Day-Trip Church of Adadi Mariam from Addis Ababa
Description
It is about 8-hours guided day tour from Addis Ababa by drive with private vehicle. The tour includes: - - Scenic stops at best viewpoints to see the Great East African Rift Valley - Visiting the unique rock church of Adadi Mariam (13th Century AD) - Exploring the ancient grave site of Tiya (UNESCO World Heritage from 14th Century AD) - Learning Ethiopian history as you see the huge carved grave stones of Tiya - - Visiting villages of locals for cultural experience to learn how to make Enjera (Ethiopian bread) - Experiencing traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony and learn how Coffee is enjoyed with a ceremony This private day tour from Addis Ababa is limited to a maximum of 6 people. Day Tour to Adadi Mariam Rock Church and Steles of Tiya takes 8 to 9 hours. The day tour is with professional experienced French or English-speaking local tour guide. We use private comfortable air-conditioned vehicle for the day tour from Addis Ababa. Total driving distance is about 200 km.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Drive 62 south of Addis Ababa to Adadi Mariam. On the way stop at viewpoints to see the Geat East African Rift Valley. At Adadi Mariam, visit the unique still functional church which was carved out of a single piece of rock in the 13th Century AD by the famous King Lalibela.
At Tiya World Heritage Site, visit about 40 huge stone grave markers erected in memory of local heros between the 12th to the 14th Century AD.
Take a guided tour to visit exhibits of ancient stone tools and fossils displayed in four sections. Focus of the exhibits and archaeological findings are on Prehistoric Africa, Geology, Paleoanthropology, and Prehistory of Melka Kunture. Visit also the “Open Air Museum’, actual excavation site, which is older than 800,000 years.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
If your pick-up location is Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, here are the easy-to-follow instructions to find your guide at the Addis Ababa Airport on arrival: Exit the terminal building, start walking straight towards the car parking lot. Keep an eye out to your LEFT side, you'll notice a large road constructed on a bridge with pillars. The road bends to the left. That's where you'll find your guide waiting right under the bend in the high road. Look out for a sign with your name!
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Dress code is formal and women are advised to cover hairs when visiting churches
- If the tour is taken in June, July or August, please be prepared for the rainy weather and bring raincoat/umbrellas
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Vegetarian and Gluten-free options are available, please advise at time of booking if required
Reviews(15)
This was a fantastic experience that, thanks to Henok (our guide), became a memorable trip as he spend time talking about aspects you would miss as a tourist. Henok would translate the local context to help us understand Ethiopian traditions from their own perspective.
Hello Dear Antonio, This is Muluken. Thank you so much for your day tour from Addis Ababa to the rock-church of Adadi Mariam and the local market with us! I am excited to hear that Henok made such a positive impression. We believe that a great tour should go beyond just seeing the sites; it’s about understanding the "why" behind our traditions. I’m glad Henok was able to provide that local perspective and translate the rich context of our culture for you. We truly appreciate you choosing Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours. It was a pleasure having you, and we hope to welcome you back for another wonderful tour in Ethiopia someday! Warmest regards, Muluken Girma Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours (MEET)
We had an excellent experience during our tour in Addis Ababa, specifically the “Day Trip to Adadi Mariam Rock Church, Rift Valley and Tiya Cemetery.” Our guide, Biruk, was very professional at all times—punctual, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable about the history and culture of each place we visited. He answered all our questions and made every stop interesting and engaging. We would also like to highlight our driver, Bekele, who did a fantastic job. He drove safely and made the whole journey comfortable and smooth. The organization of the tour was impeccable, allowing us to make the most of the day without any worries. Thanks to their dedication and positive attitude, we had a very enjoyable and fulfilling day. We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants to explore the surroundings of Addis Ababa in a comfortable, informative, and well-organized way.
