Tour program: Cultural Tour to the Historic Route of Ethiopia with Ethiopian Easer Festival

Activities: Ancient colorful festivals, ancient history, age-old culture, breathtaking highland scenery, waterfalls, castles, rock churches, unique tribal couture, game animals and  so much more

Tour code: GHET-FD018
Number of  days: 11
Tour dates: April 12- April 22, 2009
Transport: Air

Ethiopian Fasika (Easter)

Fasika (Easter) is celebrated after 55 days severe Lent fasting (Hudade or Abye Tsome). Orthodox Tewahedo Christians do not eat meat and diary products for the whole 55 days. Vegetarian meals such as lentils, ground split peas, grains, fruit and varieties of vegetable stew accompanied by injera and/or bread are only eaten on these days. The fist meal of the day is taken after 3 PM (9 o'clock in the afternoon Ethiopian time) during the fasting days, except

THE HIGLIGHT OF THE TOUR

• The tour provides a practical image of the 3000 yeas historical mysteries and living historical facts and monuments of Ethiopia including the steles of Axum, the temple of Yeha, Palace of Queen of Sheba, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and many others.

• Witness Ethiopian Easter, Fsika, one of the nine most colorful celebrations in Ethiopia, the remarkable manner in which ancient historical traditions have been preserved. And, indeed, the ceremonies and rituals of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church open a window on the authentic world of the Old Testament.

• The natural contrasts and extremes of Ethiopia. Some of the highest and most stunning places on the African continent at the Semien Mountains National park, one of UNESCO’S world heritage sites. And the endemic mammal Gelada Baboon ‘the bleeding heart baboon’

• Boat trip over Lake Tana to explore the ancient island monasteries, rich in unique church paintings, gold and silver crosses, crowns, books, parchments and many other churc

Tour program detail follows below here>>

Day 1: Sunday, 12 April: Arrive Addis Ababa
Arrive at Bole (ADD), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at 7:20 a.m. Welcome to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will be assisted by your tour guide and driver for the transfer to Ghion Hotel (4*).

Addis Ababa, founded in 1886 by Menelik II, is situated at 2,500 meters (8000 ft) above sea level. It is the highest capital city in the world, after La Paz and Quito in South America. The city enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25C (77F). Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of jacarandas, interesting museums, and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as the "Mercato".

Group will take little rest and make preparations for the city tour of Addis Ababa which. Today, you  will have full day city tour and sight seeing of Addis Ababa which includes the National Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Merkato, Piassa and other parts of the city.

This morning, you will visit the National Museum and the Ethnographic Museum. The National Museum of Ethiopia: This is one of the best museums in quality and diversity of the exhibits. Archeological exhibits include the 3.5 million-year-old fossil of Lucy (or Dinkinesh – ‘thou art wonderful’- in the native language), a hominoid woman of the specious of Australopithecus Afarensis. The discovery of Lucy’s fossil in 1974 forced a complete rethink of human genealogy, providing that our ancestors were walking 2.5 million years earlier than had been supposed. The National Museum also contains many wonderful artifacts dating back to pre-Axumite civilization. The Ethnographic Museum is very different to the National Museum, but equally absorbing, this museum exhibit, a varied array of artifacts and daily objects related to most ethnic groups in Ethiopia.

In the afternoon, city tour of Addis will continue with Merkato, the largest open-air market on the continent and the other part of the city including Piassa and Churchill Avenue.

Accommodation: Ghion Hotel. -Addis Ababa.

Day 2: Monday, 13 April: Addis Ababa-Bahirdar
After an early breakfast, transfer to Addis Ababa Airport for our flight to Bahirdar departing at 7:20 AM. After check into Tana Hotel, we will visit the town of Bahirdar and the colorful local market.
In the afternoon, we will make boat cruise over Lake Tana to visit the ancient island monasteries of Lake Tana. The 37 islands of Lake Tana shelter twenty monasteries-surviving remnants of an old, contemplative tradition. Because of their isolation, they were used to store treasures and religious relics from all the part of the country.  The Lake’s monasteries are famous for their typical Ethiopian religious paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and other ancient church treasures. The monasteries that we are going to visit include Kibran Gebriel, Ura Kidanemihret and Azua Mariam.

Accommodation: Tana Hotel-Bahirdar.

Day 3: Tuesday, 14 April: Blue Nile Falls- Bahirdar 
After breakfast, we will drive 35 KM to visit the majestic Blue Nile Falls. 30 KM after it exits Lake Tana, the Blue Nile plunges over a 45m-high face to form one of the most spectacular waterfall in Africa. Walking to the fall through the beautiful river gorge on the ancient bridge from the 17th century, and meeting the local people at the small villages on the way to the fall is also a great experience.

