You can also add a guided hike in the UNESCO-listed Simien Mountains National Park onto your Gonder, Axum and Tigray Churches tour. For more information see here.

#7 Bahar Dar, Gonder, Axum and Tigray Churches – 4 and 5 Day Trips

Opt to begin this tour from either Bahar Dar, Axum or Makele and then finish in either Axum, Makele or Bahar Dar.

4 Day Trip Price: includes entrance fees, local guides and scouts, transport, Lake Tana boat ride, 3 nights accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Bahar Dar and stay Bahar Dar, Day 2: Drive to Gonder, tour Gonder and stay Gonder, Day 3: Drive to Axum, tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 4: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women).
Option B) Day 1: Tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 2: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women) and stay Axum, Day 3: Drive to and tour Gonder, stay Gonder, Day 4: Drive to and tour Bahar Dar.

5 Day Trip Price: includes entrance fees, local guides and scouts, transport, Lake Tana boat ride, 4 nights accommodation, breakfast and hotel pick up / drop off.

Option A) Day 1: Tour Bahar Dar, stay Bahar Dar, Day 2: Drive to Gonder, tour Gonder, stay Gonder, Day 3: Drive to Axum, tour Axum, stay Axum, Day 4: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women) and stay Hawzien, Day 5: Visit Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor and end Makele.
Option B) Day 1: From Makele visit Abuna Yemata, Maryam Korkor, Daniel Korkor and stay Hawzien, Day 2: Visit Yeha / Debre Damo (not open to women) and stay Axum, Day 3: Tour Axum and stay Axum, Day 4: Drive to and tour Gonder.

Please contact us for prices!

Add-Ons!

Why not add a guided tour to the amazing Danakil Depression before or after this trip? Departing from Makele, our amazing 3 and 4 day Danakil trips make the perfect accompanying tour if you truly want to see the dazzling diversity of Ethiopia. For more information see here.

You can also add a guided hike in the UNESCO-listed Simien Mountains National Park onto this itinerary. For more information see here.