Departure from Paris on a scheduled airline (provincial departures on request). Arrival in Addis Ababa (or the next morning depending on the airline). Welcomed at the airport by our assistant, transfer to the hotel. Drive to the Debre Libanos monastery via the Blue Nile gorge.

A succession of plateaus and descents to rivers. Lunch with the Amhara villagers in the surrounding countryside. Mid-afternoon drive to Bahirdar. Check-in and overnight in a lodge.

In the morning, embark on Lake Tana, a veritable inland sea covering 3,500 km². On the Zéghié peninsula, walk through dense vegetation to discover the Ura Kidane Meheret church. Visit the church of Azwa Mariame. We'll have lunch on the shores of Lake Tana and taste its fish. In the afternoon, we will take an excursion to the sources of the Blue Nile, which, together with the White Nile, make up the Great Nile. A 45-minute approach walk will take us to the fantastic site of Tissisat (Amharic for "smoking water") and its vertiginous falls. Return to the lodge for the night.

A day entirely devoted to discovering the village of Awra Amba and meeting its inhabitants. Find out how the village works and take part in some of the activities. Lunch with members of the community. Continuation to Gondar. Check-in and overnight at the hotel.

Discover the imperial city, including Fasilidas Castle, Bakka and Mentouab Castles and the Music Palace of David III. Visit to the Fasilidas baths, where major Easter celebrations are still held today. In the afternoon, drive to the ancient Falasha village of Weleka. Meeting with members of the Soc de Charrue association. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, drive to the town of Debark to discover the Simien National Park (UNESCO). After the necessary formalities, we will discover the Simien mountains (in
Amharic, Simien means North). The road passes over mountainous areas of wild beauty. In the park, a large number of peaks exceed 4,000m. These volcanic mountains are made up of masses that have been eroded by centuries of erosion.
rains. Today, the peaks are amethyst-coloured and the rivers have cut deep ravines. Overnight in a lodge.

A day's drive through the splendid panoramas of the Simien and Tsellemti massifs. Descent into the Tekkeze valley and on to Aksum. Lunch in a Tigrayan village. Check-in and overnight at the hotel.

Visit to Aksum (UNESCO): the steles: granite monoliths dating from the pre-Christian period and decorated with symbolic engravings; the church of Sainte Marie de Sion; the museum displaying the crowns of Ethiopian kings and other treasures. In the afternoon, a meeting with the EOC-CFAO association and the young beneficiaries of the Saint Yared Centre. Return to the hotel for the night.

After visiting the kingdoms of Aksum and their civilisations, we will travel between Aksum and Mekele. Between these two towns, we will have the opportunity to visit Wukro Cherkos, in the small town of Wukro. This church is carved out of red sandstone and is an introductory example of rock and Christian art in Ethiopia.

From Mekele, drive to the Roha sanctuary. Lunch in the countryside with Agaw villagers. In the afternoon, drive to Lalibela. Meeting with the Agaw people living around Sokota in the Wollo provins on the edge of the Tigray region. Check-in and overnight at the hotel.

The town is made up of 11 monolithic churches carved out of pink granite rock (UNESCO). The morning will be devoted to a visit to the first group of churches, known as the Northern Group of Churches. In the afternoon, visit the second group of churches. Walk back to the hotel and on the way back, weather permitting, stop in the souvenir shops. Overnight at the hotel.

Early morning flight to Addis Ababa (PLEASE NOTE: rotations only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). Day of discovery. Off to Entoto: a hill to the north of the city, reaching an altitude of 3,200 metres. Meeting with the potters of Ketchené. Farewell dinner with folk show. Transfer to the airport for the return flight. Services and overnight on board.

Arrival in France.