The 15 Best 1-Day Tours in Ethiopia

1.Day Trip From Addis Ababa See Historical Monastery,Stunning Nature,Animals,Birds

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 303 reviews · from $90Our pick

Travel from Addis Ababa with airport pickup, a guide such as Sisay, Yihun, or Freaw, and a small group of up to 15. Visit Debre Libanos, walk toward the Portuguese Bridge and waterfall, watch for Gelada monkeys and birds, then enjoy Ethiopian coffee and lunch.

“Superb driving skills of our driver George. Two and a half hours of atrocious roads and traffic. Our driver avoided all obstacles and potential hazards. Well done. The intensive knowledge of Ethiopia, past and present, of our tour guide JoseRead more”

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2.Day Trip From Addis Ababa To Debre Libanos & Portuguese Bridge

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 64 reviews · from $100

Leave Addis Ababa at 9:00 for Debre Libanos Monastery and the Jemma River Gorge. You’ll travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with a guide, walk downhill to the Portuguese Bridge, and look for geladas and birds. Guides such as Kenaw and Eyob have led past departures, though service can vary.

“Some of the best views I’ve ever seen, guide and driver were very experienced and they know the place well. The church gave me a very different feeling when comparing to other churches I’ve been to and it was eye opening. The mountains… stunning. We also enjoyed a great lunch with a movie-like view, would absolutely recommend everyone to join this tour.”

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3.Day trip Debre Libanos, Bule nile George &Portugal Bridge

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 25 reviews · 9 hours · from $90

Leave Addis Ababa at 7:30 AM for Debre Libanos Monastery, Saint Tekle Haymanot’s cave, the 16th-century Portuguese Bridge, Jamma River, and Blue Nile Gorge. Your English-speaking guide helps with local customs, wildlife spotting, and the long countryside drive. Hotel and airport pickup are included.

“This was a great opportunity to get outside of the city to experience the local culture, see the beauty of the countryside and learn about the people. We even saw a bunch of Geladas! The guide was instrumental in helping spot them. Seeing the monastery and learning about its history as well as visiting the museum was very interesting. I learned a lot and the tour guide was very good in helping me understand local culture and customs. Overall I’d say it was great value for money and I’d highly recommend this tour for anyone wanting to leave the city to explore the countryside.”

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4.Day trip to Adadi Mariyam and Melka kunture

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · from $100

Travel from Addis Ababa in a small group of up to six to see nearly two-million-year-old fossils at Melka Kunture and the 12th-century Adadi Maryam rock-hewn church. Your guide, driver, admission, water, and hotel transfers are included, though timing and route execution can vary.

“The day trip was really amazing. The church is beautiful, particularly inside. really amazing artwork and stonework to create a very unique place. The archaeological site we were meant to visit was closed for maintenance, but the tour guidRead more”

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6.Escape From Addis – Day Trip To Debre Libanos And The Portuguese Bridge

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $195

Leave Addis at 7 a.m. with an English-speaking guide such as Beki or Alex for Debre Libanos monastery, St. Tekle Haymanot’s cave, the Blue Nile Gorge, Portuguese Bridge, waterfalls, and Gelada baboons. Lunch, drinks, transport, entrance fees, and pickup are included.

“We had an exceptional day organized by Beki. This was our second tour with him and just with the first one, he went above and beyond to make our day another cultural experience. However, he was not able to guide the tour, Beki arrangeRead more”

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7.Day trip on Bahir dar. To visit lake tana monasteries and Blue Nile Falls.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $250

Spend 8 to 11 hours with Mass Ethiopia Tours visiting Lake Tana monasteries, historic wall paintings, Bahir Dar Market, and Blue Nile Falls. Mass can adjust the day to your interests, arrange private transport, and include time for a hike, wildlife sightings, or traditional culture.

“Mass, the guide, now friend is one of a kind. The places are mesmerising, got lucky to see a huge snake and birds blooming in color, geese with chicks, some traditional stuff I chose, (my request, nothing is forced upon you), met great pRead more”

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8.Day Trip to Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $45Best value

Meet your private guide at Lalibela Airport and spend about six hours visiting Bete Medhani Alem, Bete Mariam, Bete Meskel, and other rock-cut churches. Expect live cultural and historical narration, help with the scattered sites, and time to notice local bird species. Admission, lunch, and shuttle costs are extra.

