For years this page described one route: the northern historic circuit. As of 2 November 2026 that route runs through regions your government very likely tells you not to visit, and your insurer very likely will not cover. So we have split it in two. Version A is the 10-day plan we would book today: the Rift Valley, the southern highlands and the Omo Valley. Version B is the classic northern circuit, kept for planning once advisories change.
Quick answer
Today we recommend the 10-day southern version: Addis (2 days), Lake Langano, Hawassa, Arba Minch with Lake Chamo and Nechisar, the Dorze highlands, Konso and the Omo Valley. The classic northern circuit (Bahir Dar, Gondar, Simien, Axum, Gheralta, Lalibela) lies in Amhara and Tigray, which carry 'Do Not Travel' (US) or 'advised against' (UK) advisories, so most travel insurance would not cover it. We keep it below for planning once advisories change.
Key facts
- Recommended now
- Version A — Addis → Langano → Hawassa → Arba Minch → Dorze → Konso → Omo Valley → Addis
- Classic northern circuit
- Version B — Bahir Dar → Gondar → Simien → Axum → Gheralta → Lalibela (restricted, see banner)
- Advisory status
- North: US Do Not Travel (Tigray, Amhara, parts of Afar). South: check zone by zone
- Transport
- Version A: car with driver plus optional domestic flights; Version B: domestic flights + road transfers
- Best months
- October–February (dry season)
- Booking order
- Int'l flight → insurance wording check → domestic legs → hotels → guides
- Danakil
- Not offered by established operators while Afar is restricted — not part of either version
- Status last checked
- 2 November 2026
Which version should you book?
Book Version A now. It avoids the regions currently under Do Not Travel advisories, keeps your insurance simple, and gives a genuinely varied first trip: lakes, wildlife, terraced highlands and living culture. Treat Version B as a planning document only — until your own government’s advisory and your insurer both say otherwise. Zones in the south still need checking too: see the regional status table.
Version A — 10 days: Rift Valley, south and Omo (recommended now)
| Day | Where | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Addis Ababa | Acclimatise at 2,355 m; Lucy at the National Museum, Holy Trinity, Merkato with a guide. (48 hours in Addis) |
| 3 | Lake Langano | Rift Valley drive via Bishoftu and Ziway; lakeside afternoon |
| 4 | Hawassa | Lakeside city; boat trip for hippos and birds; fish market at dawn next day (Hawassa guide) |
| 5 | Arba Minch | Lake Chamo boat trip and Nechisar National Park (Arba Minch & Konso guide) |
| 6 | Dorze highlands & Chencha | Weaving villages, bamboo houses, Saturday market if timing allows |
| 7 | Konso | Terraced stone-walled villages (a UNESCO cultural landscape) |
| 8–9 | Omo Valley (Jinka and Turmi) | Markets and communities, visited ethically with a local guide (Omo Valley guide) |
| 10 | Return to Addis | Fly if a flight operates on your dates, or a long road day; keep margin before an international connection |
Notes you should not skip: (1) Names and zones matter — the UK restricts areas within 10 km of the Kenya border and parts of West Guji/Guji, so confirm each stop against the advisory text rather than assuming “the south” is uniformly open. (2) Roads are the real risk: no driving after dark. (3) For a shorter route, our 7-day Rift Valley itinerary drops Konso and the Omo. (4) If you prefer mountains to markets, swap days 7–9 for the Bale Mountains and ask your operator about road and zone status.
Version B — the classic northern circuit (restricted: for planning only)
This is the route this page originally described. Every stop except Addis lies in Amhara or Tigray, where the US says Do Not Travel and the UK advises against travel. Gheralta and Axum are in Tigray, where the UK advises against all travel and civilian flights have been suspended. We keep the plan so you can use it once conditions and advisories change; please do not read it as a recommendation to book today.
Days 1–2: Addis Ababa. Land, acclimatise, then Day 3: Bahir Dar (flight, Lake Tana monasteries, Blue Nile; Lake Tana guide). Day 4: Gondar (Fasil Ghebbi, Debre Birhan Selassie; Gondar guide). Days 5–6: Simien Mountains (Simien guide). Day 7: Axum (Axum guide). Day 8: Gheralta, Tigray, the cliff churches including Abuna Yemata Guh. Days 9–10: Lalibela (Lalibela guide), then a late flight to Addis for the overnight departure.
| Item (Version B, per person, two sharing) | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|
| 5 domestic flights (with ET international ticket) | US$350 | US$350 |
| Hotels ×9 nights | US$450 | US$1,100 |
| Guides, entries, Simien package | US$400 | US$600 |
| Transfers & drivers | US$200 | US$350 |
| Food & extras | US$200 | US$350 |
| Total (excl. int'l flights) | ~US$1,600 | ~US$2,750 |
These are planning estimates from earlier research, not current quotes. Full price context in the budget guide.
Booking order that works for either version
- Read your government’s advisory and write down which nights fall in restricted zones.
- Ask your insurer in writing whether every night is covered — before paying for anything non-refundable.
- International flight on Ethiopian (it can unlock the domestic discount) — 3–6 months out; earlier for January.
- Domestic legs against the same booking, then hotels, then guides and drivers.
