Rock Hewn Churches of Adadi Maryam, Tiya Stele & Melka Kunture
Description
Booking this tour with Aman Ethiopia Tours and Travel offers a uniquely immersive journey through Ethiopia’s spiritual, archaeological, and prehistoric heritage, thoughtfully combined into one meaningful experience. The program connects three extraordinary sites across different eras, guided by knowledgeable local experts who provide deep historical and cultural context rather than surface-level sightseeing. At Adadi Maryam Rock-Hewn Church, believed to date to the 12th century and commissioned by King Lalibela, travelers discover a sacred site The experience continues at Tiya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its decorated stone stelae from the 11th–13th centuries. Finally, the journey reaches Melka Kunture, newly listed as a World Heritage Site in 2024, where visitors explore one of Africa’s most important Palaeolithic landscapes. What sets this tour apart is
Tour Options
Itinerary
Adadi Mariam is a rock-hewn monolithic church located approximately 66 km southwest of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A popular tourist destination, the site is believed to have been built in the 12th century. Throughout its history the church has been damaged by both man-made and natural causes.
Tiya is an archaeological site in central Ethiopia. It is located in the Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region south of Addis Ababa.
Melka Kunture is a Palaeolithic site in the upper Awash Valley, Ethiopia. The site became a World Heritage Site in 2024. The Melka Kunture area is made up of valleys whose inner terraces resisted erosion
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
WE WILL PICK ALL CLIENTS FROM HOTELS AROUND Addis Ababa AND AIRPORT OF BOLE INT
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Dress code is formal
Reviews(6)
With less than 12 hours notice Abe (guide) and Nico (driver) took us on an unforgettable 12 hours through Ethiopian farmland to the warrior steles, the Lalibela-era rock-hewn church, and with VIP passes to the very center of the Timket festival. They were caring and expert, warm and professional. Bravo!
Thank you so much for this wonderful review. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We’re very happy to hear that Abe and Nico made the day special for you, especially with such short notice. Showing you the steles, the rock-hewn church, and giving you close access to the Timket celebration is exactly the kind of meaningful experience we aim to provide. Your kind words about their care, knowledge, and professionalism mean a lot to our whole team. We’ll be sure to pass your feedback to Abe and Nico personally. It was a pleasure hosting you in Ethiopia, and we hope to welcome you again in the future.
Great day tour from Addis! Abe was a great tour guide—extremely knowledgeable about early human history and Ethiopian religious history. We learned so much!
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with Aman Ethiopia Tours & Travel! It’s incredible to hear you are happy with our service & our arrangements clearly made it a memorable experiences! We look forward to hosting you again
A tour with Aman’s group is the best way to experience Ethiopia. The guides are professional and on time. They carry the true spirit of Ethiopian hospitality and just make you feel like family. The driver is safe and we were jamming the whole way to Tiya and Adaadi Maryam!! Loved it!!
We would like to thank you for your wonderful reviews about our tour services and taking your precious time for this great recommendations for other clients regarding your overall experience in Ethiopia. It is always wonderful to read that we were able to meet your expectations and our teams tour guide & drivers is always dedicated to providing you a best services. We look forward to show the other parts of our country
This was our fourth tour with Aman Tours and they didn´t dissapoint us. Adadi Maryam and Tiya are incredible places to visit. The road is a little dusty and bumpy but the destination deserves it. Be prepare, wear confortable shoes and an extra pair of socks could be useful (as you have to take out your shoes at the church). Bring some cash for tipping, a local guide will introduce you Tiya. Lunch was included at a really nice restaurant, an excellent plate of local food (veggie because it was fasting day). Ethiopian landscapes during the car travel are amazing!
We would like to thank you for your wonderful reviews about our tour services and taking your precious time for this great recommendations for other clients regarding your overall experience in Ethiopia. It is always wonderful to read that we were able to meet your expectations and our teams tour guide & drivers is always dedicated to providing you a best services. We look forward to show the other parts of our country
I only had a one day stopover in Ethiopia and wanted to make a little more out of it, so I decided book a day trip to Tiya and Adadi Mariam. I had a great day out with guide Shasha and driver Sisik. The picked me up on time, knew a lot about the sites and had answers to all my quirky questions about history and current affairs. Since it was market day in Adadi (Sunday), we also spent some time looking around the market too, still we made it back to Addis in time. Thank you for a great day out!
Dear Guest Thanks a lot for taking your golden time to put your reviews about our services and we are looking to give you another experiences soon Thanks
I booked this tour, and everything went as planned. The guide and driver arrived at my hotel on time, and they were both very helpful and knowledgeable about the sites. In addition, the guides were very friendly and always willing to help out in any way they could. This is probably one of the best companies that I have done tours with, and I highly recommend them. Everything was organized, professional, and could not have been better. Thank you so much!
Dear Matt Many thanks taking your precious time to give us your wonderful & helpful reviews about our services & it was also a pleasure to arranged your day trips to Adadi Maryam & Tiya,We are pleased to hear your days with our teams was lovely. I will surely arrange your family and friends holidays or trips to Ethiopia again. Kind regards, Amanuel A