“It was a amazing tour of one of the most beautiful historical and religious areas in the world The tour guide was knowledgeable about the history of the region”

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9.Day Trip to Debre Zeit/ Bishoftu

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · from $150

Leave Addis Ababa for Bishoftu on a private 7 to 10 hour outing with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, lunch, water, and coffee or tea. Walk beside crater lakes, watch for birds at Hora Lake, and take a boat ride on Lake Babogaya. Guide Beleta has led at least one of these trips.

“Very pleasant day away from the hustle and bustle of Addis and only a short drive. I only visited 2 lakes (was advertised as 3) but the 2 were very nice. The boat trip was very pleasant and charming. I was then back on the mini bus to the luncRead more”

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10.Day Trip To See Monastrys,Amazing landscapes & Animals

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $120

Travel with guide Joseph and driver George from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos, a 13th-century monastery. See sacred manuscripts, St Tekle Haymanot’s tomb, Gelada monkeys, the Portuguese Bridge, Jemma Gorge, rural villages, and local birdlife. Lunch, transport, guides, entrance fees, and water are included.

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11.Day Trip to Gheralta’s Cliffside Churches, “Sacred Heights”

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $205

From Axum, Arre Tours takes you by private vehicle toward Gheralta and Hawzen for a demanding church-hiking day. Visit 1,400-year-old Abune Yemata Guh, then trek to Maryam Korkor and Daniel Korkor with a local guide such as Arre or Solomon.

“Phenomenal experience with an expert guide! Arre is the definition of an excellent guide. He knew all the places to go for anything you needed and was very well versed in the history to give you backstories of anything you asked about.”

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12.DAY TRIP TO Debre Libanos Monastery Cave Church Nature and Wildlife

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · from $275

Travel privately from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos with an English-speaking guide, a modern air-conditioned minivan, lunch, and a coffee ceremony included. Expect mountain views, a short uphill walk to the church and holy-water site, the Portuguese Bridge, possible baboon sightings, and about nine hours on the road.

“Prior attempts to make email contact to confirm pick up location were unsuccessful. Upon arriving at Bole International Airport I had no phone service and so was assisted to contact tour company first by information desk in terminal, then hoRead more”

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13.Day Trip To Menagesha Suba Forest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $100

Leave Addis Ababa for Menagesha Suba Forest Park on a 7 to 9-hour private or small-group outing. An English-speaking guide leads you through juniper and Erica trees in search of endemic birds and Minilk bushbuck. Hotel and airport pickup, bottled water, park fees, and air-conditioned transport are included.

“Finally reaching the waterfall after a difficult hike-a sense of accomplishment.this trip like my previous one with you shows the natural beauty of your amazing and unique country.”

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14.DAY TRIP TO THE UNESCO HERITAGE SITE TIYA & Melka Kunture

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · from $265

Set out from Addis Ababa at 9:00 a.m. in a private air-conditioned vehicle for Tiya’s carved megaliths, prehistoric Melka Kunture, and Adadi Mariam rock-hewn church. A guide and driver handle the day, with lunch, water, and admission included. Allow about 10 hours.

“Unfortunately, I was unable to do this trip due to sudden security concerns. Communications could have been better as I was waiting for over an hour without any information from the tour company. Back and forth with hotel front desk staff anRead more”

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15.Private Day Trip to Debre Libanos Portuguese Bridge Galada Baboon

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $199

Leave Addis Ababa in a small group of up to six for Debre Libanos, the Jemma River gorge, and the 16th-century Portuguese Bridge. You’ll look for Gelada baboons, taste Ethiopian tej, and finish with Mount Entoto views. Guides including Luel and Samuel have led this outing.

“We left in the morning with Luel for an incredible day of sightseeing around Addis Ababa. It was possible to see the workers in the fields and the small villages on the side of the road. After 2 hours of travel, we arrived at the Debre Libanos Read more”

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