After having lunch at the hotel and taking a rest for a couple of hours, we will drive to Bezawit Hill where we can see the palace of Emperor Hailesillasie the first. It is also the best viewpoint to wander the sunset on Lake Tana and to see the outlet of  the Blue Nile River, it’s here the Blue Nile begins its long journey all the way to Egypt and finally to Mediterranean Sea.

Accommodation: Tana Hotel-Bahirdar.

Day 4: Wednesday, 15 April: Bahirdar-Gondar
After breakfast, drive to Gondar through the beautiful countryside scenery of Gojam and Fegera to arrive at Gondar around lunchtime. After check in to Goha Hotel and having lunch there, we will start city tour of Gondar.

Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasiledas around 1635 is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches-in particular, Debre Birhan Selassie represents a masterpiece of unique Ethiopian School of traditional art.

This afternoon, you will explore the ancient city and its famous sites including: The  Royal Enclosure, a walled compound having 6 different castles built from 17th century by different kings who ruled in different times, the pool of King Fasilidas which still serves as a baptismal pool during Ethiopian Epiphany and we will also visit the famous Deberberhan Sillassie adorned with brilliant frescos from inside.

Accommodation: Goha Hotel-Gondar.

Day 5: Thursday, 16 April: Excursion to Simien Mountains-Gondar
After an early breakfast, we will drive to Sankaber for our full day excursion to the Simien Mountains National Park en-route visiting the “Felasha” or the Black Jewish village. It is believed that the "Felashas" settled at this village during the time of King Minlik I, the son of Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. Driving from Gondar up to Simien Mountains National Park, nothing prepares you for the spectacular scenery that awaits at the top of the massif. The rolling grassy plateau comes to an abrupt stop, and sheer cliffs plunge almost vertically for 1,000m (3280 ft) to the plains below. The massif itself has been sculpted by 30 million years of up thrust and erosion into a wonderland of jagged ridges, pinnacles and strangely cropped conical mountains, so that looking out over the heart-stopping precipice; you feel you might just be at the edge of the world. At Sankaber, the group will certainly have a chance to make relaxing trek and see troops of ‘bleeding heart baboon’ the Endemic Gelada Baboon, in the most dramatic sceneries of the park including Ginbar River Falls and Wolkafit mountain chain. We will have picnic lunch at Sankaber while enjoying the stunning landscape.

Accommodation: Goha Hotel-Gondar.

Day 6: Friday, 17 April: Gondar-Lalibela-Ethiopian Good Friday at Lalibela
After breakfast, transfer to Gondar  Airport for the  flight to Lalibela. After check in to Mount View Hotel, we will drive to the site where we find a concentration of some of Ethiopia’s most famous rock-hewn churches, mostly referred by many as “the living wonders of the world”  These churches are, and they have been for at least 800 years, an active Christian shrine, the spiritual center of the country’s  religious life. The monolithic churches were carved out of 2,600-sq meter natural rock terrace in the 12-century AD by king Lalibela.

Bete Medhani Alem, the largest monolithic rock-hewn church in the world, measures 37.7 ft in height, covers an area of almost 2625 square ft and has walls that are up to six feet thick. A plain building supported by 36 pillars on the inside and another 36 pillars around the  outside, Bete Medhani Alem was modeled on the original St. Mary Zion Church built by King Ezana in the 4th century at Axum.
 
The rock-hewn churches that we will visit today include:  Bete Medhani Alem, Bete Mariam, Bete Meskel, Bete Denagil, Bete Golgotha Michael and Bete Giorgis.

In the afternoon, witness the Good Friday ceremony at Bete Mariam rock-hewn church. This is a special day for Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and it is celebrated with a great devotion and in a very ancient way. On this day, the faithful who has been fasting the whole day with out any water or food, dressed in their dazzling white cloths, folk to St. Mary’s church to attend the prayers and performance of the priest and deacons.   It really creates a special feeling to witness the devotion of the faithful and the special practices made on this day remembering the suffering of Jesus Christ when he was crucified. Every performance of the priest and the deacons as well as the devotion of the people takes you centuries back.

Accommodation: Mount View Hotel-Lalibela.

Day 7: Saturday, 18 April: Lalibela-Ethiopian Easter Eve
In the morning you will continue your journey into Ethiopia’s long and marvelous history with a visit to other St. Lalibela’s remarkable churches-their architecture and artistry must be seen to be believed. Ones we finished visiting the second group of churches we will walk to the village through the complex bewildering labyrinth of underground tunnels to the monastery were the monks and nuns live.
 
