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Day 1
Day 1: Saturday, 25 September: Arrive
Addis Ababa
Arrive in Addis Ababa (ADD),
Ethiopia. Welcome to Ethiopia! Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole
International Airport, you will be welcomed and assisted by your
tour guide and driver for the transfer to
Panorama
Hotel, a 5 star hotel located at the heart of the city. There will
be a short drive to your hotel.
Addis Ababa, founded
in 1886 by Menelik II, is situated at 2,500 meters (8000 ft) above
sea level. The city enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with
an average temperature of 25C (77F). With multiethnic population of
over 5 million, 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".
Accommodation: Panorama Hotel-Addis Ababa.
Day 2:
Sunday, 26 September: Addis Ababa-Lalibela-Meskel Eve
We will take the morning flight to Lalibela. After check in to
Mountain 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. These monolithic churches were carved out of 2,600-sq meter
natural rock terrace in the 12-century AD by king Lalibela.
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. Bete Giorgis is arguable the most
beautiful rock-cut church of all.
Late in the afternoon, attend Demera, which is the eve of Meskel. At
the end of the tour, there will be Ethiopian traditional coffee
ceremony for the group prepared at a local house. Holding a coffee
ceremony is a traditional way of welcoming a guest and giving the
guest the best hospitality. It’s one of the most celebrated
Ethiopian traditions, and life style- in which most Ethiopians can
identify themselves with. This is s great chance to be part of this
unique coffee ceremony, at its birth place.
Accommodation: Mountain View Hotel-Lalibela.
Day 3:
Monday, 27 September: Meskel Festival at Lalibela
In the morning, we will witness one of the most colorful festivals
held in Lalibela, Ginbot Lideta. This ceremony is performed
colorfully by priests and deacons with drums and sitras wit a
capacity crowd in front of the first group of rock-hewn churches.
The same ceremony has been performed here on this day, centuries
over centuries in commemoration of the birth our lady.
In the afternoon, we will continue our journey into Ethiopia’s long
and marvelous past 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 underground tunnels to the
monastery were the monks and nuns live.
The rock-hewn churches that we will visit this afternoon include:
Bete Gebriel, Bete Mercorios, Bete Amanuel, Bethlehem and Bete Aba
Libanos.
Accommodation: Mountain View Hotel-Lalibela.
Day 4:
Tuesday, 28 September: Lalibela-Mekele
After breakfast, start driving north of Lalibela to Mekele through
Sekota en-route visiting Yimrhane Kirstos and different villages of
the Agewe tribe.
After check in to Axum Hotel and having rest; late in the afternoon
drive out of Mekele town to see the camel caravan carrying slat bar
from the lowest Dallol depression to the highland areas.
Accommodation: Axum Hotel-Mekele
Day 5:
Wednesday, 29 September: Mekele-Hauzien
In the morning, we will drive to Hauzien en-route visit some of the
most ancient Tigray rock-hewn churches including: Wikro Cherkos,
Abrha We-Atsbeha, Dugum Selassie and more.
After check in the beautiful Geralta Lodge located on a hill over
looking the valleys beneath, we will drive to Mariam Kurkur, one of
the most beautiful and less accessible rock-hewn churches.
Accommodation: Geralta Lodge-Hauzien
Day 06:
Thursday, 30 September: Hauzien-Axum
In the morning, we will journey to the ancient city of Axum. While
driving from Hauzien to Axum, we will visit the some of the most
beautiful rock-hewn churches and monasteries including: Debredamo
Monastery and the pre-Christian Yeha Temple located across the
historical Adwa Mountains.
Accommodation: Yeha Hotel-Axum
Day 07:
Friday, 1 October: Axum
After breakfast, we 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.
Our visit in Axum include: the Stele Square, 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: Yeha Hotel-Axum.
Day 08:
Saturday, 2 October: Axum-Simien Mountains National Park
After breakfast, we drive through Ethiopia’s most scenic highland
range with stunning plateax. Driving from Tekezze Valley up to the
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.
We will have picnic lunch under the shade of acacia trees past the
Tekeze River Gorge whilst enjoying the beautiful Simien Mountains
scenery across the valley. Driving from Axum to Simien Mountains,
you will also en-route visit different villages and monastery
churches.
At Sankaber, the heart of the Simien Mountains, you will 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. You will also have
the chance to see different endemic mammals like the Walia Ibex
around Chencek.
Accommodation: Simien Park Lodge-Sankaber.
Day 09:
Sunday, 3 October: Simien Mountains -Gondar
After breakfast, we will drive down to Gondar. While driving to
Gondar, we will be 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.
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.
Today you will visit 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 10:
Monday, 4 October: Gondar-Lake Tana-Bahirdar
After breakfast, drive from Gondar to Gorgora through the beautiful
countryside scenery of Gondar and Fogera plains. Upon arrival at
Gorgora, the shore of Lake Tana, we will have a boat cruise to cross
Lake Tana to Bahirdar.
While crossing the lake to Bhirdar, we will be visiting some of the
ancient island monasteries of Lake Tana from 14th century. 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 parts of
the country. The Lake’s monasteries are famous for their typical
Ethiopian religious paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and other
ancient church treasures.
Accommodation: Tana Hotel-Bahirdar.
Day 11:
Tuesday, 5 October: Bahirdar-Blue Nile Falls
This morning, we will take a short drive to the majestic Blue Nile
Falls. Thirty 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.
In the afternoon, we will visit the colorful Bahirdr open air
market. We will also drive to the view point, Bezawit Hill for the
best view of the Blue Nile and Lake Tana combined.
Accommodation: Tana Hotel-Bahirdar.
Day 12:
Wednesday, 6 October : Bahirdar-Addis Ababa
In the morning, drive to Addis Ababa through the Great Blue Nile
Gorge with a brief stops at different small towns like Dejen,
Chancho and Goha Tsion.
The Blue Nile Gorge is a majestic and enormous river gorge and it is
one of the most captivating gorges in Africa. It has a magnificent,
alluring physical feature and natural beauty.
In the evening, there will be a special Ethiopian Easter Nights,
Grand Holidays’ complimentary farewell dinner party with traditional
buffet and local drinks. There will also be a live cultural dance
show of the different ethnic groups living in the country. There
will not be any better way of ending a trip.
Accommodation: Panorama Hotel-Addis Ababa.
Day 13:
Thursday, 7 October: Addis Ababa-Departure
Today, we will have a full day city tour and sight seeing of Addis
Ababa, which includes the National Museum, Ethnographic Museum, St.
George Church, Merkato the largest open air market in Africa.
In the morning, we will visit the National Museum and Ethnographic
Museum: The national museum: 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, we will visit, Ba’ata Church, also known as
Menelik’s Mausoleum, it is one of the oldest churches in Addis
Ababa. It houses beautiful paintings and the royal tombs of past
Emperors. City tour of Addis will continue with Merkato, one of the
largest open-air markets in the continent. We will also drive though
other part of the city including Piassa and Churchill Avenue to make
last minute souvenirs shopping.
In the evening, transfer to the airport for the flight back home.
End of tour!
Contact us, our friendly team of experts would be very happy to help you
plan a trip of life time in this land of many wonders, Ethiopia!
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