Hello, This is Muluken from Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours. Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re glad you had a great experience and enjoyable day exploring the historic surroundings of Addis Ababa with us. Yes, our guides are passionate about sharing Ethiopia’s history, so it’s wonderful to hear that Biruk showed it during your day tour from Addis Ababa to the Adadi Mariam Rock Church and Tiya. I’ll share your review with Biruk! We’re also pleased you felt comfortable and safe throughout the journey with driver Bekele. Safety on tours is always a top priority for us at Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours. Thank you for mentioning the flexible pace of the tour and recommending our travel services to visit sites around Addis Ababa! Lastly, we’d love to see a couple of photos you took during the tour. Feel free to upload it to our gallery for other travelers to see! Many thanks and warmest regards, Muluken Girma Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours (MEET)
Mullen Girma is an excellent tour guide. He is hospitable, courteous, and knowledgeable. His knowledge extends to local tribal cultures and also to the ancient beliefs and practices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. He also provided us with a authentic experiences such as watching a local villager make bread from a banana tree, which we were then able to taste together. I highly recommend his tour for an authentic cultural experience.
Dear Guest, This is Muluken from Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours. Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It is always a pleasure to guide guests and know they had such a great experience. Thank you for booking your private day trip near Addis Ababa to visit Adadi Maryam Rock-Hewn Church, Tiya Cemetery and the cultural experiences along the way. We also appreciate you taking the time to share your tour with me as your tour guide! I’m very proud to know my knowledge of Ethiopian traditions, including the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, helped make your experience more meaningful. I’m truly happy you enjoyed the authentic process of seeing local bread made from the Enset (false banana) and tasting it together. Those are the kinds of genuine cultural connections we, at Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours, love to share. Thank you again for your recommendation. We hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable experiences in Ethiopia! Wishing you all the best, Muluken Girma Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours
A great tour. Brook is a great guide. He knows his material. He was flexible with our schedule to spend time where we were most interested. I highly recommend this company!
Hello Randall, Thank you so much for booking our day trip from Addis Ababa to visit the rock church of Adadi Mariam and the cemetery site at Tiya! I’m very glad you finding it a ‘great tour’. Thank you also for taking time to share your experience with us on TripAdvisor! We appreciate that you mentioned Biruk’s performance on his guiding and the flexibility you enjoyed during the tour. Yes, offering personalised, flexible tours with professional guidance is among our top goals at Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours. Thank you again for recommending our company! We look forward to taking you on a multi days tour in Ethiopia someday All the best, Muluken Girma Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours (MEET)
We took the day trip to the Church of Adadi Mariam. Our driver and guide Henok arrived promptly at 7 am to pick us up. The vehicle was spacious and very clean, our driver excellent and very attentive. Our guide was very interesting and you could tell that he really enjoyed his job. We made several stops on the way to the church, the countryside is very beautiful, and the people friendly. after visiting the church we visited Tiya, here we visited a local home where cooking skills were demonstrated, a great experience and lovely food. We also took part in a coffee ceremony, great coffee and a big thank-you to the local people who made us feel so welcome in their homes. We had a memorable day thanks to our amazing driver and guide
Hello! We are so grateful that you booked the day trip from Addis Ababa to Adadi and Tiya with Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours! It is really a great pleasure to read such a detailed and wonderful review from really satisfied guest. Thank you so much for your feedback on TripAdvisor!! Honestly, you mentioned the most important qualities we value at Merit Ethiopian Tours. It is wonderful to know that you enjoyed your experience with guide Henok and driver Sirak. I loved the title you used to express your tour - Memorable Day! Thanks a lot once again! All the best, Muluken Girma Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours
Picked on time at our hotel by our guide Henok and our driver Sirak. Provided with water and some local snacks. Henok very friendly and knowledgeable. Obviously knows his trade and loves his country. Amazing driver Sirak. Such a lovely and caring man. Enjoyed the Church and our visit to the community to try local food and coffee
Hello Valda, This is Muluken from Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours. Thank you for booking your private excursion from Addis Ababa to Adadi Mariam Rock Church and Steles of Tiya with us! It is truly delighting to hear that you had such a positive experience on your day trip to Adadi Mariam Church from Addis! It's wonderful to know that guide Henok and driver Sirak provided you with a memorable and informative day tour. Thanks a lot for your kind words about Henok's knowledge and friendliness, and for your appreciation of Sirak's excellent driving skills. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continue to improve our services in all aspects. Thank you again for choosing Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours for your private day tour from Addis Ababa! Sincerely yours, Muluken G.