The rock-hewn churches that you will visit this afternoon include: Bete Gebriel, Bete Mercorios Bete Amanuel, Bethlehem and Bete Aba Libanos.

In the afternoon, you will visit one of the most colorful annual Easter Market at Lalibela. On this day people from the surrounding countryside and town,  walk for days to buy/barter different goods the open air market. Here group will have the chance to bargain for different handicrafts and traditional Ethiopian Cloths.
In the evening, you will witness one of the most important ceremonies in one of the biggest rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, Bete Medhanialem. In the evening all the churches of the town will be filled with people who have been fasting for 55 days. None of them have eaten any thing at least for a day and half with out any water and food. They are here to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and there will be prayers and candle light ceremonies accompanied by chanting and dancing of the priest until 3:00 in the morning. It’s only after the ceremony is over  every body goes home to break the fasting with the special Easter meal and the feast which has begun at the church continues all day long and the and weeks to come.

Accommodation: Mount View Hotel-Lalibela.

Day 8: Sunday, 19 April: Easter in Lalibela
In the morning, mule ride, and walk to the top of Asheten Mariam Monastery, this is very famous for its 12-century monastery church and beautiful view at 10,298 ft above sea level. We will walk/mule ride through dramatic highland scenery and which eventually ends in a beautiful serene agricultural hamlet.

The rest of the day be at leisure. In the evening, there will be special Easter Ethiopian Night with  Ethiopian traditional coffee ceremony for the group prepared at a local house. Those who can’t face their day with out a cup of coffee may be surprised to know that in it’s birthplace in Ethiopia’s Kaffa region-from which it gets its name- the berries were originally only eaten, never roasted and ground for a drink. Only since the 13th century, coffee has been made a hot drink. Holding a coffee ceremony is a traditional Ethiopian way of welcoming a guest and giving the guest the best hospitality. It is probably one of the most celebrated Ethiopian traditions, and a lifestyle - in which most Ethiopians can identify themselves with.

Accommodation: Mount View Hotel-Lalibela.

Day 9: Monday, 20 April: Lalibela-Axum
After having an early breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Lalibela Airport for your flight to Axum. A short flight takes you from Gondar to Axum.  After check in to Remhay Hotel, you will start to visit the ancient city of Axum.

This is the birthplace of Ethiopian civilization, and by the first century Axum was a major trading center for exotic goods from Egypt, Rome, Nubia, Greece, Syria, and India.  The Holy Ark of the Covenant was brought here before the destruction of the Temple, and Axum is reputed to be the second Jerusalem.

Your today’s visit in Axum include: the Stele field, Kaleba Tombs, the 4th centaury Christian inscription of King Ezana, Queen of Sheba’s Palace, Archeological Museum, and Tsion Mariam Church where the original Ark of the Covenant is housed.

Accommodation: Remhay Hotel-Lalibela.

Day 10: Tuesday, 21 April:  Axum-Yeha-Debre Damo
In the morning, drive out of town to the pre-Christian temple of Yeha and to the most ancient monastery of Debre Damo, en-route enjoying  the stunning view of historical Adwa mountains and the dramatic mountainous country side scenery of Tigray

The rest of the day, walk around to explore the ancient city and interact with the local people.

Accommodation: Remhay Hotel-Axum.

Day 11: Wednesday, 22 April: Axum-Addis Ababa-Departure
In the morning fly back to Addis Ababa. The rest of the day, city tour of Addis Ababa which includes: St. George Cathedral, Selassie Cathedral, which are some of the oldest and beautiful cathedrals in Addis, and the view of Addis Ababa from Entoto Mountain. You will also have the chance to walk around  Churchill Avenue and Piassa area for  souvenir shopping.

In the evening, there will be Grand Holidays’ complimentary farewell dinner party with traditional special buffet and local drinks. There will also be live cultural dance show of the different ethnic groups living in the country. There will not be any better way of ending a trip. 

At the end of the farewell dinner, transfer to Addis Ababa airport for the flight back departing Addis Ababa at 23:35.

End of tour!

Note:
• Upon request, the above Easter Festival Tour program can be organized by surface and flight with addtional attractions.

• Activities for the first and last days will depend on visitors’ times of arrivals and departures and airline used.

Home | About Ethiopia | About Us | Tips And Travel Facts |Sites And Attraction | Itineraries
Photography And Filming | Terms And conditions | Contact Us