Trip planning
A 7-Day Ethiopia Itinerary: Historic Route and Highlands
14 min read · Updated August 2026
Addis, Lalibela, Gondar, the Simiens and Bahir Dar in one week — realistic flight timings, costs and what to cut if you have five days.
The route
Day 1 Addis Ababa. Days 2–3 Lalibela. Day 4 Gondar. Day 5 Simien Mountains day trek. Day 6 Bahir Dar and Lake Tana monasteries. Day 7 return to Addis. Domestic flights on the northern circuit are cheap when booked with an international Ethiopian Airlines ticket.
Pacing and altitude
Addis sits at 2,355m and the Simiens go far higher. Do not schedule a hard trek on day two. Keep the Lalibela days back-to-back so you can attend an early morning liturgy without rushing to an airport.
If you only have five days
Cut Gondar and the Simiens, keep Addis, Lalibela and Bahir Dar. If you would rather trek than see churches, invert it: cut Lalibela and give three days to the Simien escarpment.