This Trip is a absolute must. Our guide Birku was awesome. We were very lucky because we were able to attend a mass in the church. That was even for Biruk something special. The following walk across the local market was also an absolute highlight. The following lunch in a local restaurant was also a very good. Biruk was extremely attentative and realised when something was not our main interest and changed immediately to what was of more interest. Birku has a broad knowledge in many subjects and we got plenty of information about Ethiopia, the church and the market. He is a very fine person and it was great having him as a guide. Thank you!
Dear Flavio, Hello! Thank you so much for choosing Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours for booking your private city tour in Addis Ababa and excursion to Adadi Mariam Rock Church for two days! Thank you for your great review. We, at Merit Tours, work hard to offer high-quality personalized tours. I am very glad to hear Biruk was able to customize your experience to your interests. Thank you for all! With warmest regards, Muluken G.
My friend and I took this tour prior to a work conference and it was marvelous. Our guide, Biruk, was friendly, interesting, informative and engaging. The communications and service before, during and after the tour were excellent. We learned quite a bit about each of the historic and archeological sites we went to visit but also so much more about the country, its capital and culture from Biruk during the drives. I look forward to coming back to Ethiopia and doing another tour with Biruk and this tour service!
Dear Alison, Hello! Thank you very much for booking your day tour from Addis Ababa with Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours [MEET]! It is really exciting to read such feedback from guests. Offering fantastic tour experience with excellent tour guides what we are always striving to achieve. I'll share your review with Biruk. Please, accept our deepest gratitude for taking time to write such a lovely review of your day trip from Addis Ababa with us. Yes, please reach us anytime you plan to visit Ethiopia Thanks a lot again, Alison! All the best, Muluken Girma
We had two days stopover in AA and arranged two trips with Merit. One to the cave church and stelae and the other to Debre monastery and the Portuguese bridge. We decided not to book a day tour of AA but managed to see some of the AA sites at the beginning and end of the day trips. Both guides zele and Biruk were excellent. biruk took us to show his typical Ethiopian home and also arrange us to meet a family making false banana bread in their garden for sale at the market. The actual destination sites were maybe not worth the long drive on bumpy roads in a minibus but we enjoyed the chance to see the countryside and learn about daily life in Ethiopia plus Zele’s side trips for birdwatching (he is a great ornithologist). I would recommend the company but would have preferred a SUV!
Dear Julian, Greetings! Thank you so much for booking your exclusive two-day day trips outside Addis Ababa with Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours! I’m delighted to know that you relished your tours with our proficient guides Zele and Biruk. I also appreciate your valuable feedback on the use of SUV. We opt for a Minivan to Debre Libanos Monastery as it is nearly on a tarmac road. However, we will definitely consider using a 4WD Land Cruiser for the Day Trip to Adadi Mariam from Addis Ababa in the near future. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. Your feedback is crucial to us. We eagerly anticipate showing you more fascinating places in Ethiopia someday. Warm regards, Muluken G.
Nicely tailored day trip. Muluken my tour organizer and guide was amazing. I just told him my preference and he created the itinerary. Enjoyed the tour. Highly recommend Muluken as your guide. He speaks very nice english and he is super helpful.
Hello Manish, Thank you so much for working with me to organize your custom tour of two days in and near Addis Ababa!! It was a great pleasure to meet and be your tour guide. It is exciting to know you enjoyed the tailored day trip from Addis Ababa to Adadi Mariam Rock Church. I’m so grateful you take the time to review and share your experience on TripAdvisor! Thank you very much again Manish! Best, Muluken
